Mandalorian & Grogu Opens $100M; Obsession Climbs 30% Wk 2
SkimNews Take
The film's success with families, rather than core fans, suggests a shift in the target demographic for Star Wars content, potentially broadening the franchise's appeal beyond its traditional base.
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- "The Mandalorian & Grogu" opened to $100 million worldwide over Memorial Day weekend, a result Variety's Rebecca Rubin described as "significant" but below the loftier expectations that come with the Star Wars brand.
- The film's $165 million production budget is roughly half of "Solo: A Star Wars Story's" ~$300 million cost, giving the spin-off a notably lower financial bar than the franchise's only prior box office flop.
- Rubin said the second weekend is "really indicative" of whether the film is reaching beyond core Star Wars fans, with analysts taking a wait-and-see approach.
- Focus Features' "Obsession" increased ticket sales 30% from its opening to second weekend — a surge Rubin called "unprecedented" for a horror film, which typically sees steep drops in weekend two.
- Director Curry Barker's YouTube following is credited with mobilizing young audiences for "Obsession," which Rubin said will be "wildly profitable" thanks to its low budget, strong reviews, and high audience scores.
Why it matters: Disney's $100M opening for "The Mandalorian & Grogu" is the first major Star Wars theatrical test in years, and the film's $165M budget — about half of "Solo's" — significantly lowers the financial stakes compared to the franchise's only flop. The second weekend will reveal whether Star Wars can still draw beyond its hardcore fan base, while "Obsession's" 30% weekend-two jump defies horror's typical drop pattern and signals a new audience-mobilization playbook via YouTube creators.
