Star Wars’ Next Movie Breaks A Disney Record After 11 Years (& It Fixes Lucasfilm’s Biggest Problem)

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This year, new Star Wars movies are coming back to theaters, and Lucasfilm seems to have solved a major issue. While George Lucas is a filmmaking icon, he was especially skilled at managing budgets, which led to huge profits for his films. The original Star Wars cost only $11 million to make (about $58.4 million today) but earned an incredible $775.4 million (over $4 billion adjusted for inflation). Even as budgets grew in later films, Star Wars continued to be a very profitable franchise.

The Star Wars franchise has been incredibly successful for Disney, though high production costs have sometimes been a challenge. The movie Solo: A Star Wars Story struggled due to extensive and costly reshoots that significantly increased its budget, making it the first Star Wars film to underperform at the box office. Similar budget issues arose with Disney+ shows like The Acolyte (over $230 million) and Andor (over $645 million for both seasons). However, Lucasfilm now seems to be getting better at managing production costs.

The Mandalorian & Grogu is the Cheapest Disney Star Wars Film

Although The Mandalorian and Grogu hasn’t been released yet, its budget is already known thanks to tax credit applications filed by Lucasfilm in California. According to the California Film Commission (as reported by Collider), the total production cost was $166.4 million. Here’s a comparison of that amount to the budgets of other Star Wars projects.

Film Title Release Year Production Budget
Star Wars 1977 $11 million
The Empire Strikes Back 1980 $18 million
Return of the Jedi 1983 $32.5 million
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 1999 $115 million
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones 2002 $115 million
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith 2005 $113 million
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2015 $245 million
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 2016 $200 million
Star Wars: The Last Jedi 2017 $317 million
Solo: A Star Wars Story 2018 $275 million
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 2019 $275 million
The Mandalorian and Grogu 2026 $166.4 million

It’s even more remarkable considering The Mandalorian Season 1 cost between $100 and $120 million to make, and the show maintained a similar budget throughout its three seasons. This means The Mandalorian and Grogu only cost slightly more than one season of the TV series – a truly impressive feat.

How Did Lucasfilm Keep Costs Under Control?

The upcoming film, The Mandalorian & Grogu, represents a new approach for Lucasfilm, making it hard to predict its success. Because it was made on a smaller budget, it doesn’t need to earn a huge amount at the box office to be profitable, and it’s likely to perform well on streaming services. However, this strategy could create a public relations challenge, as fans might expect a major box office hit after a seven-year gap since the last Star Wars film. The initial trailer didn’t generate much excitement, but there’s still hope that effective marketing can improve its reception.

As a film fan, I’ve been really impressed with how smoothly this production seems to have gone, and I think the lower costs make sense when you look at it. Jon Favreau’s a pro – he’s worked with Lucasfilm for years – and that’s meant a drama-free set, unlike what happened with films like Solo and Rogue One. They started filming in June 2024, and instead of shooting on location, they relied heavily on ILM’s Stagecraft tech, which really sped things up. Everything wrapped in December, and honestly, it was a remarkably efficient process.

Is This A New Beginning for Star Wars?

Following the recent release of The Mandalorian and Grogu, a new Star Wars film titled Starfighter is already in the works and scheduled for next year. Directed by Shawn Levy, Starfighter had a remarkably smooth production process, beginning filming on August 28, 2025, and concluding on December 18. While the film’s exact budget isn’t known, the production utilized more on-location shooting, including scenes filmed in the Mediterranean Sea, and its relatively short filming schedule likely helped to manage costs.

Overall, Lucasfilm appears to have solved its biggest issue since the original creator stepped away: they’re now making Star Wars movies at a more manageable cost. This means the films don’t need to earn quite as much money to be successful. The studio has a smooth and consistent filmmaking process, with a new movie in production almost every year, so we can expect continued progress on the next installment in the coming months.

If Dave Filoni could focus on one upcoming Star Wars movie or show, what should it be? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-09 22:44