Star Wars Marks the End of an Era Following a Significant Setback

Star Wars has always been a powerhouse at the box office. Since its debut in 1977, this sci-fi fantasy franchise has consistently ruled movie theaters, with the original film running for over a year. Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm for more than $4 billion in 2012 underscores the franchise’s financial clout, which has continued to churn out profits—until now.

In its second weekend, The Mandalorian and Grogu dropped not just to second place but all the way to third. This shift highlights a significant change in the movie landscape: Star Wars is now being outperformed by two low-budget horror films from debut directors: Obsession, an original story made for under $1 million, and Backrooms, based on a creepy internet meme with a budget of $10 million. Backrooms raked in $81 million during its opening weekend, while Obsession earned $26.4 million, leaving The Mandalorian and Grogu trailing at $25 million.

To make matters worse, IMAX has announced plans to remove The Mandalorian and Grogu from some of its larger screens next weekend to accommodate Masters of the Universe, a sci-fi fantasy franchise created by Mattel that sought to rival Star Wars after the company missed out on licensing rights.

But the situation is even more dire.

This isn’t just a rough weekend for Mando and Grogu; it could signify the end of an era for the entire Star Wars franchise. Historically, every live-action Star Wars film has dominated the box office for at least two weeks, if not longer.

The original Star Wars opened in just 32 theaters but quickly became a nationwide sensation. By its seventh week, it was the top film, holding that position for an astonishing 16 weeks.

This trend continued through various Star Wars eras. The Phantom Menace kicked off the prequel trilogy by claiming the #1 spot for its first three weekends, while The Force Awakens launched the Disney era with a four-week run at #1. Even Solo, the lowest-grossing Star Wars film at the time, managed to stay at the top.

(And just to clarify, The Clone Wars movie doesn’t count; it’s animated and was intended for a smaller audience as a lead-in to the animated series that followed.)

So, is Star Wars facing its demise, or can the franchise make a comeback in 2027?

While this weekend’s performance can’t be changed, The Mandalorian and Grogu could still avoid being labeled the worst-performing Star Wars film—at least for now. To achieve that, the film would need a strong third weekend, pulling in another $40 million, which seems unlikely given the stiff competition and lukewarm reviews.

Looking ahead, the future of Star Wars appears uncertain. In 2027, Lucasfilm plans to release Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling. This combination could be promising, especially since Starfighter will be the first Star Wars story set after the sequel trilogy, potentially drawing in curious fans. However, it remains unclear how invested those fans still are in the franchise. There’s also a planned Rey sequel featuring Daisy Ridley, which could attract a new audience from the sequel trilogy, but that project seems to be stuck in development.

Whatever lies ahead, this weekend may mark a pivotal moment in the decline of a once-mighty movie franchise.

The Mandalorian and Grogu are still in theaters… for now.