‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’: Should This Fun but Low-Stakes Adventure Have Gone Straight to Streaming?
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” is the first “Star Wars” theatrical movie since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker,” and you would expect audiences to snap to attention. However, the film received a low opening weekend gross at the box office. Does this mean that audiences are tired of the galaxy far, far away? Perhaps, but it might also mean that this movie simply didn’t belong in theaters.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” Garnered a “Meh” Reaction From Critics
As of the writing of this article, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” has a 62% critical rating from Rotten Tomatoes. However, it also has an 88% rating from audiences, indicating that people who actually see the movie generally like it. Of course, many people aren’t seeing the movie. The movie only broke $98 million domestically on its opening three-day weekend. In this post-pandemic age, where movies go to streaming only a few months after releasing in theaters, movie theaters in general are struggling to compete with streaming.
Unfortunately, the “Star Wars” name isn’t enough to generate audience excitement anymore. In the years between “The Rise of Skywalker” and “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” Disney released several Disney+ “Star Wars” TV shows, both live-action and animated, and the shows received mixed reactions from critics and audiences. This means it doesn’t feel like “Star Wars” ever left, even though it’s been seven years since the last theatrical movie.
So, What’s This Movie About?
That might be the problem. Nothing happens in this movie that affects much of anything. Din Djarin and Grogu go on an adventure, and that’s it. Sure, Sigourney Weaver’s Colonel Ward states that their missions will ostensibly help to prevent another war, but we’ve all seen the sequel trilogy, and we know there will be another war anyway. We don’t even see the Imperial remnant doing much in this movie; Din mainly fights them for bounties.
Even when compared to other “Star Wars” spin-off movies, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” has very low stakes. Unlike in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” there is no significant threat to the galaxy. Unlike in “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” there is no significant character development or backstory. Unlike in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” no significant new characters are introduced. In fact, “The Mandalorian and Grogu’s” main plot of saving Rotta the Hutt is actually lifted from “Clone Wars.” There have been higher stakes in individual episodes of the “Mandalorian” TV show than there are in the movie.
So, that leads us to the question a lot of fans are asking. Does this movie belong in theaters? It feels like a long episode of the TV show, and not one of the show’s better episodes. Sure, Grogu gets lots of cute moments, but that isn’t enough to hold a whole movie. If all you want is a fun romp with Din and Grogu, you’ll have a good time, but if you want anything more, you’re better off watching a different “Star Wars” movie. If this movie had gone directly to Disney+, there would have been lower expectations, and as such, the lower stakes wouldn’t feel like such a disappointment.
The Future for “Star Wars” Movies
Another theatrical “Star Wars” movie, “Star Wars: Starfighter,” is set for release next year, but after “The Mandalorian and “Grogu” had a disappointing opening weekend, other “Star Wars” movies might have uncertain futures. 2027 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the original “Star Wars” release, so if “The Mandalorian and Grogu” had gone straight to streaming, “Starfighter” could have given the franchise a grand return to theaters for its fiftieth anniversary. Here’s hoping that “Starfighter” generates more excitement than Din and Grogu did.
