‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ reaches $100M in North America, $250M worldwide

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” will set a new opening weekend record of at least $215 million in the USA, estimates showed Friday evening.

The record for biggest box office opening weekend ever belongs to Universal’s “Jurassic World” which premiered to $208.8 million just six months ago. “The $120.5 million opening day for Star Wars marks the largest Friday, opening day and single day records previously held by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 at $91 million”, reported Brad Brevat. The latest “Star Wars” is playing in 4,134 North American theaters, the widest December release ever.

Rounding out the eight most-popular movies this weekend, in the USA and Canada and as estimated by the studios and Rentrak, were “Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2” ($5.7 million), “Creed” ($5 million), “The Good Dinosaur” ($4.2 million), “Krampus” ($3.8 million) and “In The Heart Of The Sea” ($3.5 million). The film scored the biggest December opening weekend in numerous territories, including the Netherlands, Japan, Portugal, Italy, Argentina and Brazil.

Experts believe the space adventure flick could even beat Skyfall, which is the highest-grossing movie in the United Kingdom and Ireland, after it made nearly £103m domestically.

Midnight screenings on Thursday made £2.4m in ticket sales.

“Star Wars” now rules the box office galaxy.

Needless to say, the $4 billion purchase by Disney of Lucasfilm is looking to be money well spent.

As far as all-time box office sales, two films by James Cameron hold the record “Avatar” ($2.78 billion) (roughly Rs. 18,435 crores) and “Titanic” ($2.18 billion) (roughly Rs. 14,456 crores).

“Force Awakens” has already smashed several film industry records and won praise from critics and moviegoers.

It is the seventh in the “Star Wars” saga, and the first film starring beloved characters like Harrison Ford’s Han Solo and Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia since 1983’s “Return of the Jedi”.

President Barack Obama began his year-end press conference Friday by letting reporters know their meeting wouldn’t be the most important event taking place Friday.