In a turn of events that shouldn’t surprise anyone, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is already setting box office records. Directed by JJ Abrams, the new Star Wars film appears to be resonating with fans in a way that the often-maligned prequels did not. Suffice it to say,
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From the moment it hit theaters, Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been a bona-fide smash hit. Just yesterday we noted how the movie already broke the box office record for a Thursday night debut with an estimated $55 million in sales. And now comes word via the AP that worldwide sales have already eclipsed $250 million as of Saturday morning. In short, the latest Star Wars installment is already on track to be the most successful movie launch in history.
Disney is projecting a domestic weekend total of around $220 million, which would surpass the record $208.8 million of “Jurassic World.” It’s a type of release never before seen in December, where the previous top opening was 2012’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” with $84.6 million. The latest “Star Wars” is playing in 4,134 North American theaters, the widest December release ever.
Thanks to extremely strong reviews, and of course millions of nostalgic fans, it stands to reason that the film’s momentum won’t subside anytime soon. If Star Wars: The Force Awakens hopes to surpass the most lucrative weekend movie launch in history, it will have to top Jurassic World’s global opening weekend tally of $524.9 million; and as of Saturday morning, it was almost half way there.
