Star Wars Returns to Theaters with Mixed Box Office Results
The Facts
The new Star Wars film 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' opened in theaters with a box office total of $81.9 million for its opening weekend. This marks the first Star Wars theatrical release since 2019. The film features characters from the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, including a character named Rotta the Hutt, who is Jabba the Hutt's son.
How different outlets are framing this
The coverage reveals stark differences in how outlets are interpreting the same box office numbers. Fox News takes an explicitly negative stance, framing the $81.9 million opening as evidence that 'the Star Wars franchise is in serious trouble' and emphasizing that it fell below Solo's inflation-adjusted performance, positioning this as 'major trouble for Star Wars at Disney.' This framing focuses heavily on decline and institutional failure at Disney.
USA Today takes a more mixed approach across its coverage. One article focuses on creative criticism rather than financial performance, targeting a specific character (Rotta the Hutt) as 'the worst Star Wars character ever' and describing the inclusion as 'as bad as you'd imagine.' Their other piece takes a more neutral, wait-and-see approach with the headline questioning whether the film 'met box office expectations' rather than declaring success or failure. This represents a more entertainment-focused analysis rather than the business-crisis narrative emphasized by Fox News.
Source Articles
- Fox News24 May, 23:37Star Wars franchise in serious trouble as 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' disappoints in opening box office
'The Mandalorian and Grogu's' $81.9 million opening weekend fell below 'Solo's' inflation-adjusted total, signaling major trouble for Star Wars at Disney.
- USA Today24 May, 20:00Rotta the Hutt is actually the worst 'Star Wars' character ever
Did you know Jabba the Hutt had a son? He has a key role in "Star Wars" movie "The Mandalorian and Grogu" and yes, it's as bad as you'd imagine.
- USA Today24 May, 16:18'The Mandalorian and Grogu' box office revealed – How did it do?
"Star Wars" is back in theaters for the first time since 2019 with "The Mandalorian and Grogu." So did the new movie meet box office expectations?