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June 7, 2026

Why “The Mandalorian and Grogu” Didn’t Fill Theaters

This is a good summer movie that lots of Star Wars fans skipped. Here is why I think so many people didn’t come back for more Mando and Baby Yoda.

“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” has clearly underperformed at the box office. This is not the way. So, what went wrong?

First off, this is not a bad movie. In many ways, director John Favreau has given us the perfect summer flick. Action-packed. Fun. Great special effects.  And the cutest character in a galaxy far, far away.

Plus, it’s fresh “Star Wars” material. We haven’t seen a new movie in over six years.

But with all that is good with it, there’s also this feeling of… been there/seen that.

Nothing New

If there had not been three previous streaming seasons of “The Mandalorian” on Disney+ (2019-2023), I think this movie would have performed much better.

The series had time to provide a deep experience regarding Din Djarin’s backstory. His bounty hunting adventures were only part of the larger narrative, including the Mandalorian people and culture.

But the movie couldn’t simply pick up from where the series left off, because not all movie goers would know (or remember) the previous plot points.

So, the movie was effectively forced to exist as a standalone and otherwise disconnected bounty-hunting adventure. Everything else from the series had to be stripped away.

As a result, Mandalorian fans didn’t get to see anything especially new.

A Razor Crest Isn’t Just Another Ship

Sure, there are a few new characters here, but if you’re a Mando fan, you might be disappointed after watching the movie, because the larger story arc didn’t move forward.

Yes, there were lots of background references to the larger series, but few were allowed enough time to create emotional impact. 

Even the moment when (minor spoiler) we see the new Razor Crest, there’s barely a pause in the dialogue as Mando takes this replacement for his previously destroyed ship (season 2, episode 6).

I listened for an emotional surge in the music, but it never came. He admired this particular ship’s restoration, but you wouldn’t otherwise know the importance of Mando flying another Razor Crest.

The ‘Dadalorian’

I’ve read many reviews that said this felt like a few episodes stitched together. Yes, I agree this could easily have been part of a season 4.

But guess what? We didn’t get season 4.

And quite frankly, I was happy to get to watch a few more episodes, so to speak.

And it’s always nice to spend a little more time with Pedro Paskal’s ‘Dadalorian’ and Grogu.

Baby Yoda Rocks

And if you’re a Grogu fan, you’re in luck. Baby Yoda has a lot to do here.

He delighted the row of kids who were sitting in front of me in the theater. But they certainly weren’t old enough to officially be part of the PG-13 crowd.

Which makes you wonder about the target audience for this movie. It’s PG-13 for all the fighting. And G-rated for Grogu. That’s a difficult balance to maintain to satisfy everyone.

The Challenge Turning a Series into a Movie

I think in many ways it just comes down to this: Successfully converting a TV series into a big screen movie with the same cast is often hard to do.

“Firefly” couldn’t get “Serenity” to fly.

Sure, “Star Trek” did it, but it needed two attempts, and “The Wrath of Khan” certainly didn’t play it safe.

Sigourney Weaver Stopped By

Not only did this Mandalorian flick play it safe, it felt like an extended premiere of season 4.

And while that was fine with me, that won’t draw the crowds who will otherwise watch it in a few months (weeks?) on Disney+.

But wait! This movie’s got the great Sigourney Weaver. Hmmm… well, she actually didn’t seem that excited to be there.

Hold on… We’re introduced to not one, but three Hutt characters, including Rotta the Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White), who is Jabba the Hutt’s son. While that’s certainly interesting to some, more giant slug Hutts didn’t fill seats.

Grogu is Sad

Still, this is a solid movie, and I enjoyed seeing it in a theater. But it was just not enough to satisfy the broader fan base. It feels like the entire human race is quickly losing interest in this particular galaxy that’s now almost half a century old.

As a result, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” has already disappeared from my local multiplex on week 3 of its release. (I’m sure that made Grogu cry.)

At this point, can anything save this franchise? 

“Star Wars: Starfighter,” directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling is set to launch in theaters on May 28, 2027.

I certainly hope the Force is stronger with this next one.

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April 26, 2026

Should You See “The Wizard of Oz at Sphere” When Visiting Las Vegas?

Sphere in Las Vegas glows and pulses with mystery, inviting you to enter. Though we all know the story of “The Wizard of Oz,” experiencing the new version at Sphere means there are many delights ahead. Here’s why.

If you enjoy watching movies on an IMAX screen, or if you’ve ever been to a 4D theater and think that’s cool, then you’d better hold onto your hat when walking into Sphere in Las Vegas.

I recently visited this enormous venue for the first time while I was attending the NAB conference, and I was not disappointed. In fact, I was blown away (almost literally). Sphere was quite the immersive experience.

We’re Off to See the Wizard

I saw “The Wizard of Oz at Sphere,” reimagined for the massive 160,000-square-foot screen and 17,600-seat dome-shaped arena. The movie’s run time was slimmed down to 75 minutes, but everything else was supersized.

This new 2025 version uses cutting-edge tech to greatly extend the 1939 dimensions for each scene both on screen and off. However, the creative process also revealed certain technological limits with having to scale up the movie’s main characters to insane proportions.

GenAI Enhanced

In a few closeups, I noticed that Judy Garland’s face had that Princess Leia artificial CGI vibe from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Clearly, there was some GenAI power at work here. 

And I was right. I later learned while attending a Google keynote at NAB that Google DeepMind partnered with the visual effects artists to tackle many of the hurdles involved in creating ‘super resolution’ imagery as well as entirely new elements.

But what I didn’t realize while watching the movie were the multitude of ways that GenAI magic had also been deployed to flawlessly do the impossible. And it was usually so good, I didn’t notice it was even happening.

Sure, it may be a challenge to extend the background elements like the haunted forest or the yellow brick road. But it’s an entirely different hurdle having to visually lengthen the actors’ performances. And that had to happen, because the wider screen size required characters to be in the frame where they weren’t originally.

Performance Generation

So, to create something from nothing, they used ‘AI character outpainting,’ which morphed original medium shots and cropped bodies into full-body shots.

But that wasn’t all of it. 

Since the field of view was so much wider on the wraparound screen, more characters suddenly had to remain in particular shots, even though they were framed out in the original scenes. So, those performances needed to be ‘generated.’

And it often felt entirely natural. (Occasionally, there was resulting blurring for background characters, but I expect most viewers wouldn’t notice.)

Inside the Tornado

Each of the movie’s old 4:3 frames had to be broken down, reconstructed, digitally extended and then sometimes reimagined.

When you begin to recognize the process, effort and wizardry applied here, the results become even more impressive.

And then there were certain scene enhancements that were hardly subtle. They’re blatantly reengineered to knock your socks off with everything that Sphere can throw at you.

I’ll mention the tornado sequence and say no more, other than it was worth the price of admission right there. 

Incredible.

400 Section Seats are Fine

Speaking of the price of tickets, I sat in the higher ‘400’ center section. Though my seat was relatively far away from the more expensive seating, it was absolutely fine for this film. 

If anything, the higher vantage point gave me a better view to appreciate all the expanded visual elements stretching over my head.

I got the same incredible 4D and audio experience as the lower section seats. Sure, I may have missed out on (spoiler alert) a falling apple or two, but that’s okay.

Impressive, Most Impressive

I bought my ticket to “The Wizard of Oz at Sphere” at the last minute. So, I didn’t have time to do research about how they re-made this movie. That’s probably for the best, because I didn’t know exactly what to look for. I simply experienced it.

Sure, I still spotted some of the limitations from 2024-2025 AI tech, but now, I also recognize and appreciated how far these filmmakers stretched to create this.

Ultimately, I am floored by the overall achievement. 

And just visiting Sphere by itself was a total experience. (It didn’t really matter what was playing.)

There’s a mischievous design cleverness that’s displayed throughout the entire space, beginning from the moment you walk into the lobby.

And after I sat down in my seat, I must admit I was fooled by the preshow illusion, an homage to Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

So, if you’re in Vegas, and you want to take in a show, I absolutely recommend you head over to Sphere.

You’ll quickly discover you’re not in Kansas anymore.

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August 10, 2025

Why Did “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” Stumble at the Box Office?

This Marvel movie about a superhero family from an alternate, retro-future Earth had all the right ingredients but was still doomed to underperform. Here’s my review.

My son and I went out to the movies to see “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” shortly after the box office turned against it. (Ticket sales plunged 67% during its second weekend in the theaters.) What looked like a big hit was proving to be just a moderate success. It received great reviews. So, what went wrong?

After the post-credit scene, my son looked at me and asked if I liked the movie. I half-heartedly said, “Yes.” He agreed in a similar tone. Clearly, neither of us were enthusiastic. I think we both wanted to enjoy the movie more than we did. (He eventually admitted he liked “Thunderbolts*” much more.)

Not that I’m an ‘official’ movie reviewer (although if you know me, I’ve been chasing that dream since I was in college), but I think I know what’s going on here.

The Alternate Reality of Earth-828
If you’re a Marvel fan, then you’re hoping for a hit, just like me. (It’s been something of a dry spell.) We all wanted “The Fantastic Four” to succeed.

And there’s a lot to like about it. It’s fresh. It’s different. It’s retro futuristic.

But while the 1960s design choice is visually appealing, it also creates an energetic void that limits the movie.

Our main characters are effectively stuck in a type of “WandaVision” faux reality. The movie is so intent on setting up its alternate universe for this Earth-828, it takes up more screen time than it should. We even get to see fictional Saturday morning “Fantastic Four” cartoons, as if this cements the connection.

We get it. 

Blast Off to Yesterday’s Tomorrow
This movie works hard to remind us of a ‘better,’ more optimistic and wholesome time in our history. And this nostalgic hook does have some payoffs.

For me, one of the best moments comes during the rocket launch sequence. As we get a beautiful Apollo-type liftoff, complete with rousing music (by Michael Giacchino), we can spot “United States” etched in the ship’s frame and perfectly positioned in the shot.

Yes, I felt a little jolt of adrenaline as the cool ship ascended from its hip New York City launch pad.

Many parts of this movie are designed with a bright, optimistic feel. And to a certain extent, it works.

Family Friendly
Directed by Matt Shakman, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” looks fantastic. But it plays too much like an after-school TV special.

The overall theme is about ‘family’ (though it’s actually more about parenting). There’s a layer of connection and warmth that permeates through the entire film. (Even the spectacle of our heroes’ superpowers is more of an afterthought for much of the movie.)

But that also takes the edge off… just about everything. (Sure, the world may end, but gosh darn it, we’re all going to stick together, right?)

I feel the best scenes occur off world where we’re not reminded of the ‘good-old-days’ era of Earth-828. Deep in the cosmos, our characters are finally allowed to react more authentically to the dangers that confront them.

Where’s the Conflict?
Said another way, there’s just not enough tension in this story. Our Fantastic Four family barely argues. Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards just worries a lot. Joseph Quinn’s Johnny Storm is way too nice for his brash character. Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s ‘Thing’ is so polite and sweet, you just want to squeeze him. Even the evil Silver Surfer played by Julia Garner (minor spoiler alert) has a soft spot.

Fortunately, Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm powers the movie’s major themes. The story orbits her struggles. 

This is really a movie about motherhood and doing anything for your children. And it’s beautiful. The movie’s high points all surround Sue Storm.

But I’m not sure this is enough to be at the center of a Marvel movie.

Too Charming to be Believable
A family of superheroes without disfunction is a different formula, and it’s not one that’s powered Marvel’s biggest hits.

Our favorite Marvel characters are flawed. They’re often funny. Sometimes inappropriate.

Chris Evans’ Captain America was the obvious exception. But his character was always a fish out of water, and that was the storytelling strategy. And it worked.

These Fantastic Four are pretty-darned perfect and live on an easy-breezy Earth-828 with analog tech from the 1960s that can somehow power a spaceship faster than the speed of light.

It’s simply fantastic (and skews dangerously close to fantasy).

It’s just not realistic. I know this is science fiction, but good storytelling needs to be grounded in a reality you can believe in and relate to.

Moms, Assemble!
I think parents (especially mothers) will connect most to this movie. And those old enough to remember the good vibes of the ‘60s.

And that’s simply not Marvel’s core target audience. For my 15-year-old’s generation, this movie must be culturally confusing. It doesn’t really feel like a Marvel movie. 

To be a blockbuster, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” needs to connect with just about everyone.

First Steps was Bound to Stumble
“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is not a bad movie. It’s good. Just not fantastic.

And in an era of declining box office returns and growing fatigue with mediocre Marvel films, it’s no surprise “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” underperformed.

Silver Lining
Here’s the good news: If you’re generally not a big Marvel movie fan, because there’s too much violence, or you’ve lost track of the extended storyline that links all the films together, then this is the perfect Marvel flick for you.

It’s a standalone story in its own corner of the multiverse and doesn’t even deserve its PG-13 rating (maybe it’s a bit intense here and there).

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is a solid summer movie for someone who doesn’t like the typical sci-fi blockbuster.

The 1960s Never Looked So Good
The movie’s earnest energy and gee-wiz sense of wonder may not totally wow everyone, but Earth-828 in the MCU is still swell and groovy.

Still, I prefer our much messier Earth-616.

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