The characters were present for a screening organised by Michelle Obama for children of families with lost members to war.
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The “Harry Potter” film also holds the all-time record for opening day at $91 million.
Two stormtroopers and R2-D2 surprised reporters with an appearance in the White House briefing room while President Obama rushed to finish a press conference so he could watch the latest Star Wars film. “The Force Awakens” was heading toward a Thursday night-Friday total of more than $120 million domestically, said Dave Hollis, head of distribution for Disney.
Disney’s biggest worry has been that moviegoers will be too daunted by sold-out shows and long lines. Hollis said exhibitors are continually adding more screenings to satisfy demand.
“Force Awakens” began rolling out in global markets on Wednesday.
Over the course of the day it quickly clocked up a huge £9.6m, therefore setting a new record for a film’s first day at the box office. Disney bought “Star Wars” producer Lucasfilm for US$4 billion in 2012 and spent more than US$200 million to produce “Force Awakens”.
The film picks up some years after 1983’s Return of the Jedi, throwing the story forward with new characters and catching up with familiar faces.
Such a positive reaction for “The Force Awakens” may attract the kind of repeat viewings that made James Cameron’s “Avatar” and “Titanic” the highest grossing films of all time.
But so far, “The Force Awakens” is attracting the interest of seemingly everyone.
The screening of the much-anticipated movie that opened in theatres across the USA on Friday was for the members of Gold Star families, an organisation of family members who have lost relatives in military combat.
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US President Barack Obama, 55 minutes into his year-end press conference, finished answering a question about incarceration rates and seized an opportunity to make his own escape – like Darth Vader fleeing the Death Star.
