The £9.64m tally beat the previous best of £9.48m, set by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011.
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The new Star Wars film has already raked in $200 million, and it’s expected to smash opening weekend records, likely making back all the money Disney spent to produce the film by Monday.
“The Force Awakens” also debuted in a dozen global markets on Wednesday with a total of $14.1 million at the worldwide box office. The largest was France, where the film earned $5.2 million.
Forty-seven per cent of the opening day’s United States domestic ticket sales came from 3D tickets, Disney said.
The opening weekend record is now held by “Jurassic World”, which premiered earlier this year to $208.8 million at the box office.
Speaking of his approach to The Force Awakens, he said: “The fundamental thing was what do we want people to feel”.
Strong reviews plus a decades-long affection for the “Star Wars” franchise are driving interest, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at box office tracking firm Rentrak.
With that number, the film just took the record for highest grossing Friday opening ever.
The seventh chapter in George Lucas’ space saga is set 30 years after Return Of The Jedi, and is crucial to Disney’s success.
More than $100 million in tickets have been presold in North America.
Dozens of celebrities even showed their love for the Star Wars franchise as Joseph Gordon Levitt posted a photo dressed as Yoda in full costume and green makeup.
After fielding questions, Obama concluded the press conference: “OK everybody, I got to get to ‘Star Wars'”.
As this tweet from the first lady makes clear, the chirpy and charismatic droid R2-D2 received a grand welcoming to the White House as well.
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With the opening act complete, the real stars of the show took the stage next to press secretary Josh Earnest – a pair of Storm Troopers and R2D2.
