GTA 6 vs. Star Wars: Epic Media Showdown

When The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives on May 22, 2026 – the first new Star Wars film in theaters in over six years – and Grand Theft Auto VI follows just four days later on May 26, 2026 – the first new GTA release in more than a decade – which event do you think will capture more attention? And which one might feel more like a familiar rerun?

On the surface, these could easily rank among the year’s biggest pop culture moments – the Barbenheimer of 2026. A fresh Star Wars film? A brand-new Grand Theft Auto installment!? Grand Theft Watto!!? While we can safely bet GTA 6 will be massive – it already is – The Mandalorian and his pint-sized companion are shaping up to be a far less certain success.

It reminds me of being young and telling my grandmother, Noni, that I’d happily eat pizza every single day. I was dead serious! She told me, no, you’d grow tired of it eventually. And honestly, who wouldn’t think daily pizza sounds incredible? Except, Noni was absolutely right. Eating pizza every day ends up being unappealing, unhealthy, and ultimately harmful for pizzerias too, because eventually I’d avoid even the thought of pizza for a very long time.

And that’s precisely the situation with Star Wars today: it’s like being served the same pizza day after day. But with GTA… the excitement for a new game has been simmering for years. In many ways, that prolonged build-up is part of the franchise's enduring charm. It’s a lesson Lucasfilm and Disney would be wise to learn from.