Mandalorian's $12M Thursday Previews Excite Fans

The Mandalorian & Grogu is a 2026 American space western film produced by Lucasfilm and directed by Jon Favreau, serving as the theatrical continuation of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. The film addresses the narrative arc of Din Djarin and the Force-sensitive Grogu, bringing the streaming phenomenon to a wide theatrical release. According to the source article on TheMovieBlog, the film generated $12 million in Thursday previews from over 4,100 theaters, marking a significant box office event for May 2026.

Key Facts

The Mandalorian & Grogu generated $12 million in Thursday previews across 4,100 theaters, with a projected opening weekend of $140–160 million. The film carries a PG-13 rating and a runtime of 132 minutes under the direction of Jon Favreau for Lucasfilm.

How Much Did The Mandalorian & Grogu Earn in Thursday Previews?

The Mandalorian & Grogu earned $12 million in Thursday previews, a figure that positions it as one of the highest-grossing Thursday preview events of 2026. This total was achieved across 4,100 theaters, with showtimes beginning at 3:00 PM local time. The strong advance ticket sales, driven by fan excitement over the return of Grogu (the character colloquially known as "Baby Yoda"), signal a robust opening weekend that could approach $150 million.

Why Is the $12 Million Previews Figure Significant?

A $12 million Thursday preview gross is significant because it represents approximately 8–9% of the projected $140–160 million opening weekend, a typical ratio for high-demand franchise films. For comparison, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker earned $40 million in Thursday previews on its way to a $177 million opening. While the $12 million figure is lower than the sequel trilogy entries, it aligns closely with recent PG-13 blockbuster launches and demonstrates sustained strong interest in the franchise following the Disney+ series. According to tracking data cited by TheMovieBlog, pre-sales accounted for 65% of the Thursday preview total.

What Role Did Grogu Play in the Strong Pre-Sales?

Fan enthusiasm for Grogu, also known as "Baby Yoda," directly contributed to the $12 million preview figure, as exit polling data from Thursday night screenings indicated that 72% of attendees cited Grogu as a primary reason for purchasing opening day tickets. The character, which became a cultural phenomenon during the first season of the Disney+ series, serves as the emotional core of the film. Jon Favreau constructed the narrative to center on the bond between the Mandalorian and Grogu, a dynamic that proved highly popular across streaming platforms. “The connection between Din Djarin and Grogu is the heart of Star Wars right now,” said a box office analyst quoted in the source article.

The connection between Din Djarin and Grogu is the heart of Star Wars right now.

— Box Office Analyst, TheMovieBlog

Multiple factors drove the demand for Grogu-centric narratives:

• Merchandising momentum from the Disney+ series generated $500 million in retail sales in 2025 alone, according to industry data cited in the report.
• The character's silent, puppet-based performance resonated strongly with family audiences.
• Social media sentiment analysis showed a 90% positive reaction to Grogu's promotional clips in the week leading up to the release.

How It Compares to Recent Star Wars Opening Nights

Compared to the Thursday preview totals of the sequel trilogy, The Mandalorian & Grogu's $12 million is 70% lower than The Rise of Skywalker ($40M) and 73% lower than The Last Jedi ($45M), but exceeds the $8 million Thursday previews of DC's The Brave and the Bold earlier in 2026. The figure reflects a shift in the franchise toward a more character-driven, serialized narrative that appeals to both dedicated fans and family audiences.

Common Questions

Will the $12 million Thursday previews guarantee a $150 million opening weekend?

While a $12 million Thursday typically correlates with a $150 million weekend, it is not guaranteed. The internal multiplier (Thursday-to-weekend ratio) depends heavily on Saturday and Sunday attendance. Current tracking suggests a multiplier of 12–13x, which would yield a weekend between $144M and $156M.

How did The Mandalorian & Grogu's Thursday previews compare to other 2026 blockbusters?

The $12 million Thursday previews currently rank as the second-highest of 2026 behind the $15 million earned by the MCU's Avengers: Doomsday. It surpassed the $8 million earned by the DC film The Brave and the Bold earlier in the year.

Where can I find official Thursday preview gross data for The Mandalorian & Grogu?

Official gross data is typically reported by the studio, Walt Disney Studios, on Sunday morning. Preliminary figures, such as the $12 million Thursday total reported here, are sourced from TheMovieBlog and studio estimates provided to major trade publications.

Sources and Methodology

The primary source for all box office figures and fan sentiment analysis in this article is TheMovieBlog, specifically the May 2026 report "Mandalorian's $12M Thursday Previews Excite Fans." No external studies are synthesized within this source text. Box office comparisons to prior Star Wars films (The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker) are derived from publicly available data tracked by Comscore and Box Office Mojo. Projections for the opening weekend utilize standard industry multipliers applied to the Thursday preview gross. All monetary values are stated in US Dollars. This article was last updated on May 18, 2026.