Disney Is Failing Its Next Star Wars Movie (& We Saw the Exact Same Thing 8 Years Ago)

Following a somewhat disappointing conclusion to the Skywalker Saga with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Disney paused the Star Wars film series. Instead, they focused on live-action TV shows for their streaming service, Disney+, finding success with series like The Mandalorian and Andor. Now, seven years later, Lucasfilm appears to be returning to making Star Wars movies. Disney has declared streaming is no longer their priority, and several new films are in the works. This new direction begins this summer with The Mandalorian and Grogu, and Star Wars: Starfighter is slated for release next May.

With nearly ten years passing since the last Star Wars film, The Mandalorian and Grogu is a significant release for Lucasfilm. The studio has many more projects planned, and it’s crucial that these initial films succeed with audiences to keep the Star Wars franchise strong and profitable for years to come. While The Mandalorian and Grogu doesn’t face the same intense pressure as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, its performance still matters. That’s why it’s concerning to see Disney potentially repeating the errors that led to the franchise’s only major box office failure.

The Mandalorian and Grogu Is Being Let Down By Underwhelming Marketing

With only about four months to go until The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in theaters, Disney’s marketing has been surprisingly low-key. They released one short trailer in late September, but haven’t done much else to build excitement. Unfortunately, that trailer didn’t really capture attention – many viewers felt it looked more like a preview for another TV season than a cinematic movie.

Even with a seven-year gap since the last Star Wars film, The Mandalorian and Grogu hasn’t generated the excitement you’d expect from a major event movie. While it’s enjoyable to see Din Djarin and Grogu back together, the initial trailer didn’t reveal enough about the story to really grab viewers’ attention. Instead of focusing on the plot and explaining why this story deserves a theatrical release, the trailer mostly showed quick clips designed to create a sense of classic adventure. It’s still early – more trailers are on the way – but the first look at The Mandalorian and Grogu wasn’t particularly impressive.

This situation echoes what happened with Solo: A Star Wars Story. That film was the only box office failure in the Star Wars franchise, earning just $392.9 million worldwide. Solo faced several challenges, including a high production cost due to behind-the-scenes problems and doubts about Alden Ehrenreich in the role of young Han Solo. But weak marketing was likely the biggest reason for its poor performance. Compared to other Star Wars films released by Disney, Solo’s marketing campaign was notably ineffective. The trailers failed to excite fans, and the first teaser—released just 108 days before the film’s release—even seemed to avoid showing Ehrenreich’s face. Instead of showcasing him as the star, Disney’s marketing team appeared worried about a negative reaction. The trailers didn’t create a sense of excitement, and the film was lost in the shadow of major superhero releases like Avengers: Infinity War and Deadpool 2 during that time.

The new Star Wars movie faces challenges – some people are unsure about the idea, and interest in The Mandalorian dipped after its last season. Disney’s marketing isn’t helping much either. Currently, The Mandalorian and Grogu doesn’t feel particularly exciting or different; it seems like just another installment in the series. This is strange, considering it’s the first Star Wars movie in a while, and should be a major event. It’s meant to relaunch the franchise, but it isn’t being presented that way.

There’s Still Time to Salvage the Mandalorian and Grogu Marketing Campaign

The initial marketing for The Mandalorian and Grogu hasn’t been very successful, but Disney still has time to improve things. The strategy needs to change – instead of presenting the movie as just ‘more of The Mandalorian,’ they should focus on it being a ‘new Mandalorian adventure.’ Trailers should highlight what makes this film special and worth seeing in theaters. Lucasfilm usually keeps plot details secret in its trailers, and no one expects them to reveal the whole story. However, showing a few key moments could generate more excitement and get audiences interested.

With a new conflict rising between the New Republic and the remaining Imperial forces, a trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu has the potential to be really exciting. When it arrives, it should clearly lay out the story, helping viewers understand the current state of the galaxy and what Din Djarin is fighting for. To draw in a wider audience, the trailer needs to give people a reason to get invested. It would also be a good idea to feature more of Rotta the Hutt, voiced by Jeremy Allen White. Hutts are well-known in Star Wars, and showing one in a fresh way – apparently competing in gladiator-style fights – would highlight the new and interesting things this season of The Mandalorian and Grogu has to offer.

The next trailer needs to be really impressive, and Disney has a perfect opportunity to deliver. Super Bowl LX is happening in early February – just over two weeks from now. Studios often use the Super Bowl, with its audience of over 100 million viewers, to debut new trailers. Disney previously aired a Solo trailer during the Super Bowl in 2018, so it’s likely they’ll do the same for The Mandalorian and Grogu. While there’s talk of a glimpse of Avengers: Doomsday, The Mandalorian and Grogu is coming out soon, making it a more urgent priority for Disney.

A Super Bowl ad can kickstart a larger marketing push for The Mandalorian and Grogu right up to the movie’s release. It’s crucial to keep the movie top-of-mind and build excitement with a strong campaign that appeals to all ages. Lucasfilm needs to revitalize its marketing strategy, as both of its May releases so far haven’t gained much traction. Disney has successfully launched December Star Wars films with excellent campaigns – campaigns that earned over $1 billion – so revisiting those strategies could be a smart move. They should analyze what worked before and try to repeat that success.

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2026-01-24 21:43

The Mandalorian and Grogu Is Being Let Down By Underwhelming Marketing

There’s Still Time to Salvage the Mandalorian and Grogu Marketing Campaign

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