The unofficial start of summer is finally here, and Hollywood is wasting no time trying to get audiences back into theaters. Memorial Day weekend is packed with sequels, superheroes, nostalgia plays, and at least one tiny green scene-stealer who may still be the most powerful force in entertainment.
After nearly seven years away from theaters, Star Wars officially returns to the big screen with The Mandalorian and Grogu. And while fans are thrilled to see Grogu back in action, the bigger question hanging over Hollywood is whether Star Wars can still feel like an event.
The film brings Pedro Pascal’s bounty hunter Din Djarin and Grogu from Disney+ to theaters for the franchise’s first theatrical release since 2019. The movie leans heavily into what fans loved about the streaming series: adorable Grogu moments, sprawling creature battles, and classic good-versus-evil storytelling in a galaxy far, far away.
And honestly? Grogu still works. Every time that little guy pops on screen, audiences melt.
But the movie itself feels more like an extended streaming episode than the triumphant cinematic return many longtime fans hoped for. The action is fun, the visuals are massive, and Pedro Pascal remains effortlessly cool under all that Beskar armor, but there’s still something missing.
For decades, Star Wars movies felt monumental. You lined up for them. You debated them. You quoted them for years afterward. Now, after an endless stream of Disney+ series, spin-offs, and mixed-quality projects, the franchise feels a little overexposed.
That doesn’t mean Star Wars is dead. Far from it. Andor proved the franchise can still deliver prestige storytelling, and the original The Mandalorian genuinely changed streaming television. But The Mandalorian and Grogu don’t quite recapture the magic that once made Star Wars untouchable.
Still, if you’re looking for pure popcorn entertainment over the holiday weekend, it absolutely delivers enough fun to justify the ticket price, especially for families and longtime fans.
And Star Wars isn’t the only familiar franchise trying to dominate the summer.
Hollywood’s entire 2026 strategy appears to be built on nostalgia. Studios are betting audiences want comfort viewing during uncertain times, and this summer lineup is packed with recognizable names.
Toy Story 5 is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated releases of the season, tapping into nearly three decades of emotional attachment to Woody, Buzz and the gang.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day brings back Tom Holland and Zendaya, while adding Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher into the mix because, apparently, Marvel still believes more superheroes always equals more money.
Then there’s Masters of the Universe, which hopes Gen X audiences will once again scream “By the power of Grayskull!” while introducing younger audiences to He-Man and Skeletor.
And perhaps the biggest cinematic event of the summer? The Odyssey from Christopher Nolan. Coming off his Oscar-winning success with Oppenheimer, Nolan’s IMAX-shot adaptation of Homer’s epic already feels destined to become required theater viewing.
There are also a few refreshing originals in the mix, including The End of Oak Street starring Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway,, a suburban sci-fi story with an actual original premise, which feels increasingly rare these days.
And because Disney never sleeps, a live-action Moana is also headed to theaters, with Dwayne Johnson returning as Maui.
The good news for movie lovers? After years of strikes, streaming wars, and fears about the future of theaters, Hollywood finally feels big again this summer.
The question now is whether audiences are ready to believe in movie magic again too.
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