‘Star Wars’ awakens to $247 million box office opening, biggest ever

So with a trio of films opening next week that appeal to very different demographics, including the Jennifer Lawrence/Bradly Cooper film Joy, the Will Smith drama Concussion and the completely unnecessary remake of Point Break, can Star Wars: The Force Awakens remain in the top spot? It might have posted the biggest worldwide opening of all time, if it had also opened in China the past weekend. Reviews turned out to be stellar (95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), as did early audience reaction, who gave the film an A CinemaScore. Add that to the $279 the movie made around the world and The Force Awakens has already earned an incredible $517 million.

Nostalgia, plus a carefully planned, months-long release of film trailers and character profiles boosted interest. Almost half of moviegoers – 47% – paid extra to see the film in the more expensive formats.

One of the major benefactors of the film’s release has been the IMAX Corporation, which today announced that Star Wars: The Force Awakens, released by The Walt Disney Studios, scored a record-setting opening weekend in IMAX theatres with $48 million worldwide on 677 screens (excluding China). 42% of the weekend’s domestic audience was female, Disney said.

The eagerly awaited latest instalment in the Star Wars series rang up a record US$238mln of United States and Canadian box office takings. While “The Force Awakens” drew enormous pre-sales, the film was kept under lockdown from the press and critics until mere days before it was released to the public.

“He’s wonderful!” Abrams told Isaac. A few other movies attempted to provide some counterprogramming and ended up with comparatively decent results.

That’s enough to turn any Star Wars fan to the Dark Side. Neither will be directed by The Force Awakens’ J.J. Abrams, however.

“Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens” takes place in a familiar galaxy far, far away, about 30 years after “The Return of the Jedi“.

It also introduces new heroes Rey and Finn to lead a younger generation of new Star Wars fans.

Disney made an effort to build buzz, placing 500 miniature Stormtroopers at the Great Wall and striking a deal to stream the six earlier Star Wars films through video service Tencent. However, by that time, Abrams and Kasdan had expanded Poe’s role, which will spill over into the second movie – and, presumably, the third.