Audiences Love It and Critics Hate It — How Did 'Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu' Perform on Opening Weekend?

After six and a half years of break, there’s a NEW Star Wars movie in theaters!

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu hit theaters last weekend, and as a film based on a popular Disney+ series, it was expected to do well. But how much did the film actually make on opening weekend? The numbers may surprise you.

According to the New York Times, The Mandalorian and Grogu had a strong start at the box office, expected to make $102 million over the long weekend during its launch. The film cost about $300 million to make and market.

Notably, this film marks a turning point for Star Wars. The last movies from the franchise to hit theaters were those from the sequel trilogy, and they didn’t resonate as well with fans as Disney hoped. With the launch of The Mandalorian on Disney+, fans had a new rallying point, as well as an adorable new obsession thanks to little Grogu.

The new film didn’t rate terribly well with critics, but its audience score broke records, earning a 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. That makes it the highest-scoring Star Wars film since Disney bought the franchise. In particular, it performed well with children, getting positive reviews from the under 12 crowd.

Of course, the movie has been promoted with new merchandise, as well as a major ride update at Disney World and Disneyland Resort. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run got an overhaul with missions featuring Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) and his baby Grogu. Reviews of the ride’s updates have been positive.