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Disney CEO Says Star Wars Global Sales May Hit $528 Million

If there’s a record related to opening day or opening weekend box office, Star Wars: The Force Awakens crushed it. The film collected an astonishing $248 million in domestic ticket sales, which in turn contributed to its $529 million global weekend debut.

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But one smash hit movie’s box office return can’t touch Disney’s initial “Star Wars” investment – the company paid an eye-popping $4 billion for Lucasfilm in 2012, something CEO Bob Iger reminded “The Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams of regularly.


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“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is showing in most countries except for Greece and India, which will open on December 24 and China on January 9. In its opening weekend the dinosaur film made $208.8 million dollars domestically.


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Internationally, the film brought in $279 million, bringing its global gross to $517 million – second only to “Jurassic World’s” global bow of $525 million.

Adding all that up and looking ahead to next year, one analyst told Wired the Mouse House is likely to make back half of what it paid for Lucasfilm.

“Force Awakens” could become the highest-grossing movie of all time, box office analysts said.

“‘Star Wars, ‘ I’ve said a number of times, I think is probably the most valuable, maybe even the most important mythology created in our time”, the Disney chief said.

Parents need to know that “Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens” is the hugely anticipated seventh installment in the big-screen “Star Wars” franchise, featuring new main characters as well as beloved favorites like Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and Chewbacca.

$48.9 million – The film’s opening box office in the United Kingdom.

Disney plans four “Star Wars” movies through 2019, plus major expansions at its USA theme parks to incorporate the droids, spaceships and otherworldly creatures of the universe Lucas invented.

Fans of the franchise also came out in record numbers over the weekend to be introduced to new characters like Daisy Ridley’s scavenger Rey, Adam Driver’s villainous Kylo Ren, and John Boyega’s stormtrooper turned good Finn.

Meanwhile “Creed”, a next-generation version of the “Rocky” series earned $5 million in its fourth week on the big screen.

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