With a new “Star Wars” movie about to hit theaters for the first time in seven years, early reviews are landing harsh—and the bigger question for Disney may be whether anyone is even showing up.
A week before “Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu” lands in theaters. the mood around it looks less like anticipation and more like resignation.. One year after another franchise misstep. fans aren’t lining up the way they used to. and early reactions from screenings suggest the worry inside Disney might be justified.
This is the first time in seven years that a full “Star Wars” film will reach theaters. with the movie rolling out to AMC locations only if they’re still open and operational.. Yet that once-unavoidable event feeling just isn’t there—at least not in the way the franchise’s past releases used to dominate conversation.
Early reviews are the spark that’s now driving the most damage.. While the coverage acknowledges some positive comments from screenings. the overall tone described is bleak. with critics and viewers seemingly landing closer to “skip this one” than “run to the theater.” The pressure is clear: Disney has spent much of the last decade fighting a credibility gap. and this release is being treated as another high-stakes moment for momentum.
For Disney, the film is also tied to a broader, unresolved issue: franchise trust.. The sequel trilogy is characterized in the reporting as an unmitigated disaster. and outside the franchise’s bigger hits. most of the “Star Wars” miniseries have been described as having bombed.. One title—“Andor”—is singled out as the main success, described as a home run amid a string of disappointments.
The article points to Nielsen streaming figures released last week as another warning sign.. The data reportedly showed that viewers still watch “Star Wars,” but mainly the originals and the prequels.. It frames that as a problem for Disney: interest exists. but it isn’t being carried forward in a way that guarantees theater turnout for a new movie.
And that’s where the central tension lands.. “The Mandalorian & Grogu” isn’t just competing with other movies—it’s competing with fading appetite.. If the film performs well, the reporting suggests Disney could regain momentum.. If it fails, it risks alienating the fanbase further—an outcome the article implies is already in motion.
There is also a political flashpoint swirling around the franchise’s screen footprint.. The reporting says “Andor” showrunner-denied claims that a “Star Wars” show is a “left-wing political story. ” with the denial offered as a counter to accusations that the franchise’s direction has become ideological rather than cinematic.
For all the early negativity. the piece leaves one door open: fans sometimes disagree with reviewers once they see a movie themselves.. But with less buzz than “Star Wars” releases once carried—alongside a track record that has made expectations harder to maintain—the real question may not be whether the film is good.. It may be whether the audience still feels enough urgency to care.
Star Wars The Mandalorian & Grogu Disney early reviews AMC theaters Nielsen streaming Andor