As you know, Disney hasn’t released a Star Wars movie in almost seven years, but that’s about to change this year with “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which has many wondering if it can actually be a success for the Mouse House. Apparently, we’re not the only ones concerned.
According to Variety, there are some internal “concerns” within Disney that the movie may fall short of expectations, especially in the wake of that odd and underwhelming ad that aired during the Super Bowl, which reportedly “failed to generate the kind of excitement the marketing team was hoping to spark.”
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” is described as “something of a question mark” for the studio, and part of that has to do with the film being based on a streaming series, which “may not seem like a big-screen proposition” for the general moviegoing audience.
The Super Bowl spot came across as a swing and a miss. It felt like a missed opportunity—the moment really called for a full-fledged trailer, not a novelty-style ad satirizing Super Bowl commercials.
The good news for Disney is twofold. “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” set to hit theaters on May 22, is one of the cheaper Star Wars movies, even if it still cost $166 million to produce. The second piece of good news is that the studio is reportedly very high on the next Star Wars film, which is set to be released next year.
That same Variety report claims Disney is very “high” on Shawn Levy’s “Star Wars: Starfighter,” which is apparently, according to sources, “more likely to satisfy fans.” Those who have seen footage from the film internally have praised what Levy has delivered, with particular attention paid to Ryan Gosling’s lead performance, teasing that Levy has “recaptured the franchise’s spirit of fun.”
“Starfighter” also stars Mia Goth, Matt Smith, Amy Adams, Aaron Pierre, and Flynn Gray, and is scheduled for release on May 28, 2027.
Suffice it to say, there is clear uncertainty surrounding “The Mandalorian and Grogu” — with some wondering whether it should have remained a streaming movie — and Disney appears to be betting all its chips on “Starfighter” to steer the franchise in the right direction.
Just five Cannes competition titles still seek U.S. distribution, four of them subpar, all French. The fifth, and easily the best film still without US studio attachment, is Ira Sachs’ “The Man I Love.”