The Mandalorian and Grogu has set a new record for the Star Wars universe despite landing lukewarm reviews. The latest adventure of Baby Yoda and Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin released earlier this month, earning enthusiastic reactions from fans of the intergalactic saga.
Directed by Jon Favreau, who co-wrote the script with Dave Filoni and Noah Kloor, The Mandalorian and Grogu follows the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, which first introduced Grogu/Baby Yoda to adoring audiences.
Also starring Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White and Martin Scorsese, the film has earned the highest audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes among the Star Wars films released since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012.
Disney
Currently at an audience score of 89% out of more than 5,000 verified ratings on the Popcornmeter, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is the fourth Star Wars film for audience ratings overall, just below the original Star Wars trilogy, with Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back taking the top spot with an audience score of 97%.
The record is unexpected for the latest outing of Grogu and his bounty hunter warden as the new film only has a critic score of 61% on Rotten Tomatoes from 244 reviews. Critics have called the movie “the least essential, the least engaging, the least necessary” in the Star Wars saga (via Slate), and “bloated” and “dull” (via Tribune News Service).
Digital Spy gave The Mandalorian and Grogu two stars, branding it Star Wars “at its most underwhelming”.
Disney
“It might not be the worst Star Wars movie, but it could well be the most inconsequential Star Wars movie – and that somehow feels worse,” our review reads.
A continuation of the series premiered in 2019, The Mandalorian and Grogu follows the dynamic duo as they’re tasked by the New Republic with rescuing Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rotta the Hutt, voiced by White, in exchange of precious intel.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is out now in cinemas.
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Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).