The Mandalorian & Grogu Release Date Means Star Wars Is Facing Down Solo’s Box Office Curse At Last

The release date for The Mandalorian & Grogu, the next Star Wars movie, has just been confirmed for May 22, 2026, making it the first Star Wars movie to release in May since 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. As the first of several upcoming Star Wars movies, The Mandalorian & Grogu is under a lot of pressure, as it will also be the first to take the franchise back to theaters since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Star Wars, evidently, has confidence that the movie can pull this off – something its release date alone reveals.

Following The Mandalorian‘s Din Djarin and Grogu, there’s no doubt The Mandalorian & Grogu is the best choice for the franchise’s big screen return. The success of the Disney+ TV show has been immense, carrying Star Wars into a whole new era of streaming. The franchise has taken risks with The Mandalorian before, and it seems to be doing that again with its release date. Rather than releasing the movie in December like the sequel Star Wars trilogy, The Mandalorian & Grogu will arrive in May, making it the first Star Wars movie to do so since 2018.

Star Wars Is Returning To May For The First Time Since Solo

Solo Released In May 2018 – & Was Unfortunately Considered A Box Office Failure

While the first six Star Wars movies all released in May, only one other Star Wars movie has since chosen this release window: Solo: A Star Wars Story. With the sequel Star Wars trilogy and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story releasing in December, Solo has been the only Star Wars movie to hit theaters in May since 2005. No longer, however, does it hold this title. Solo will now be joined by The Mandalorian & Grogu, which is also releasing outside its usual window.

The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2 both arrived in the late fall, with season 3 premiering in March 2023 – which was more than likely the result of delays that pushed it back to this time period. Even its spin-off series, The Book of Boba Fett, arrived in December 2021, which heavily featured Din Djarin and Grogu in the latter half of its single season. This means The Mandalorian & Grogu is taking a gamble that feels equivalent to Solo, and viewers are curious to see how it pans out, given the fact that Solo was considered a box office failure.

The May Release Date Wasn’t The Real Reason Solo Bombed

The Mandalorian & Grogu’s Success Won’t Be Affected In The Way Solo’s Was

The failure of Solo‘s box office, however, had nothing to do with it releasing in May. Rather, it was the discourse surrounding 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi that kept it from performing well. With the Star Wars fanbase divided by The Last Jedi and the controversy that surrounded it, many viewers opted to boycott Solo to show their disdain for The Last Jedi. Truly, the only part about a May release that hurt Solo was its proximity to the release of The Last Jedi, and just how fresh that wound was for many viewers.

The Mandalorian & Grogu, then, will not have a problem releasing in May, as the franchise is not currently suffering from the same kind of discourse. While The Mandalorian season 3 was met with mixed reviews, its reception was nothing compared to that of The Last Jedi, and the movie’s release will be three years after the season 3 premiere – allowing plenty of time for any potential wounds to heal. May 2026, then, could finally be the time when The Mandalorian & Grogu finally breaks the Solo curse for the franchise once and for all.

The Mandalorian & Grogu arrives in theaters May 22, 2026.

All Star Wars movies and TV shows are available to stream on Disney+