Can Disney recapture the Force with 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'?

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After a 6½-year hiatus from theaters, “Star Wars” returns to the big screen this weekend with “The Mandalorian and Grogu.”This time around, however, the franchise faces a much different universe than it did in 2019 when the last film came out.For one, theatrical attendance has fallen dramatically since “Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker” grossed more than $1 billion worldwide in the pre-pandemic days.Then, there’s Walt Disney Co.-owned Lucasfilm’s own trajectory.

In the last few years, new “Star Wars” stories have come only via streaming series on Disney+.And since the service debuted in 2019, the San Francisco-based studio pumped out 13 shows, including “The Mandalorian,” which inspired the film, though others received mixed reviews.

Lucasfilm is also under new leadership, as veterans Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan are now co-presidents after George Lucas’ handpicked successor, Kathleen Kennedy, stepped down this year.It all adds up to a crucial question: Can the nearly 50-year-old franchise still delight its longtime fans, while bringing in new viewers to help it endure?“There’s a lot riding on this,” said Jeff Bock, box-office analyst at entertainment data and research firm Exhibitor Relations.“It’s close to a make-or-break strategic test ...

just to see if the modern ‘Star Wars’ is still viable theatrically.” Hollywood Inc.For years, fans have clamored for a third park at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.

But that’s unlikely to happen.“The Mandalorian and Grogu” is expected to gross around $80 million in the U.S.and Canada for the four-day Memorial Day weekend, according to studio estimates.That would rank among some of the top openings this year, including Amazon MGM Studios’ “Project Hail Mary” ($80.5 million) and Disney-owned 20th Century Studios’ “The Devil Wears Prada 2” ($76.7 million).

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