A Galaxy Returns to Theaters: 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' Roars to a $100 Million Debut as Star Wars Fans Celebrate

The Mandalorian and Grogu opened to roughly $100 million domestically and $163 million worldwide over Memorial Day weekend — the first theatrical Star Wars film in seven years. Fans are buzzing over whether the strong debut signals the franchise's big-screen comeback or echoes the cautionary tale of 2018's Solo.

For the first time in seven years, a Star Wars movie ruled the box office — and the galaxy delivered. The Mandalorian and Grogu blasted to a $100 million domestic opening over the four-day Memorial Day weekend and $163 million worldwide, marking the franchise's long-awaited return to the big screen and giving fans their first theatrical adventure with Din Djarin and his pint-sized companion.

A Galaxy Returns to the Big Screen

The milestone here is bigger than the dollar figure. The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first Star Wars feature to hit theaters since 2019's saga-capping The Rise of Skywalker — the end of the nine-film "Skywalker Saga" that ran all the way back to 1977. In the years since, Lucasfilm repeatedly struggled to get a new theatrical project off the launch pad, pivoting instead to Disney+, where shows like The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, Andor, and Skeleton Crew kept the galaxy alive on the small screen.

That makes this debut a homecoming. The Mandalorian launched Disney+ itself in 2019 and turned Grogu — affectionately dubbed "Baby Yoda" by fans before his name was revealed — into a global phenomenon. Now the streaming hit has graduated to the multiplex under returning director Jon Favreau, who created the series, with Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin and his green sidekick navigating a galaxy still healing from the fall of the Empire.

By the Numbers

According to Variety's box office report, the film opened to roughly $100 million domestically across the four-day holiday — including $81 million over the traditional three-day weekend — landing just shy of Sunday's $102 million projection. Overseas, it added a softer $63 million, bringing the global haul to $163 million. At a reported $165 million production budget, the film is far leaner than past Lucasfilm spinoffs, giving it a healthier path to profitability.

The Solo Comparison Fans Can't Ignore

The numbers come with an asterisk that Star Wars watchers know well. The opening is almost identical to Solo: A Star Wars Story, which also debuted over Memorial Day — back in 2018 — to $103 million across the four-day holiday and $168 million globally. Solo famously stumbled to just $392 million worldwide and became the first Star Wars film to lose money theatrically, weighed down by a reported $300 million budget.

Analysts say it's too early to declare whether The Mandalorian and Grogu will follow Solo's trajectory or break out. The key tell, they argue, will be the second weekend: a soft drop would suggest the film is mostly drawing existing series fans, while strong holds would signal it's reaching the broad family audience Star Wars needs at the movies. The early signs are encouraging — unlike Solo, this debut arrives with stronger reviews and warmer word-of-mouth from critics and audiences alike.

What Else Topped the Holiday Charts

Star Wars wasn't the only story of the weekend. Focus Features' breakout horror hit Obsession staged a stunning sophomore surge, climbing 39% to $30.3 million through Monday — a rare feat in a genre known for steep second-weekend drops — for a $60.7 million domestic and $75 million global total on a sub-$1 million budget. Further down, Paramount's thriller Passenger opened at No. 6 with $10.5 million, and Neon's crime comedy I Love Boosters, directed by Boots Riley, debuted in eighth with $4.7 million.

Why Fans Are Buzzing

On r/StarWars, the debut lit up the community — hundreds of upvotes and dozens of comments parsing what a $100 million opening really means for the franchise's future. For many longtime fans, the simple fact that a Star Wars movie is back in theaters at all, and opening strong, is cause for celebration after a seven-year drought. For others, the Solo parallel is a note of caution worth watching. Either way, the conversation underscores how much the fandom still cares about seeing that galaxy far, far away on the big screen.

The real verdict comes next weekend. If The Mandalorian and Grogu holds well and pulls in families beyond the Disney+ faithful, it could green-light Lucasfilm's broader return to theaters. For now, Din Djarin and Grogu have done what no Star Wars story has managed since 2019 — and that alone has fans buzzing.