For the first time in nearly seven years, “Star Wars” fans finally had a reason to go to the movies.
And plenty of ’em showed up for “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which collected $82 million in its opening weekend and an estimated $102 million through Monday. Those ticket sales are aligned with expectations, though box office analysts are mixed on the results. On one hand, it’s significant for any film to debut above $100 million in post-pandemic times. On the other, “Star Wars” is one of Hollywood’s preeminent film properties, so there’s an expectation of a certain level of box office. And this start is the worst for “Star Wars” since Disney bought the franchise in 2012.
Prior to this weekend, that unfortunate distinction belonged to 2018’s spinoff “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” which opened to $84 million over the weekend and $103 million through the Memorial Day holiday, not adjusted for inflation. “Solo,” however, was plagued by other issues, including lackluster reviews and tepid word-of-mouth — none of which helped in terms of box office longevity. It became the first “Star Wars” movie ever to lose money in its theatrical run, tapping out with $392 million globally against a massive budget of nearly $300 million.
