The Mandalorian and Grogu Heads to Disney+ After Disappointing Box Office Run

“The Mandalorian and Grogu” key art.

LUCASFILM LTD./DISNEY

“Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu,” featuring Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and Jeremy Allen White, is arriving on Disney+ this week as the film attempts to reach a wider audience following a challenging theatrical run.

Directed by Jon Favreau, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” debuted in theaters on May 22 before transitioning to premium video on demand on July 21. The movie is adapted from the acclaimed Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” which aired for three seasons between 2019 and 2023.

In this new installment of the “Star Wars” saga, Din Djarin/Mando (Pascal) and his Grogu (White) are enlisted by Colonel Ward (Weaver) and the Rebel Alliance to find Rotta the Hutt, the estranged son of Jabba the Hutt, and bring him back to his father’s siblings. However, the Hutt Twins have no intention of making the reunion a pleasant one.

Rated PG-13, “The Mandalorian & Grogu” also features Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder as the suit actors for Din Djarin, Jonny Coyne as the crime lord Janu Coin, Steve Blum as the voice of New Republic pilot Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios, and Martin Scorese as the voice of alien merchant Hugo Durant.

Although “The Mandalorian & Grogu” was the first “Star Wars” film to hit theaters since 2019’s “Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker,” audiences were largely unimpressed. The movie debuted with $98 million domestically from 4,300 theaters over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, marking the lowest opening for a “Star Wars” film in Disney’s possession. Previously, “Solo: A Star Wars Story” held that distinction with a $103 million domestic opening over Memorial Day weekend in 2018.

Following a steep 70% drop in its second domestic weekend, the film ultimately grossed $177.7 million in North America and $168.1 million internationally, bringing its worldwide total to $345.8 million against a production budget of $165 million, excluding marketing costs.

While Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro acknowledged that “The Mandalorian & Grogu” (alongside the live-action “Moana”) missed the company’s “box office expectations” during an August earnings call, the release yielded positive results in other areas. “The Mandalorian and Grogu drove healthy growth in retail sales for the Star Wars franchise, attracted visitors to the updated Millennium Falcon attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and generated significant engagement in gaming,” D’Amaro noted.

“The Mandalorian & Grogu” Finally Makes Its Disney+ Debut

Approximately three and a half months after its theatrical release, the latest “Star Wars” chapter returns to its streaming home on Disney+ to determine if it can replicate its success in other sectors of the business.

Disney recently confirmed that “The Mandalorian and Grogu” will begin streaming on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

For those without a Disney+ subscription, the platform offers two tiers: an ad-supported option for $11.99 per month and an ad-free premium option for $18.99 per month or $189.99 per year. Bundled packages combining Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max are also available.

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