The newest Star Wars movie officially has a streaming date. The Mandalorian and Grogu will be available on Disney+ beginning September 2, after its theatrical run.
The movie is the big-screen debut for Din Djarin and Grogu, the titular characters. By this point in the timeline they’re working for the New Republic, taking jobs hunting down Imperial warlords. In the film, they’re hired by Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) to track down Commander Coin. The Hutt twins have a lead on his location, so that’s their first visit. From there, they set off on an adventure that leads them to an unlikely ally – Rotta the Hutt, the son of Jabba (but he’s his own man, not his father) – and brings them in conflict with the Hutts.
The movie was made available to purchase in late July, so an early September streaming date is right in line with what was expected. It was a box office disappointment, grossing just $345 million globally – making it the lowest for any live-action Star Wars movie. Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro admitted this summer that this didn’t live up to their expectations, but that it did drive merchandise sales and sparked a refresh of the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run ride at Galaxy’s Edge, so there was still some profitability for the company.
The Mandalorian and Grogu was fairly well-received by audiences who saw the movie, but the challenge all along was going to be getting people to actually see it in theaters. The marketing for the movie was downright bizarre, with Lucasfilm apparently not realizing that they might need to convince people who already pay for Disney+ why they should pay additional money to see in theaters a property they’ve only ever seen on Disney+. So what I expect is that this movie will generate some interest on Disney+ this September, with more people deciding to check it out, and probably enjoying it. The Mandalorian has been one of the pillar Disney+ projects, so I’m guessing fans will check out this movie when it’s streaming. That’s a good thing, and I’m looking forward to watching it again.
The Mandalorian and Grogu stars Pedro Pascal, Jeremy Allen White, Brendan Wayne, Lateef Crowder, Jonny Coyne, Martin Scorsese, and Sigourney Weaver. It was directed by Jon Favreau, who wrote the script alongside Dave Filoni and Noah Kloor. It was produced by Favreau and Filoni, as well as Kathleen Kennedy and Ian Bryce.
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