Star Wars: The Force Awakens is already up for digital pre-order

“It’s great to see that all fans can enjoy the “Star Wars” experience, as our theater partners continue to add new screens and new showtimes every day”.

It has smashed records for the biggest opening day of all time but it looks to shatter all time box office records for any film’s opening weekend, as well.

The Walt Disney Co.’s estimate on Friday easily surpassed the previous Thursday night record of $43.5 million by 2011’s “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”. (It’s the first of several planned new “Star Wars” projects.) The rapturous critical reception the film has received has certainly calmed fears about a potential commercial letdown, but if “The Force Awakens” somehow fails to achieve the largest domestic opening of all time, it could still be deemed a bit of a disappointment in some quarters.

Disney bought “Star Wars” producer Lucasfilm for $4 billion in 2012 and spent more than $200 million to produce “Force Awakens“.

Finally… A fan dressed as Chewbacca commemorates the film’s highly anticipated release with an obligatory selfie.

Disney also confirmed on Thursday that the film debuted with more than $14 million from its first screenings in 12 worldwide markets.

Interest extended to global markets, where the movie brought in $72.7 million in 44 countries.

The current record for a launch weekend was set in June by “Jurassic World” with $208.4 million.

Roughly 58% of the “Force Awakens” audience was male while 63% of the audience was over the age of 25, according to data shared by the studio.

In North America, the film sold a record $100 million worth of presale tickets before Thursday previews began at approximately 7 p.m. EST. The record is held by “Avatar” with $2.8 billion.

Imax and 3-D screenings are helping to propel the record gross.

Rentrak’s survey of moviegoers showed 76% rated “The Force Awakens” at “excellent” along with 19% as “very good”.

Critics lavished praise on “Force Awakens“, which features newcomers Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac alongside original stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.