Help me, cute little Grogu, you’re our only hope!
The “Star Wars” saga is in trouble following a dispiriting sequel trilogy and some less than stellar TV spinoffs. The less said about “The Acolyte,” the better.
The one ray of sunshine from the Disney “Star Wars” era? The small-screen “Mandalorian” series. Now, even that story may have worn out its welcome.
The show, created by veteran director Jon Favreau (“Elf,” “Iron Man”) helped make Pedro Pascal a star, introduced us to the cute, Yoda-like Grogu and felt oh, so much like classic “Star Wars” storytelling.
Finally.
It ran for three seasons, the first two drawing near universal acclaim. The series made a star out of Gina Carano, the former MMA fighter cast as Cara Dune. Then, Team Disney fired Carano for daring to think outside the Hollywood box (the matter was later settled in the courts).
The third season lacked the fan intensity that initially greeted the series. Now, Disney hopes a big-screen version of the show will kick start the franchise.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu,” out May 22, is the first “Star Wars” film since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker.” Next year, “Star Wars: Starfighter” graces movie screens starring Ryan Gosling.
So far, there’s little overt enthusiasm for the new film. Pascal fatigue is real, and the series ended without a full-throated campaign to keep it alive.
Should Grogu and company fizzle in theaters, it will be another body blow to the franchise. And, if a new Fandango poll is any indication, the anticipation is simply not there.
The poll in question asked more than 5,000 moviegoers what summer 2026 titles they were most eager to see. The winner? “Toy Story 5,” which should be one of the year’s top-grossing films (if not the biggest).
The annual Moviegoing Trends & Insights Study found the following 10 must-see movies coming our way.
- Toy Story 5 (Disney)
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Sony)
- The Devil Wears Prada 2 (Disney/20th Century Studios)
- The Odyssey (Universal)
- Scary Movie (2026) (Paramount)
- Moana (2026) (Disney)
- Minions & Monsters (Universal)
- Mortal Kombat II (Warner)
- Supergirl (Warner)
- Insidious: The Bleeding World (Sony/Blumhouse)
What’s missing? “The Mandalorian & Grogu.”
The survey is a one-off, but the fact that “Star Wars” couldn’t crack the top 10 is alarming. The film has been in discussion for some time, and just weeks ago, Disney purchased expensive Super Bowl Sunday time to spread the news about it.
The official “Star Wars” YouTube channel generated 11 million views in the last month for the latest “Mandalorian” trailer. By comparison, a two-week old teaser for “The End of Oak Street” has 28 million views.
Could “Star Wars” fans be sick of the saga? Or, will interest ramp as the Disney media machine kicks into overdrive?
One possible boost, assuming the two parties were as amicable as we were told? A surprise Carano cameo could be the best PR for a movie in limbo.
