Story perspectives

Grogu-Led “Star Wars” Film Nets $165 M, Revives Merchandise Boom

5/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

Disney revived Star Wars by centering a film on Grogu to attract children to theaters.
The film earned $102 million in the U.S. and Canada and $165 million worldwide over Memorial Day weekend.
Disney added Grogu and Mandalorian elements to Smugglers Run rides at Walt Disney World and Disneyland while the Los Angeles shoot earned a state tax credit.
The success should boost Star Wars merchandise, which already generates over $1 billion annually for Disney.

History

Historical Context

George Lucas’s 1977 debut of Star Wars sparked a $1 billion merchandising boom within ten years and led 20th Century Fox to become a blockbuster studio. After Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, the company continued the model, and its 2023 Disney+ release starring Grogu from The Mandalorian uses the same cross-media tie-ins to drive box-office and park revenue.

1 of 2

Story summary

Disney revived Star Wars by centering a film on Grogu to attract children to theaters.
The film earned $102 million in the U.S. and Canada and $165 million worldwide over Memorial Day weekend.
Disney added Grogu and Mandalorian elements to Smugglers Run rides at Walt Disney World and Disneyland while the Los Angeles shoot earned a state tax credit.
The success should boost Star Wars merchandise, which already generates over $1 billion annually for Disney.

1 / 2