The Real Reason ‘The Mandalorian And Grogu’ Isn’t A Dream Ticket At The Box Office

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentThe Real Reason ‘The Mandalorian And Grogu’ Isn’t A Dream Ticket At The Box OfficeByCaroline Reid,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Caroline Reid covers the entertainment industryFollow AuthorMay 24, 2026, 06:08pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Grogu's star power doesn't seem like it will translate to the box office.LucasfilmOn the face of it, The Mandalorian and Grogu should be a force to be reckoned with. The Star Wars movie is headlined by one of the most popular characters in the history of the franchise and follows up the most successful streaming series in the sci-fi saga since Disney bought its rightsholder Lucasfilm in 2012. However, industry estimates suggest that the new film is set for a similar domestic opening to 2018’s Solo, Disney's biggest Star Wars flop on the silver screen. There is good reason for this.The Mandalorian and Grogu stars Pedro Pascal as the eponymous armor-clad adventurer who is joined by his alien sidekick Grogu on a quest to apprehend a warlord and rescue Rotta the Hutt, the long-lost son of iconic Star Wars villain Jabba the Hutt. It is essentially a sequel to The Mandalorian, the Star Wars streaming series which debuted to rave reviews on the Disney+ platform in November 2019.The show introduced the pointy-eared green alien Grogu who took the world by storm thanks to its cute appearance and resemblance to classic Star Wars character Yoda. The Mandalorian returned to the roots of the saga as it featured much more rustic settings than those seen in Disney’s Star Wars movies. Unusually, its storylines were inspired by westerns which won over fans and critics alike. It earned the first season a total of seven Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards including the prestigious category of Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series.In li...