From ew, Star Wars: The Force Awakens earned an estimated $238 million this weekend, making it the biggest domestic opening of all time. Han, Chewie, Leia, and friends obliterated the $208.8 million record set byJurassic World this summer, and in total, The Force Awakens has already made an astronomical $517 million worldwide.
The Force Awakens’ domestic opening is the crowning achievement in a long, long list of broken box office records. Only a few hours after it started screening on Thursday, The Force Awakens had already notched the highest-grossing pre-show day of all time, earning $57 million. Add that to its Friday numbers, and The Force Awakens earned the highest single-day opening of any movie ever with $120.5 million. As a result, The Force Awakens is the first movie to ever earn more than $100 million in a single day, which also makes it the fastest movie to ever reach triple digits. (Jurassic World hit $100 million in two days.) Opening in 4,134 theaters, a record number for a December opening, The Force Awakens posted a per-theater average of $57,568, a record for a wide-release opening.
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Internationally, The Force Awakens reeled in another $279 million, making it the third biggest international opening of all time, behind Jurassic World’s $316 million and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2’s $314 million. The Force Awakens’ global total of $517 million puts it just shy of Jurassic World’s $525 million global record. About $99 million of Jurassic World’s record came from China, and The Force Awakens won’t open in China until Jan. 9.
So now what? Just as it was hard to predict The Force Awakens’opening weekend, it’s also hard to predict what it’ll do from here. Because of the holidays, movies opening in December usually see a smaller debut but much, much bigger multiples. A December opening like this is unheard of (the previous December record was held byThe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which debuted to $84.6 million). But movies like Avatar, which only opened to $77 million in 2009, went on to make almost $750 million domestically, making it the biggest movie of all time. We’ll have to see what happens over the next few weeks and whether The Force Awakens can not only score a big opening, but a big final total, too.
In other box office news, from a galaxy much closer to home, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip opened to $14.4 million and an A- CinemaScore. Sisters, which stars Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, scored third place with a $13.4 million opening, and the R-rated comedy earned a B CinemaScore. Even though The Force Awakens blew past all predictions, both Road Chip and Sisters managed to hold their own, as both were expected to debut in the low to mid teens.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 and Creed rounded out the top five, earning $5.7 million and $5.1 million respectively. After five weeks, Mockingjay has collected more than $254.4 million domestically, and Creed has brought in $87.9 million.
Here are this weekend’s top five at the box office:
1. Star Wars The Force Awakens — $238 million
2. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip —$14.4 million
3. Sisters — $13.4 million
4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 —$5.7 million
5. Creed — $5.1 million
10 comments:
I absolutely LOVED it!!! It delivered on all levels and far exceeded my high expectations. Believe the hype!
I am disappointed that NO ONE is commenting on STAR WARS!!! Come on, people!
Not until we see it, hopefully Friday! Trying to avoid even inadvertent spoilers!
I'm with you, JPX--loved it! We took the kids to the first showing Thursday night, and they all totally enjoyed it. I'd done a pretty good job avoiding all spoilers, so I was surprised that the old guys had such large parts in this one--I thought it was going to be a cameo and see ya. Totally fun that they were so integral to the story.
Would people need to have seen the original three, and/or the prequels, to enjoy the movie? One of the people who is seeing it on Christmas Day with us doesn't really remember the story, and I just wondered how much I need to bring him up to speed before Christmas?
That's a good question, but I say go for it! The fresh perspective might be interesting.
You don't need to see the originals, this is a self-contained story. Shame on your friend! Make your friend watch Jedi at least!
Thanks so much! He has seen the original three but not for many years. Sounds like that should be good enough!
Two thumbs up from everyone including relative newbie, so it does stand alone.
I'm so glad you liked it!!!
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