"Pocket watching is one of the most tedious practices to befall the film industry, but fans aren't getting any less curious about movie budgets and studio spending habits. In an era of blockbuster bloat filled with films that don't look nearly as expensive as they actually are, that fascination makes a lot of sense. Apart from the blurring of lines between fandom and punditry, fans do want to see quality reflected on-screen."
"Star Wars' modern era kicked off with spectacle and scale, but that also precluded ever-expanding budgets. When the films were successful and effortlessly recouping their costs, all was right with the world. But things changed with Solo: A Star Wars Story. Filmed on a budget of $275 million, it would have had to make around $600 million to recoup its cost. Though it technically broke even, grossing over $390 million, it's regarded now as a box office flop."
"That will finally change with The Mandalorian and Grogu, the first Star Wars film of the new, TV-focused era. That it's basically a spinoff of Lucasfilm's first live-action series - and kinda looks like one, too - might be a key to its success. But there's also the concern of its budget, which might be the most modest in franchise history."
Fans remain curious about movie budgets and studio spending, especially as blockbuster bloat produces films that often look less expensive than their actual costs. The modern Star Wars era initially delivered spectacle and expanding budgets, but Solo: A Star Wars Story (budgeted at $275 million) underperformed, grossing roughly $390 million and being labeled a box office flop despite technically breaking even. The Rise of Skywalker matched Solo's budget but grossed $1 billion, yet Lucasfilm became cautious afterward. The Mandalorian and Grogu will be the first Star Wars film of the TV-focused era and is essentially a spinoff of the live-action series. The film's estimated $166.4 million budget represents the lowest post-2015 Star Wars spending and could reduce financial risk while leveraging series-style production efficiencies.
Read at Inverse
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