Disney’s new Star Wars film has had the lowest three-day domestic box office debut of any movie in the franchise, despite the company’s broader strategy focusing on merchandise, Disney+, and theme parks rather than just ticket sales.
According to CNBC, The Mandalorian & Grogu brought in around $82 million domestically during its opening weekend, surpassing pre-release estimates that projected about $80 million.
Still, this debut falls short of 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, which earned $84 million at launch, marking it as the least successful release for Disney’s Star Wars franchise up to this point, based on ComScore data.
This film is significant as it marks the first new theatrical Star Wars release in seven years.
Analysts predict it will exceed $100 million in domestic box office revenue over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, and it has already grossed approximately $63 million internationally.
Notably, IMAX and Dolby Cinema screenings contributed to 41% of total ticket sales, as reported by Enttelligence.
The average price for standard tickets was $16.01, whereas premium tickets averaged $19.43.
Based on the popular Disney+ series, The Mandalorian, which has accumulated over 1.3 billion hours of global viewership, this film seems poised to build on that success.
Disney’s approach to the Star Wars brand also includes a strong focus on merchandise and interactive experiences in theme parks, generating over $1 billion in retail sales every year, even when no new films are released.
Additionally, the company recently enhanced attractions at its theme parks, like updating the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run ride with new missions featuring Grogu, and reintroducing the BDX droid at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge.
Furthermore, Disney is working with Epic Games to integrate new Star Wars-themed environments and characters into Fortnite, linked to the film’s release.
Official box office figures are expected to be announced later on Monday.
