Disney originally planned that «"The Mandalorian and Grogu"» would be a film that would appeal to a wide audience and unite fans. After all, it was the first Star Wars film since 2019, and it brought the franchise's most popular characters to the big screen via Disney+. Unfortunately, things soon went south. The film received scathing reviews from critics and performed worse in its opening weekend than «"Solo"» , becoming the lowest-budget Star Wars film of all time. After such a disappointing start, Disney had only one hope: that «"The Mandalorian and Grogu"» will receive such positive reviews that the second weekend will bring in more money than the first.
That's exactly what happened with «"Obsession"» , making it the first horror film millennia , which earned more in its second weekend of release. As for Disney, it seems the studio should have bought the "One Wish" willow and made a wish. Now the box office «"The Mandalorian" and "Grogu"» are down at least 69 percent in their second weekend, which would be the biggest drop in Star Wars history (previously the biggest loser was «"Solo"» (with a 65 percent drop). Worse, this latest film, set in a galaxy far, far away, will likely be eclipsed at the box office.« Behind the Scenes"» , another tiny horror film that had virtually no advertising.
This is where the fun begins.
Why is a film's second weekend box office so important? Basically, it helps both fans and filmmakers estimate how much money a film will make before it leaves theaters. With exceptions like «Obsession» , movies almost always lose money in their second weekend; so the question isn't whether, how much strongly Box office receipts will decline. A small drop indicates the film has potential and will likely generate significant profits. However, a significant drop indicates the film will not be as profitable and will likely be released on digital platforms and streaming services much sooner.
According to data Deadline , box office receipts for TV series «"The Mandalorian" and "Grogu"» will drop by at least 69 percent in its second weekend. This is especially unfortunate for the franchise, as the Star Wars films were once considered reliable, billion-dollar blockbusters (even «The Last Jedi» и «The Rise of Skywalker» ). Poor box office receipts« Solo: A Star Wars Story» forced Disney to change plans and turn several planned film projects (such as solo films about Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi) into television series for Disney+. The studio knew things would go badly when box office receipts «"Solo »" fell 65 percent in the second weekend. Therefore, the decline «"The Mandalorian" and "Grogu" »" 69 percent is an absolute disaster.
They have a bad feeling about this.
In a vacuum (including the cold vacuum of space) a box office failure «"The Mandalorian" and "Grogu" »" would be a huge embarrassment for Disney. However, it's almost impossible to avoid comparing the failure of this sci-fi film with the inexplicable success of the two major horror films it's currently playing alongside. The fact is that Disney reportedly spent nearly 100 million dollars to promote his latest film, Star Wars, in the United States. Meanwhile, at "Backstage"« , reportedly had a marketing budget of just over $10 million, and it is likely to surpass the box office «"The Mandalorian" and "Grogu" »" this weekend. Disney spent 10 times more and could ultimately lose its top spot to a low-budget horror film.
Speaking of low budgets, it's worth noting that «Obsession» was made for less than a million dollars and has earned over $108 million to date. What's the secret behind these horror films? "Obsession" director Curry Barker and director «Behind the Scenes» Kane Parsons and Kane Parsons began their careers on YouTube, where they achieved immense popularity before moving on to major film production. YouTube taught both filmmakers how to make the most of a limited budget, and now they're applying those skills to make horror history. As for Star Wars, its producers are spending a fortune on a film they believe will disappoint its dwindling fan base.
Help me, independent filmmakers: you are my only hope!
Grogu
There's a bitter lesson in this whole story for Disney: since taking control of the Star Wars franchise, they've squandered the goodwill of the most devoted sci-fi audience in cinema history. The sequel trilogy was a disappointing failure, and the Disney+ series have been deeply uneven. Furthermore, the producers have used their popular platform to completely destroy the franchise's magic. Star Wars no longer feels special; it's just another piece of terrible streaming content you watch while doing the dishes. After more than a decade of creative mismanagement, Disney has alienated countless fans with one terrible film and even worse series after another.
Of course, fandom will never die out completely, and dedicated fans whose walls are covered with action figures will always support new Star Wars films. But there are few dedicated fans left, and the dwindling fan base «"The Mandalorian" and "Grogu"» proves that fans are not enough to turn these films into blockbusters like «New Hope» , «The Empire Strikes Back» or even «The Phantom Menace» . The only way forward for the franchise is to hire young filmmakers with original creative visions. But that won't happen, because talented directors focused on their own projects have done what the Star Wars fandom can't: they've left their beloved childhood toys behind.