The Mandalorian and Grogu expected to make $80+ million at box office launch

In 2019, Disney launched its proprietary streaming service — aptly named Disney Plus — to the public and saw immense success with its debut original content, specifically The Mandalorian. Well, some odds six years later and under the watchful eye of Jon Favereau, the series continued to run until 2023. Skip to 2024, a year after Season 3 concluded, and instead of a new season, the director wanted to try his hand at something grander — a movie. A movie that Disney has expectations of at least $80 million at the box office at launch.

THR reports tracking services anticipate $82 million domestically while others have loftier numbers ranging from $95 to $100 million. In terms of global tracking, it’s expected to rake in $160 million. The tracking here actually means it’s on the lower end of box office launches within the Star Wars film line.

That said, it’s not too shocking, as it’s not really a standalone thing — it’s still The Mandalorian, thus you kinda need to have seen the show to get the best experience here. Additionally, early impressions from critics are a touch tepid, sitting at a 61%, which makes it the third worst-rated flick, only beating out 1999’s Phantom Menace (54%) and 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker (51%).

Meanwhile, it has a lot to live up to, as it is the first time a Star Wars movie has hit theaters in seven years.

The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters on May 22.