‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ Wins Over Audiences Even as Critics Stay Divided as CinemaScore Is Revealed
Star Wars is finally back on the big screen, and while critics seem divided on The Mandalorian and Grogu, audiences are clearly having a much better time with the film. According to audience tracking and Rotten Tomatoes scores released after opening weekend, fans are responding far more positively than many early reviews suggested.
The movie earned an A- CinemaScore from opening day audiences, which is considered a strong result for a PG-13 blockbuster. The reaction puts the film in line with several earlier Star Wars entries including The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and Solo: A Star Wars Story, which all received the same grade from moviegoers.
The Mandalorian and Grogu did not quite reach the top-tier audience scores earned by the original trilogy films A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, which all received A+ ratings. It also landed slightly below The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi, which each earned an A CinemaScore.
Still, the new film scored better with audiences than The Rise of Skywalker, which received a B+ rating when it released in 2019. Fans online have pointed out that this marks a noticeable improvement for the franchise after years of debate surrounding the sequel trilogy.
Another interesting comparison being shared by fans is Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated movie from 2008, which received a much lower B- CinemaScore during its theatrical release.
Rotten Tomatoes also shows a major gap between critics and audiences. The film currently sits at 63% on the Tomatometer based on more than 200 critic reviews. Meanwhile, the audience Popcornmeter score is much stronger at 89% from over 2,500 verified ratings.
Many critics praised Ludwig Göransson’s musical score and Pedro Pascal’s performance as Din Djarin. However, reviews were more mixed when it came to the story, visuals, and action scenes. Even so, general audiences appear to be connecting with the emotional bond between Mando and Grogu, which has remained the heart of the franchise since the Disney+ series first launched in 2019.
Directed by Jon Favreau, the movie continues the story after the fall of the Galactic Empire. Din Djarin and Grogu are recruited by the New Republic for a dangerous mission involving Rotta the Hutt, voiced by Jeremy Allen White. The cast also includes Sigourney Weaver, Jonny Coyne, and a surprising appearance from Martin Scorsese.
The film itself has had a long road to theaters. Lucasfilm originally planned to continue the story through a fourth season of The Mandalorian, but plans changed after the 2023 Hollywood strikes delayed production. During that period, the studio reportedly decided to focus on a theatrical movie instead of another season.
The Mandalorian and Grogu officially premiered in Los Angeles on May 14, before releasing worldwide on May 22. It also marks the first Star Wars movie to hit theaters in seven years.
Even with mixed critic reactions, audience responses suggest Star Wars fans are simply happy to experience the galaxy far, far away on the big screen again. Across social media, many viewers have been repeating one familiar phrase after leaving theaters: “This is the way.”
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