‘Force Awakens’ is fastest to $1B

Shadows of the Empire was not only the name of an Expanded Universe book and comic book series, but also an early Star Wars video game title for the Nintendo 64.

J.J. Abrams has been completely cordial in press appearances for “The Force Awakens” and doesn’t seem like the type to go after Lucas directly.

(Merie Weismiller Wallace/Twentieth Century Fox via AP). To date, Big Short has earned $16 million. Consequently “The Force Awakens” now also holds the record for biggest Christmas earnings and best second-weekend in movie history.

The latest record set by the film – earning $1 billion at the global box office in a mere 12 days.

Disney’s The Force Awakens also set a new record as the biggest Christmas Day haul in history at $49.3 million. The previous movie to reach $1 billion the fastest was “Jurassic World”, which did it in 13 days in June – and which had the benefit of record grosses in China. It’s already in the top 10 in the United Kingdom, for example, where it has only been playing in theaters for 10 days, beating out huge tentpoles like The Hobbit, Pirates of the Caribbean, Dark Knight and all but two Harry Potter films.

Have you had a chance to see the new Star Wars movie yet? Comedy Daddy’s Home, starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg took second place at the box office debuting with $38.8 million. The $60 million film reunites the “Silver Linings Playbook” team of Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Bradley Cooper with director David O. Russell. That was far above projections which had the picture opening in the $20 million range. (Star Wars doesn’t open in China until January 9).

Bettie Jones, known in her Chicago neighborhood for her work with anti-violence community groups, was killed by police responding to a domestic disturbance just hours after she hosted family on Christmas Day.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at USA and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Previously, George Lucas was in control of the franchise, but then sold it to Walt Disney Co.