The Mandalorian And Grogu Rotten Tomatoes Score: How It Compares To The Earlier Star Wars Films

Here’s how the Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu compares with the earlier live-action Star Wars films and its potential effect on the box office.

- May 20, 2026 | 5:23 PM IST

The Mandalorian And Grogu Rotten Tomatoes Score ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

When the Star Wars franchise launched in 1977 with the first film, Episode IV – A New Hope, the George Lucas-directed epic sci-fi fantasy action-adventure gained a massive following among cinephiles across the globe. It was followed by two more films in the original trilogy, as well as prequel and sequel trilogies. In addition to the Skywalker Saga, there are two more standalone films, Rogue One and Solo. These were the eleven live-action theatrical releases in the Star Wars franchise.

Now, all eyes are on the franchise’s next installment, The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is slated for a theatrical release on May 22, 2026. Now that the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score has been revealed, let’s take a look at how it compares to the previous eleven live-action films.

The Mandalorian and Grogu vs. Star Wars Franchise – Rotten Tomatoes Scores Comparison

At the time of writing, The Mandalorian and Grogu hold a critics’ score of 60% on Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s how the previous live-action films in the Star Wars franchise fared with critics on the site.

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977): 94%
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980): 93%
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983): 83%
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999): 54%
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002): 62%
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005): 79%
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015): 93%
Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017): 91%
Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019): 51%
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016): 84%
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018): 69%

What The Scores Indicate

The above Rotten Tomatoes critics’ scores suggest that the highest-rated Star Wars film so far is the original 1977 classic, with a 94% rating, followed by The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and The Force Awakens (2015), both with 93% ratings.

On the other hand, the lowest-rated Star Wars film to date is The Rise of Skywalker, with a 51% rating. This means that The Mandalorian and Grogu is currently ahead of two live-action Star Wars installments. That said, the film’s rating may change in the coming days as more critics register their opinions.

What Could It Mean For The Film’s Box Office

According to an earlier projection by Box Office Pro, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu was tracking to earn between $85 million and $95 million in North America.

Now, according to the latest projection from box-office analyst Luiz Fernando, the film is tracking to earn between $65 million and $75 million in North America during its three-day opening weekend. Whether this difference is due to the critics’ score cannot be determined with certainty. However, the film’s actual domestic opening weekend figure and its long-term box office performance will only be clearer after its theatrical release on May 22.

What’s The Plot Of The Mandalorian and Grogu?

After the fall of the Empire, Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu are enlisted for an important mission. It also features Jeremy Allen White and Sigourney Weaver in key roles.