Star Wars: The Force Awakens has set a global opening weekend record, beating the previous record holder Jurassic World, to rake in $529m (£355m).
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens is now playing at your local theater.
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If final weekend numbers are even better, the film has a shot at matching or eclipsing “Jurassic World”, which garnered a whopping $524.9 million worldwide.
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The gargantuan global bow – all-time box office opening records in both the USA and the United Kingdom also fell over the weekend – lifted Disney over the $5bn mark at the global box office for the first time ever.
Star Wars also beat Jurassic World in America – 248 million dollars (£166 million) compared with the dinosaur movie’s 208.8 million dollars (£140.2 million) this summer.
“The Force Awakens” scored the biggest opening weekend in key markets including Britain ($48.9 million, four-day), Germany ($27.3 million), Australia ($18.9 million) and Russian Federation ($12.3 million). Jurassic World had the advantage of opening in China when it was released earlier this year, while The Force Awakens won’t hit the People’s Republic until January 9.
Episode VII picks up the intergalactic story of good versus evil 30 years on from The Return Of The Jedi, the last episode of the original trilogy.
Sources told Variety Harrison Ford came away the big victor on Disney and Lucasfilm’s sequel with a paycheck in the eight-figure range ($10 million to $20 million) to reprise his role of Han Solo.
The movie has already earnt back its $200 million budget and looks well on course to join the billion dollar club.
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“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip” debuted in second place with $14.3 million, while the Tina Fey-Amy Poehler comedy “Sisters” opened in third place with $14 million.
