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'The Mandalorian and Grogu' was a box-office disappointment. Disney's TV strategy is to blame.

The Mandalorian and Grogu in a ship
"The Mandalorian and Grogu."

Lucasfilm

  • "The Mandalorian and Grogu" had the worst opening ever for a "Star Wars" release.
  • Disney played it too safe, and the movie felt like an elevated episode of "The Mandalorian."
  • "Star Wars" fans don't want TV when they go to the movies. They want big, original stories.

For the last seven years, Disney has been biding its time waiting patiently for the right moment to bring the "Star Wars" universe back to the big screen.

Over Memorial Day weekend, fans finally went back to theaters for the first "Star Wars" movie since the disappointing end of the Skywalker saga with "The Rise of Skywalker." And what they were rewarded with for their years of patience was the equivalent of a long episode of "The Mandalorian."

"Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu" brought in $167 million at the worldwide box office over the four-day holiday weekend, making it the lowest opening ever for a "Star Wars" movie. It did worse than 2018's Memorial Day weekend release of "Solo: A Star Wars Story," which brought in $168 million worldwide and went on to earn only $392 million worldwide in its theatrical run.

It's put Disney brass in a similar situation to 2019, when then-CEO Bob Iger declared that "Star Wars" movies were going on a "hiatus" after the release of "The Rise of Skywalker." That break led to a savvy pivot to the small screen, with "Star Wars" spinoff show "The Mandalorian" launching Disney's streaming service Disney+ in 2019.

Led by showrunner Jon Favreau, "The Mandalorian" leaned into the deep mythology of the franchise with a unique Western gunslinger aesthetic. It also introduced the world to Grogu, aka Baby Yoda, whose improbable cuteness helped make "Star Wars" a sensation for the first time since Disney reignited the fanbase with the theatrical release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in 2015.

The show's success led to more live-action shows ("Obi-Wan Kenobi," "Andor," "Ashoka," "Skeleton Crew," "The Acolyte") that delved deeper into the "Star Wars" saga and were a satisfying feast for fanatics and casual fans alike.

Now, tasked with helming the return of "Star Wars" to the big screen, Favreau makes "The Mandalorian and Grogu" play like an extension of the beloved television show — and why would you head to theaters when you're used to getting your Mando fix at home?

All of which begs the question: Did Disney's pivot to TV kill "Star Wars" as we know it? Is the franchise no longer the gold standard for theatrical blockbusters?

'The Mandalorian and Grogu' felt like an extension of the TV show — not a full-blown theatrical event

The Mandalorian and Grogu at a bar
"The Mandalorian and Grogu."

Lucasfilm

Supersizing "The Mandalorian" into a feature film works on paper. It has the broadest appeal of any of the current "Star Wars" properties, and Favreau is a proven blockbuster hitmaker who's brought in box office coin directing movies like Marvel's "Iron Man" and live-action versions of Disney classics like "The Jungle Book" (2016) and "The Lion King" (2019).

But Disney and Lucasfilm seemingly didn't consider that "Star Wars" fans are a fickle bunch. Though fans love the nostalgic nature of a galaxy far, far, away, they're always craving something different. For every one fan who despises "The Last Jedi," there are two who love it for its big swings (or vice versa — such is the paradox of the fanbase).

Business Insider reached out to Disney for comment.

The fans weren't looking for "The Mandalorian and Grogu" to be an elevated episode of the beloved show, but that's what they got. Instead of Carl Weathers (RIP) giving Mando jobs, in the movie, it's Sigourney Weaver. And when the show gets nostalgic, it misses the mark. Watching the muscular son of Jabba the Hut (voiced by Jeremy Allen White), fighting alongside Mando against creatures that look eerily similar to the ones Chewbacca played on the chessboard in the Millennium Falcon (the floor they fought on even looked like a chessboard!) felt forced.

That's not to say the movie is a "Solo"-level disaster. The second half has a better pace and feels more cinematic, and the puppetry and stop-motion animation featured are some of the best the company has ever done, harkening back to its 1980s collaborations with Jim Henson on "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth."

But the film's close ties to the show likely turned off those who didn't want to spend money on an IMAX-priced ticket to something they've been watching at home for years. This could be the start of a bigger problem for Disney: Like Pixar, Disney has programmed the "Star Wars" fan to settle for getting content outside of a movie theater. And there's only one way to stop that.

'Star Wars' fans are craving originality on the big screen

Ryan Gosling leaning on a handle surrounded by water
Ryan Gosling and Flynn Gray in "Star Wars: Starfighter."

Lucasfilm

The lackluster opening for "The Mandalorian and Grogu" at the box office — by "Star Wars" standards, anyway — is disappointing, but the naysayers will get even louder if the movie underperforms in its second weekend in theaters.

This puts even more pressure on Disney to make sure its next "Star Wars" theatrical release, "Starfighter," is done right.

Directed by Shawn Levy ("Free Guy") and starring Ryan Gosling, the movie is a completely original story set five years after the events of "The Rise of Skywalker." That's all we know, and that's all we need to know!

Dangling a carrot of originality in front of "Star Wars" fans is essential right now, because they want to be challenged. If the success of "The Mandalorian" and "Andor" proved anything, it's that "Star Wars" fans will always show up — but they will show up and be loyal if the story being told expands on what they thought a "Star Wars" tale could be.

By iterating on an existing story, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" played it too safe. Fans want more daring, original stories; that should have been the biggest takeaway from the franchise's self-imposed hiatus. For "Star Wars" to get back to its theatrical glory, this is the way.

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18 celebrities who moved to Texas on why it's the best place for them

Glen Powell, Bella Hadid, James Marsden side-by-side
Glen Powell, Bella Hadid, and James Marsden all live in Texas.

Getty Images

  • Texas has become one of the top destinations for movers in the US.
  • Its business-friendly climate and lower cost of living attract people from all walks of life.
  • Supermodel Bella Hadid and actor James Marsden are among the celebrities who have moved to Texas.

Texas is popular for many reasons.

The second-largest US state is the birthplace of the iconic musician Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter as well as NFL star Michael Strahan and actresses Selena Gomez and Reneé Zellweger.

It's also home to a beloved football team, the Dallas Cowboys, and internationally famous festivals including South by Southwest (SXSW).

Beyond its cultural significance, Texas has a reputation for its affordability, largely due to its relatively lower cost of living and absence of state income tax. This personal finance appeal, combined with a business-friendly environment, has attracted entrepreneurs and their companies over the years.

Word has gotten out — and cities in the Lone Star State often lead lists of top places Americans are moving to.

According to a Business Insider analysis of individual-level data from the Census Bureau's 2022 American Community Survey, over 668,300 people moved to Texas between 2021 and 2022, the most recent time period for which data is available. This makes Texas the second-most popular destination in the US for movers, just behind Florida, which had about 739,000 inbound movers during the same period.

Several celebrities are among the hordes of movers to Texas. This reflects a broader trend of wealth realignment in the United States, where even the proverbial Joneses are moving to areas where their money goes further and the weather is more favorable.

Consider supermodel Bella Hadid, who moved to Fort Worth, Texas, this year to live with her professional horseman boyfriend, Adan Banuelos. Roseanne Barr and comedian and podcast host Joe Rogan have decamped from LA to Austin in recent years.

Many other stars have also relocated to Texas.

Business Insider has compiled a list of 16 notable celebrities and businesspeople who have moved themselves — and in some cases, their businesses — to the Lone Star State.

The list is presented in alphabetical order by last name.

Roseanne Barr traded the Hollywood Hills for 30 acres in Texas Hill Country.
Roseanne Barr at the Mr. Birchum Series Premiere.
Roseanne Barr.

Araya Doheny/Getty Images for DailyWire+

Roseanne Barr's son, Jake Pentland, told Us Weekly in June 2025 that his famous mother had traded the Hollywood Hills for Texas Hill Country, a region in central Texas that includes cities like Austin and New Braunfels.

"My mom lives with me, my wife, and my two daughters — she's the best grandma," Pentland told the magazine.

In a separate June interview with Fox News Digital, Barr said living in Texas is a "dream come true" and described what her new life looks like.

"I'm doing a lot of mowing. I've got a really fantastic tractor out here, and I'm mowing," Barr said. "The only problem is I don't clear the trees quite as good as I should, and I'm always hitting a tree and knocking it over, and it always hits me in the head."

Haylie Duff admitted it took a while to realize she could still have an acting career without living in LA.
haylie duff march 2020
Haylie Duff attends the LA Premiere of "Mira, Royal Detective" at Disney Studios on Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Burbank, Calif.

Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP

A native of Texas, Duff decided with her fiancé Matt Rosenberg to pack up the kids and leave California once the pandemic hit.

At first, she was nervous that the move would hurt her career.

"I think so much of my fear of moving out of Los Angeles was that my career was there and that I would never work again or something like that," she told Fox News Digital in 2022. "And, you know, I think this has all taught us that Zoom certainly can be a very powerful tool. And we can, you know, very luckily for me, get to continue to work from here, and I get to live near my dad. I haven't lived, here, near my dad in a really long time."

Scott Eastwood loves living in Texas because it "slows life down."
Scott Eastwood arrives at the world premiere of "The Mule" on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, at the Westwood Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)
Actor Scott Eastwood.

Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP

The son of Clint Eastwood, Scott has been methodically building his own career, showing up in the "Fast and Furious" franchise and Guy Ritchie movies.

During his downtime in Texas, he does everything from fishing to hunting.

"I think that's why people who come to Texas really can fall in love with it," he told Flaunt in 2021 from his home in Austin. "There's more community, people are more neighborly, people are nice. It slows life down a little bit. It's not this fast-paced living in a big city like New York or Los Angeles."

Adrian Grenier's acting career is thriving in Texas.
A man holds a microphone on stage, and red drapes flow in the background.
Adrian Grenier speaks onstage during SXSW.

Gary Miller/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

In 2020, "Entourage" and "The Devil Wears Prada" star Adrian Grenier left the Hollywood Hills for a 46-acre sustainable ranch in Bastrop, Texas, a city about a 40-minute drive southeast of Austin.

While in Texas, Grenier has continued acting and most recently appeared in the short film "Self Custody," about a struggling father who loses a cryptocurrency fortune. The film was shot in Austin, near his home.

In an interview with Page Six in March, Grenier said Texas' burgeoning film and television industry will keep him in the state.

"There's $2.5 billion that the Texas state government just put into film and television projects in Texas," Grenier said. "They're building three movie studios not too far from me. I don't see any reason why we wouldn't just continue to film in Texas."

Bella Hadid said she moved to Texas for her health.
US model Bella Hadid poses as she arrives for the screening of the film "Tre Piani" (Three Floors) at the 74th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on July 11, 2021
Bella Hadid.

VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images

After spending most of her life jet-setting around the world trying to conquer the modeling industry, Hadid decided recently to take some time away from the spotlight.

In early 2024, she spoke to Allure about moving to Texas to focus on her mental and physical health (she was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2013), and be with her cowboy boyfriend Adan Banuelos.

"Just as I have styled myself for years now — which I still do — I love being able to do my own hair and makeup, be happy with how I look, and get ready with my girlfriends here in Texas," Hadid told Allure. "We have the best time, and I never feel like I need to do too much."

"For the first time now, I'm not putting on a fake face. If I don't feel good, I won't go. If I don't feel good, I take time for myself. And I've never had the opportunity to do that or say that before," Hadid added. "Now when anybody sees me in pictures and they say I look happy, I genuinely am. I am feeling better; my bad days now were my old good days."

Woody Harrelson is lobbying to make Texas a production hub for film and television.
Woody Harrelson smiling at a camera on the red carpet.

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios

Harrelson lived in Hawaii for many years before moving back to his home state of Texas in 2023.

Now in the Lone Star State and living just outside Austin, the actor has lobbied alongside longtime friend Matthew McConaughey to make Texas a hub for film and television production.

In 2025, the Texas House approved Senate Bill 22, which provides $300 million every two years through 2035 to support the local film industry.

50 Cent is a New Yorker, but his primary residence is in Texas.
Curtis Jackson III smiling on set of "Fox & Friends."
Curtis Jackson III, also known as 50 Cent

John Lamparski/Getty Images

In 2021, the rapper-turned-television producer and entrepreneur announced on X that he was living in Houston.

Since James Marsden moved to Texas, he lives closer to his mother.
james marsden

Charley Gallay/Getty Images

The star has enjoyed visiting Austin for decades but finally decided to live there in 2020.

"I love it. I've been coming here for 20 years," he told "Live with Kelly and Ryan" in 2020. "I'm much closer to my mom and everybody. I love it. It's great."

Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick traded California for Texas.
Travis Kalanick wears a black and white suit with a bowtie.
Travis Kalanick.

Theo Wargo/WireImage

The former Uber CEO announced on the daily live video and audio podcast TBPN in March that he had moved to Texas in December 2025.

Kalanick joins a slew of tech billionaires, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who have left California for greener pastures.

Keith Lee fell in love with Dallas' restaurants.
Keith Lee onstage at VidCon Anaheim on June 23, 2023 in Anaheim, California.
Keith Lee onstage at VidCon Anaheim on June 23, 2023 in Anaheim, California.

Unique Nicole/Getty Images

The former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter turned TikTok food critic has set up shop in Texas.

After living in Las Vegas, Lee relocated to Texas in November 2024. In a December video reviewing the downtown Dallas restaurant The Wicked Butcher, he revealed that he now lives in Dallas.

"One thing I do love about the Dallas food scene — we've been here a month, a month and a half — they do have some nice fine dining restaurants," Lee said.

Matthew McConaughey wanted to be closer to family.
Matthew McConaughey UT
Matthew McConaughey UT

Getty

Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila Alves settled in Austin in 2012 after buying a 10,800-square-foot mansion.

According to a 2024 profile in Southern Living, the move to Texas was initially because of a "family crisis," when he needed to help his mother and two brothers. The couple decided to stay put and raise their three children there.

"Ritual came back," McConaughey said of being back in Texas. "Whether that was Sunday church, sports, dinner together as a family every night, or staying up after that telling stories in the kitchen, sitting at the island pouring drinks and nibbling while retelling them all in different ways than we told them before."

Elon Musk moved to Texas and brought his companies with him.
Elon Musk in black tie, laughing.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images

In July, Elon Musk vowed to move two of his companies, X and SpaceX, out of California and into Texas. He already moved Telsa to Texas in 2021.

In 2020, Musk announced that he had already moved to Texas himself at The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council summit.

Musk has claimed to own a tiny home in Texas, and records show he bought a house in Austin in 2022.

Shaquille O'Neal has been buying up properties in North Texas.
Shaq

Getty/E! Entertainment

In 2022, O'Neal bought a 5,269-square-foot home in Carrollton listed at $1,224,000 and sold it in 2024 for an undisclosed amount, though it was listed for $1.7 million, according to Realtor.com.

That year, Chexy Trust, tied to the Carrollton purchase, bought a 4,670-square-foot home in Rockwall County. In 2024, O'Neal opened a branch of his Big Chicken chain restaurant in Fort Worth.

As his footprint in the region grows, he told WFAA he plans to make the area his home base.

"I'm 75% going to move here full time," O'Neal said in June. "I have to see what's going on with TNT next year, but based on that, you'll probably be seeing a lot more of me."

Glen Powell got tired of the lack of freedom living in Los Angeles.
Glen Powell attends CinemaCon 2023.
Glen Powell attends CinemaCon 2023.

Gabe Ginsberg/WireImage

The "Twisters" star, who is also a native Texan, moved back to Austin from Los Angeles recently to be close to his family and for his own mental health.

"When all you do is consume movies and entertainment, you could become a little self-aware and maybe derivative of yourself," Powell told USA Today. "Your personal life, there's no sort of freedom there, there's storytelling around that, and I feel like that's just not good for you on the long term."

Jared Padalecki has a soft spot for Austin.
jared padalecki 2019

Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Padalecki ditched Hollywood for Texas before it was a trend. The "Supernatural" star, a San Antonio native, relocated from Los Angeles to Austin with his wife, Genevieve, in 2012.

In an Instagram video taken on Austin's 24th Street in 2020, he explained why he loves the city so much.

"Austin brings me a warmth and a happiness and a peace that I have been unable to find anywhere else in my travels," Padalecki said. "I love being here."

Christine Quinn's return to her home state has brought her closer to her family.
Former Selling Sunset star Christine Quinn.
Christine Quinn.

Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images

In 2025, former "Selling Sunset" star Christine Quinn relocated to her home state of Texas after splitting from her ex-husband, tech entrepreneur Christian Dumontet.

Quinn now lives in a suburb outside Dallas with her young son, Christian.

"I am really, really grateful to be living here," Quinn told People in January, adding that she's happy to be closer to family. "I have a sister who lives really close to me, and my son has a cousin. So it's really something that I needed as opposed to the chaos when I was in Los Angeles."

Joe Rogan ended up in Texas once the pandemic hit.
Joe Rogan

Syfy/Getty Images

Like many other celebs, Rogan left Los Angeles once the pandemic hit.

In a 2023 episode of his popular podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience," he explained why he ended up in Texas.

"Then we went to the lake, and people are playing music and jumping in the water," said Rogan, adding that his kids "were like, 'We want to live here!'"

"That was it. Two months later, I lived here," he said in the podcast episode.

Jamie Lynn Sigler has felt more connected to her craft since moving to Texas.
Jamie-Lynn Sigler in 2020.
Jamie-Lynn Sigler in 2020.

Jason Mendez/Getty Images

"The Sopranos" star moved to Austin in 2021 with her family, husband Cutter Dykstra, and sons Beau and Jack.

"I almost feel more connected to my craft and why I love acting," Sigler told The New York Times in 2021. "When the calls come in, it's a beautiful surprise. I'm still on things and I'm still a businesswoman and it's still my career, but I don't feel the pressure around it because we took a stand for ourselves and we made decisions for our families."

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