Star Wars shatters opening weekend records

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has smashed the record for the biggest box office debut weekend in North America with ticket sales of $238m (£159.7m).

“Jurassic World” previously held the record for global launch with $524.9 million.

The Disney movie sold out across the USA and was a big draw around the world. It has set box office records for biggest opening in countries including the United Kingdom, Australia and Russian Federation.

Jurassic World has congratulated Star Wars: The Force Awakens for beating its global opening weekend record.

The figure shatters the previous record, which was set by Jurassic World earlier this year when it premiered to US$208.8 million (NZ$310.4m).

That film had the advantage of opening in China on the same weekend it opened everywhere else. The New York Times reports that 47 percent of the gross earnings came from 3D screenings.

63% – Percentage of this weekend’s audience who were over the age of 25.

$4 billion – The price Disney paid for the franchise’s production company, Lucasfilm, in 2012.

Actor Harrison Ford, 73, is believed to struck an extraordinary pay deal for the movie which may see him earn 56 times as much as the film’s young leads, according to the Daily Mail, which cited “a Disney source”.

10 – Number of years between the last “Star Wars” film, “Revenge of the Sith”, and “The Force Awakens”.

In this continuation of the Star Wars saga, balance returns to the Force as the First Order, emerging from the ashes of the Empire, clashes with the Resistance, which includes scrappy newcomers as well as heroes from the former Rebel Alliance.

The film also stars Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o and Domhnall Gleeson, along with original trilogy stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.