Box Office Struggles for Star Wars: Solo and The Mandalorian
It’s pretty striking how poorly Solo: A Star Wars Story fared at the box office, raking in just $214 million domestically and $179 million internationally, which brings its worldwide total to about $393 million. That’s a tough pill to swallow for what was intended to be a blockbuster.
This performance raises questions about the direction of the Star Wars franchise, with some placing the blame on Kathleen Kennedy. I mean, this is the same film that introduced fans to a version of Lando Calrissian as a “pansexual” character who has a fondness for droids. Honestly, I’m not quite sure what pansexuality means, and I don’t really need to know. But, well, I think it’s safe to say it didn’t sit well with many fans.
Looking at the numbers, Solo opened to considerable fanfare, but after three weekends, it managed only $177 million.
In comparison, The Mandalorian and Grogu reached about $155 million after its own three weeks of wide release.
This makes it seem plausible that The Mandalorian and Grogu might struggle to hit $200 million domestically. As noted by some commentators, it seems like the initial excitement may be fading.
To hit that $200 million mark, The Mandalorian and Grogu will need to keep generating significant sales, both during weekends and weekdays, for weeks to come. With current domestic figures being low, and a noticeable drop in the second weekend, it looks like the most enthusiastic fans might have caught it right away.
Furthermore, when you compare The Mandalorian and Grogu to the high expectations set by the Star Wars brand, Disney’s marketing, and the anticipation surrounding a major holiday release, its performance appears even worse. The break-even point is estimated to be in the range of $500 million to $600 million, and honestly, this situation spells trouble for Disney.
Globally, The Mandalorian and Grogu has only netted around $258 million over its subsequent weekends. The international box office doesn’t really offer any relief either, as there hasn’t been a noticeable increase in those figures.
This isn’t merely a financial blow for Disney with this one title; it’s more about the broader picture of Star Wars being yet another franchise among many that have faced similar downturns, seemingly underwhelmed by changing narratives.
They’ve lost traction on other classic series too, as listed:
- Indiana Jones
- Charlie’s Angels
- Men in Black
- Tron
- Willow
- Wonder
- Fantastic Beasts
- Pixar
- Shazam!
- Muppets
- Space Jam
- X-Men
- Star Trek
And honestly, I might be forgetting a few more.
The way they’ve approached these beloved franchises—by changing core elements, incorporating controversial themes, and, well, often alienating the fan base—has arguably stripped them of their essence. It’s perplexing that, when fans express frustration, there seems to be a rush to label dissenters in increasingly negative terms.
I knew Star Wars was in for a rough time during The Force Awakens, especially when Rey seemed preoccupied with concerns over Finn holding her hand while they were in peril.
Clearly, this isn’t just a minor hiccup; it’s indicative of broader issues at play.
