The Mandalorian & Grogu Can Break a 21-Year Star Wars Curse (Disney Has Been Trying to Since The Force Awakens)

by

Now that Star Wars is back in theaters, The Mandalorian and Grogu have a chance to end a 21-year streak of disappointing endings for the franchise. The show that launched Disney+ in 2019 has become a hit, and after three seasons starring Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin, it’s leading to a movie. This film will feature both Din Djarin and his adopted son, Grogu, as the main characters.

Okay, let’s be honest, the initial marketing for this movie didn’t exactly land well. That Super Bowl ad? A lot of people were scratching their heads, and frankly, it got some negative reactions. Thankfully, Disney followed it up with a real trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu, which gave us a much clearer idea of what the film is about. There’s a lot riding on this one for Disney, though. They’ve got big plans for this franchise, and this movie really needs to deliver to keep those plans on track.

Star Wars Hasn’t Had A Summer Blockbuster Success Since Revenge Of The Sith

Beyond being a hit with both critics and audiences, the new Star Wars project has a chance to end a long losing streak for the franchise. While many are talking about it being the first Star Wars release since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, it’s often overlooked that Star Wars hasn’t had a truly successful summer blockbuster since George Lucas’s Revenge of the Sith in 2005.

Several things contributed to this. Notably, after George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney, Star Wars hadn’t had a new movie in theaters for quite some time – the first one, The Force Awakens, didn’t come out until 2015. It was initially scheduled for a summer release that year, but ended up being released in December instead.

Following its initial success, all subsequent Star Wars films were released in December, with the exception of the 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story, which didn’t do well in theaters. Disney originally planned to release The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker in May 2017 and 2019, respectively, but both were ultimately pushed back to December of their release years.

With three seasons of The Mandalorian already popular on Disney+, the new film The Mandalorian and Grogu gives Disney a great opportunity to have a big summer hit. If the movie does well, Disney might start releasing more Star Wars films during the peak summer blockbuster season, which would be fantastic for fans.

What Are The Chances Of The Mandalorian and Grogu Finally Breaking Star Wars’ 21-Year Blockbuster Curse?

Look, as a huge Star Wars fan, I think it’s obvious things have been a bit of a rollercoaster since Disney took over. We fans are passionate about this universe, and honestly, that’s a good thing – it means we care! So, any new movie, especially one introducing a character from the same alien species as Yoda, is going to have a lot riding on it. The pressure to get it right is enormous.

With its upcoming movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu is breaking new ground as the first Star Wars story to begin as a TV series and then move to the big screen. The years we’ve spent following Din and Grogu’s journey have naturally made audiences eager to see how their story concludes. The film also offers a chance to address a lingering question within Star Wars history: what happened to both characters during the events of the sequel trilogy, particularly Grogu. Whether the movie will actually answer this question depends on if there are plans to continue Grogu’s story in the future, which would keep fans engaged.

With the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu just around the corner, Disney will likely increase its marketing efforts. Ideally, they would have started this earlier, as the film’s success is crucial for the future of the franchise. However, the news that Pedro Pascal will appear without his mask is a significant step towards attracting a wider audience. As a popular actor, his involvement could draw in viewers who aren’t already fans of Star Wars.

Compared to other recent Star Wars films from Disney, The Mandalorian and Grogu was made with the smallest budget. This gives it a better chance of simply making back its costs. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t strive for big success – exceeding expectations is always the goal. This lower budget does make it more likely to reach its financial target and finally give Disney the huge Star Wars hit they’ve been looking for.

The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters on May 22, 2026.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/movies/feature/star-wars-already-spoiled-the-ending-of-the-mandalorian-and-grogu/embed/#

Read More

2026-03-08 15:13