Following such a hugely successful first night, industry experts have said Star Wars: The Force Awakens could become the biggest selling movie of all time. White House spokesman Josh Earnest also got into the spirit, posing for pictures with R2-D2 and two Stormtroopers in the press briefing room. The movie characters will greet children of Gold St…
Advertisement
In a turn of events that will shock precisely nobody, a fantasy adventure space film called Star Wars: The Force Awakens is making insane amounts of money.
Such an outcome would surprise few analysts, but the numbers were nevertheless eye-popping. Through Friday, worldwide ticket sales had reached $129.5 million, as the movie set opening-day records in Britain, Germany, Australia, Brazil and other countries.
The new Star Wars film is the first instalment in a decade of the series, which was created by George Lucas in 1977.
As for the entire weekend, analysts are predicting that Episode VII could go on to a truly impressive $250 million.
Disney’s biggest worry has been that moviegoers will be too daunted by sold-out shows and long lines. Although it would be the second day of premiere, Saturday is the busiest day before Christmas shopping week. Disney said theaters were adding showtimes to meet “unprecedented demand”.
Force Awakens began opening around the world on Wednesday.
In 2015, four films have passed the $1 billion global mark: Minions ($1.157 billion), Avengers: Age of Ultron ($1.4 billion), Furious 7 ($1.514 billion), and Jurassic World.
Although Fandango declined to divulge actual figures, the implication is clear; when the box office receipts come in on Sunday, news outlets are going to have a field day with the info.
3-D screening accounted for 47% of the night’s grosses on Thursday. Its ability to profitably exploit “Star Wars” across all its divisions was the justification for Disney’s $4 billion purchase of Lucasfilm LLC in 2012.
The latest film returns to “a galaxy far, far away” some 30 years on from the action of 1983’s Return of the Jedi.
Advertisement
Avatar is now the highest-grossing film of all time in Australia after taking in more than $115 million as of February this year, and Mr Edwards thinks The Force Awakenswill knock it from its perch.
