The Mandalorian And Grogu's Rotten Tomatoes Score Will Disappoint Star Wars Fans

After a nearly seven-year break, audiences around the world are gearing up to see a new "Star Wars" movie in theaters again. "The Mandalorian and Grogu" not only brings the characters from the Disney+ series "The Mandalorian" to the big screen for the first time, it's also the first film in the franchise since the complicated $1 billion box office hit that was 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker.". Undoubtedly, everyone at Disney and Lucasfilm hoped that this would be a home run. Unfortunately, the early critical reaction promises something far more divisive.

As of this writing, director Jon Favreau's "The Mandalorian and Grogu" sits at a 62% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes after 76 reviews. While that's still "fresh," it's on the lower end for a "Star Wars" movie overall and lies in the same ballpark as 2018's "Solo: A Star Wars Story" (69%) and 2002's "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones" (62%), which was the middle chapter in George Lucas' prequel trilogy.

/Film's Jeremy Mathai wrote that "Star Wars" has "never felt duller" in his review of "The Mandalorian and Grogu." He's not alone, but a slight majority of critics were charmed by what Favreau accomplished in bringing these characters to the silver screen. There is, however, much more to "Star Wars" than just critical opinion. A lot of it comes down to how audiences feel about the movie.

Take "The Rise of Skywalker," for example. It holds a 51% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, the worst score for any live-action "Star Wars" movie to date. Yet, it carries an audience score of 86%, which is pretty respectable. By contrast, 2017's franchise-changing box office smash "The Last Jedi" has a great 91% critical approval rating but is saddled with a rough 41% audience score.

That's, frustratingly, largely been the story of the Disney era of Lucasfilm in regards to "Star Wars": a tale of division. 2015's "The Force Awakens" kicked things off with a great deal of excitement, setting the sequel trilogy off with an installment that was both critically heralded and made bank. 2016's "Rogue One" then turned two lines of text into a beloved $1 billion hit. From 2017 on, though, it's been tougher sledding.

To what degree will the general critical response impact Disney's latest "Star Wars" movie? That remains to be seen. "The Mandalorian and Grogu" doesn't need to set box office records to be a hit, given that it carries a reported $165 million budget. It's by far the cheapest entry in the franchise made in the Disney era. That said, the Mouse House undoubtedly wanted something that was more of a well-rounded crowd-pleaser. At least for now, the reception can best be defined as mixed.

Pedro Pascal returns as Din Djarin, aka. Mando, in "The Mandalorian and Grogu," with sci-fi legend and "Alien" star Sigourney Weaver also joining a galaxy far, far away as Colonel Ward alongside "The Bear" star Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt. The synopsis for the movie reads as follows:

The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" hits theaters on May 22, 2026.