Memorial Day Weekend Box Office: ‘Mandalorian and Grogu’ Opens to $100 Million Domestically, $163 Million Globally

Disney's "The Mandalorian and Grogu" made $100 million at the domestic box office during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. That's a little less than the expected $102 million for the four-day period, which includes $81 million from the traditional weekend. The movie, which is part of the "Star Wars" series and continues the story from the popular Disney+ show, earned $63 million internationally, bringing its total global earnings to $163 million over the four days. This movie is important because it's the first "Star Wars" film in seven years since "The Rise of Skywalker" in 2019. For years, Lucasfilm, the owner of "Star Wars," struggled to create a new theatrical film, so they focused more on TV shows like "The Book of Boba Fett," "Ahsoka," "Andor," and "Skeleton Crew" on Disney+.

Box office experts aren't sure yet if "Star Wars" is still doing well in theaters.

 They think the movie's performance in its second weekend will show if it's only popular with fans or if it can attract families. So far, ticket sales are about the same as Lucasfilm's last "Star Wars" movie, "Solo: A Star Wars Story," which came out on Memorial Day in 2018 and didn't do well. "Solo" earned $103 million through the four-day holiday and $168 million worldwide, not adjusted for inflation. But due to bad reviews and lackluster word-of-mouth, the movie only made $392 million globally and was the first "Star Wars" film to lose money in its theatrical run. Part of the problem was its massive $300 million budget.

On the other hand, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" was much cheaper, costing around $165 million to make.

 It also got much better reviews from both critics and audiences. But the film still needs to show that younger people are interested in the "Star Wars" universe. Jon Favreau directed the movie, which features Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin and his cute green sidekick as they explore a galaxy recovering from the fall of the evil Empire.

Second place went to Focus Features' horror movie "Obsession," which had a bigger-than-expected second weekend.

 The movie made $23.9 million over the weekend and $30.3 million through Monday, which is a 39% increase from its first showing. This is rare for horror movies, which usually drop sharply after their first weekend. So far, "Obsession" has earned $60.7 million in North America and $75 million worldwide. It was made for less than $1 million and will likely be one of the most profitable films of the year. The movie was directed by YouTube star Curry Barker and follows someone who makes a dark deal to win his crush's heart.

Two other new movies, Paramount's thriller "Passenger" and Neon's crime comedy "I Love Boosters," didn't make it to the top five.

"Passenger" opened at number six with $10.5 million from Friday through Monday, including $8.7 million over the weekend.

 The movie, which is rated R, made $4.8 million overseas, for a total of $13.5 million worldwide. The film, about a couple being stalked by a demonic force, has mixed reviews (42% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a CinemaScore of B-. It only cost $15 million to make.

"I Love Boosters" opened in eighth place with $4.7 million through the four-day frame, including $3.8 million over the weekend.

 The film, directed by Boots Riley ("Sorry to Bother You"), is about professional shoplifters who target a ruthless fashion mogul played by Demi Moore. Critics gave it a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences were mixed, giving it a CinemaScore of B. The movie has a $20 million production budget.