Star Wars is back on the big screen, and The Mandalorian and Grogu is making a strong Memorial Day weekend debut, even if the numbers are not exactly Force Awakens level. The Disney and Lucasfilm movie is now projected to earn around $97 million to $98 million across the four-day holiday weekend. There is still a chance it could cross the $100 million mark, but current estimates place it just under that figure. The film also received an A- CinemaScore from audiences, matching the score earned by Solo: A Star Wars Story. While that comparison may worry some fans, the opening is still a solid result in the post-pandemic box office era, especially for a franchise returning to theaters after years of streaming-focused storytelling.
The movie reportedly earned around $25.5 million on Saturday, slightly ahead of Solo’s Saturday number. Internationally, early estimates suggest the film could bring in around $69 million, potentially pushing its global opening close to $167 million.
A major factor helping the film is premium formats. Imax and premium large format screens reportedly account for nearly half of ticket sales so far, with Imax alone making up a notable share. Family audiences also appear to be responding well, especially younger viewers, who gave the film strong positive scores.
Still, the performance is being closely watched because Star Wars remains one of Hollywood’s most valuable franchises. The Mandalorian and Grogu carries a reported production budget of around $165 million, and Disney will likely be counting on international box office, merchandise, streaming interest, and long-term franchise value to strengthen the film’s overall performance.
Meanwhile, the real surprise of the holiday weekend may be Obsession. The Focus Features and Blumhouse horror film is showing impressive staying power, rising around 26 percent and heading toward an estimated $27 million four-day weekend. That kind of hold is rare and suggests the movie has become a genuine summer sleeper hit.
Lionsgate’s Michael is also continuing its strong run, with the Michael Jackson biopic expected to add more than $26 million over the holiday weekend. Its domestic total is now nearing $318 million, while its global box office is moving close to $800 million.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is also still performing well in its fourth weekend, moving toward a domestic total just under $200 million. The Sheep Detectives, Passenger, Mortal Kombat II, I Love Boosters, Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and Project Hail Mary are also filling out the busy holiday frame.
Overall, the Memorial Day box office is expected to land well above $200 million across all films. While that is far below last year’s record-breaking holiday weekend, it still shows that audiences are turning out for a wide mix of franchise films, horror, music biopics, and original titles.
For Disney, The Mandalorian and Grogu may not be a record-breaking Star Wars launch, but it is far from a disaster. For Focus Features, Obsession may be the bigger story, proving once again that horror can compete with blockbuster franchises when word of mouth is strong.