How ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Can Still Save ‘Star Wars’

It’s not shaping up to be a good year for “Star Wars.” Although the animated series “Maul – Shadow Lord” earned rave reviews from critics and fans alike, many questioned why the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian” needed to head to the big screen, especially considering that “Star Wars: Starfighter” will hit theaters in less than a year from now. Although the movie failed to perform at the box office, it’s possible that Lucasfilm can still turn this into a win.

‘Star Wars’ Might Make A Fortune In Merchandising

On paper, it does make at least a little bit of sense. People who are not familiar with “Star Wars” probably know who Grogu – ahem, Baby Yoda – is. After all, the little green guy is everywhere. He’s on everything from T-shirts to throw blankets. He even popped up at Build-A-Bear, where fans can dress him in a little Grogu onesie or get him a frog wristlet before he decides to, you know, eat it.

Merchandising has always been the backbone of the “Star Wars” economy, and so it makes sense that Lucasfilm would want to take this opportunity to partner with as many brands as possible to get the name out there. The Republic of Tea is now selling at least three different tea tins. Bath & Body Works is selling everything from candles to cologne in “Force Flow” and “Bounty Hunter” scents. And don’t even get me started with whatever’s going on at Burger King.

‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Was Never A Story For The Big Screen

The problem is, “The Mandalorian” has always been a TV show. While the first two seasons were well-received, the third one got bogged down by lore and pointless cameos (did we really need Lizzo and Jack Black in the same episode?) The show was already crumbling before they decided to turn it into a movie, and not a very good one at that.

“The Mandalorian and Grogu” felt like three episodes stitched together, and while that wouldn’t matter if they were good episodes, this feels like a pointless side quest in their overall story. Both Din Djarin (the titular Mandalorian) and Grogu basically end up right back where they started, except now Din has a shiny new ship. There’s no tease of a bigger threat on the horizon. There’s no major character growth. Overall, the movie is pretty inconsequential in the long run.

And that honestly might be fine for kids who just want to see Din Djarin beat up the bad guys (there’s a lot of that in this film). But it doesn’t contribute anything more to the franchise. It looks like a “Star Wars” film. It sounds like a “Star Wars” film. But it lacks the soul and character of the other films that really make them magical. Trust me – I just watched the sequel to “Zootopia” last night, and kids’ movies can absolutely have heart and eye-rolling slapstick comedy that was meant for five-year-olds.

‘Star Wars’ Is All Anyone’s Talking About

But if Lucasfilm put out “The Mandalorian and Grogu” just hoping that they were going to get “Star Wars” back on everyone’s minds, they’ve certainly done that. The press coverage about how this movie absolutely bombed at the box office has been unavoidable. It’s probably not the press that Disney wanted, but the movie is out there now.

I can imagine that, considering the film is going to make its way to Disney+ eventually, most people are just waiting to continue to watch the movie like they’ve watched the last three seasons: at home on the couch with a bucket of popcorn that does not resemble Din Djarin’s head. It started on the small screen, and that’s where it should have stayed (along with a tie-in to Thrawn to get people at least excited for what may come next in Mando’s story, but I digress).

Despite countless headlines about how “Star Wars” is over for good, the movie probably awakened a new generation of fans who are now binge-watching the rest of the films on Disney+. They might have even roped in a few new fans of “The Mandalorian” as well. If they wanted to go all-in on the Baby Yoda merchandising and get some new Disney+ subscribers by putting out a lackluster film, then they’ve succeeded in that regard.

Will ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Create New ‘Star Wars’ Fans?

Let’s face it: “Star Wars” needs some new fans, and that needs to start with the younger generation. The sequel trilogy was an absolute disaster, and the fact that there hasn’t been a “Star Wars” movie in theaters since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker” proves it. There are kids who have never seen a “Star Wars” movie in theaters, and it’s possible that Lucasfilm wanted to rope fans in with “The Mandalorian and Grogu” before “Starfighter” is released next year and (possibly?) gives fans a look at what the future has in store for Rey and whoever else they plan to bring back.

But Lucasfilm might actually be shooting itself in the foot with this one. The more extraneous material they release – like this movie – the harder it is for a “casual” fan to catch up. I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me how this movie connects to the original trilogy (“The guy is like… the brother of Boba Fett, right?”) or if Grogu and Baby Yoda are the same character. People legitimately do not know about “Star Wars.”

They know Darth Vader. They know Yoda. They know Luke Skywalker. All of those characters have become pop culture legends, and maybe it should have stayed that way. For twenty years, there were six films in the Skywalker Saga, and that was it. Then Disney started pumping out a movie a year, and several live-action shows that the average viewer stopped keeping track of. “Andor” got plenty of buzz, but ten or twenty years from now, I don’t think anyone will be talking about that or “The Mandalorian.”

If “The Mandalorian and Grogu” wanted to get “Star Wars” back on everyone’s lips, then they’ve certainly done that. And although it failed to show up at the box office, plenty of fans will certainly catch it on Disney+ whenever it hits streaming (which might be sooner rather than later at this rate). Between merchandising and other brand partnerships, “Star Wars” is everywhere again.

Let’s just hope that Shawn Levy’s “Starfighter” can deliver. Rebellions are built on hope, and so, apparently, is this franchise.