The Mandalorian and Grogu' box office preview
CNBC • • general
Key Points:
- Disney's "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu" returns to theaters after seven years, earning $12 million in Thursday night previews—the lowest advance ticket sales in the franchise's history.
- Box office analysts predict an $80 million to $95 million opening over the three-day weekend, with some estimates reaching $115 million for the four-day Memorial Day holiday, marking one of the smallest openings for a modern "Star Wars" film.
- The film benefits from the popularity of the Disney+ series, the holiday weekend, and limited competition, while serving as a test for future theatrical "Star Wars" releases amid a shift toward streaming projects.
- With a production budget around $165 million—lower than previous "Star Wars" films—the movie has a smaller profitability threshold, though marketing costs are not included in this figure.
- Beyond box office revenue, Disney is leveraging the release with a strong consumer products launch and theme park tie-ins, capitalizing on the franchise's enduring retail success and the popularity of Grogu ("Baby Yoda").