Mandalorian and Grogu falls to third at box office with 70% second-weekend drop

The Mandalorian and Grogu fell to third place at the US box office in its second weekend, suffering a 70% decline that sends Disney’s Star Wars revival into a sharp downward slide.

A Steep Fall From Opening Weekend

The film opened to approximately $81 million domestically during the Memorial Day weekend, marking the lowest opening for a Star Wars theatrical release under Disney. That initial performance already signaled softer-than-expected demand for the franchise’s big-screen return. By the second weekend, momentum evaporated entirely. According to Star Wars News Net, the film dropped 70 percent—a sharper decline than Solo: A Star Wars Story in 2018, which had long held the title of the franchise’s weakest performer. The collapse leaves the film on track to fall well short of its financial targets domestically.

Outpaced by Low-Budget Horror Competitors

The Mandalorian and Grogu was overtaken by two surprise box office performers this weekend: Backrooms and Obsession, both low-budget horror films that demonstrated stronger audience pull than the $165 million Star Wars production. The pair’s success underscores a broader shift in moviegoer interest away from the franchise that Disney bet heavily on reviving in theaters. For a tentpole release carrying such a large budget and a storied intellectual property, the third-place finish represents a significant setback in Disney’s strategy to bring Star Wars back to multiplexes after a seven-year gap from theatrical releases.

Franchise Challenges Moving Forward

The Mandalorian and Grogu’s performance raises questions about the theatrical viability of Star Wars in its current form. The steep second-weekend drop mirrors industry patterns seen when event filmmaking fails to connect with audiences—word-of-mouth deteriorates quickly, and repeat viewing dries up. With a production budget exceeding $165 million, the film faces an uphill road to profitability. The opening was the franchise’s weakest under Disney stewardship, and the rapid audience abandonment suggests limited recovery potential in subsequent weeks. Industry observers have noted this is a pivotal moment for Disney’s Star Wars theatrical slate, as future projects will likely be evaluated against these disappointing returns.

Sources

• Star Wars News Net — Second-weekend 70% drop and comparison to Solo (2018)
• Fox News (Outkick) — Latest confirmation of 70% collapse and third-place finish
• IGN — Second-weekend performance and box office drop data
• Geeks and Gamers — Third-place finish, competitor films, budget details
• Film Book — Third-place weekend earnings data and competitor names