One week before its worldwide release, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is heading into theaters with a problem no studio wants: the early reviews are generally horrific. Jon Favreau’s new movie, the first Star Wars film in seven years, is scheduled to open next week worldwide, but the conversation around it has already turned sour.
“We’re one week away from a new Star Wars movie hitting the theaters,” one observer said, before adding, “And here’s the thing... nobody cares.” Another put it more bluntly: “Let’s just say the early reviews are in, and it seems Star Wars fans may want to skip this one.”
That matters because this is not just another franchise release. It is the first Star Wars movie in seven years, and Disney has spent much of that time trying to rebuild trust with a fan base that has not been forgiving. The sequel trilogy was, by the account given in the coverage, an unmitigated disaster. Most of the miniseries outside a few have bombed. Even so, the company did hit a home run with Andor, a reminder that the brand is not beyond repair.
The franchise also still has an audience, even if it is a selective one. Nielsen streaming numbers released last week showed fans are still watching Star Wars, but mostly the originals and the prequels, not the newer chapter Disney has spent years trying to sell. That gap between what audiences revisit and what the studio wants them to embrace is the tension hanging over this release.
Favreau spoke during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at CinemaCon on April 16, 2026, and the film later had its Los Angeles world premiere on May 14, 2026, where Pedro Pascal attended in Los Angeles, California. The movie also sits inside a larger Disney push to keep Star Wars visible in theaters after years of mixed results on both the big and small screens.
There is a small note of relief for the studio in the chatter around the film, though it is not enough to change the overall picture. “See? It’s not all bad!” one comment said, a line that lands more like faint consolation than endorsement. With the release just days away, the question is no longer whether Star Wars can still draw attention. It can. The question is whether The Mandalorian and Grogu can win back enough goodwill to matter after opening weekend.
