And Force Awakens came close to taking the record for biggest Saturday from Jurassic World ($69.2 million). The previous record for such previews was the $43.5 million set by “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” in 2011, according to data from Rentrak Corp. Moreover, overall revenue hit an all-time high, crossing $300 million for the first time ever.
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Though several signs point in that direction, the outcome isn’t guaranteed.
Abrams’ movie, buoyed by nostalgia, glowing reviews and an A CinemaScore, obliterated the previous December record set by The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which debuted to $84.6 million in 2012.
The highly anticipated “Force Awakens” has blazed a record-setting trail since its domestic debut Thursday, breaking the record for highest-grossing domestic opening night with $57 million and biggest single-day sales Friday with $120.5 million. Imax receipts account for a third of pre-release sales for this movie. It’s also the biggest opening weekend film of all time in Canada. Scalpers sold tickets to prime showtimes, parents weaned on the “Star Wars” saga took their children to introduce a new generation to the epic push-and-pull between the Dark Side and the Light, and theaters were forced to clarify their costume policy, with many chains outlawing masks and blasters. These days, that’s rarer than water on Tatooine.
The world’s second-largest movie market with roughly 30,000 screens – the USA has roughly 40,000 – delivered almost $100 million of the $315 million global haul that “Jurassic World” managed in its opening weekend overseas this summer. But a core appeal of “Star Wars” may lie in its universal themes and inclusiveness.
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Stormtroopers invaded a White House press conference as even Barack Obama got caught up in the Star Wars mania sweeping earth. “If you’re a teenager, Luke Skywalker may be your point of identification”. One of the things that “The Force Awakens” does really well is that it broadens those opportunities and entry points.
