Directed by JJ Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens returns to “a galaxy far, far away” some 30 years on from the action of 1983’s Return of the Jedi.
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Disney said the $57 million gross from Thursday night previews would give it an opening day of at least $100 million for Friday (which includes the preview numbers), topping the $91.1 million opening day for final Harry Potter movie. Box Office Mojo predicted yesterday that the film could rake in $231 million in its opening weekend, but analysts there now say that number “may be in jeopardy of being too low”. The Force Awakens’s opening weekend is only the first test to see whether the film will satisfy Disney investors and film buffs alike. The Force Awakens shattered its first record with advanced ticket sales, reportedly selling eight times as many tickets than the previous record holder, The Hunger Games, to the tune of million.
“We are obviously very encouraged by the record-breaking pre-sales for Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, Dave Hollis, the executive vice president of distribution at Disney, said in a statement.
“The potential for The Force Awakens to ultimately break into the $2bn club worldwide is certainly in the realm of possibility”, he said. And most notably, Rentrak reported, 51% said the movie had exceeded their expectations and 45% said it had met expectations while only 5% said it fell short of expectations.
“There would have to be an historic drop not to”, says Jeff Bock, box office analyst for Exhibitor Relations.
Critics lavished praise on “Force Awakens”, which features newcomers Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac alongside original stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.
Guess that $4 billion dollar initial investment that Disney made in LucasFilm is paying off. That is until the spinoff movies start rolling in and America rediscovers their love for Lobot and Lando in, Star Wars: Among The Clouds.
The seventh installment in the Star Wars franchise opened officially in 4,134 theaters on Friday.
Early Friday estimates also showed that the film is on target for a weekend of more than $200 million.
The first showings of the seventh Star Wars movie generated 47% of its USA preview grosses from 3D screenings, including $5.7 millions from 391 Imax screens, almost doubling the previous record.
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“But we just don’t know how many repeat viewers and part-time Star Wars fans are going to show up on Sunday”.
