Star Wars: The Force Awakens on course to break box office records

As if the pre-order records, overseas earnings, and Thursday night showing cumes weren’t enough of an indication that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a box office hit, the latest projection suggests that the film is about to break three more box office records.

The previous opening night record of $43.5 million was set by “Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2” in 2011.

Box office analysts went into the weekend expecting the new “Star Wars” from director J.J. Abrams to gross $180 million to $220 million through Sunday in its domestic opening weekend. Or usurps “Jurassic World” for the crown of the biggest opening weekend on record ($208.8 million). Goldman is forecasting the film to haul in global box office dollars of $1.95 billion – including $750 million in the US and $1.2 billion from worldwide markets.

And in a sign indicating the movie will have an especially long run at multiplexes, opening day audiences have given “The Force Awakens” an A CinemaScore – including an A+ grade among women and A+ scores with audiences under 18 and under 25. The company seems set on assuring fans that there are enough tickets for everyone who wants to see the movie to do so. Ritter is planning to get married at the historic theater with a Star Wars themed wedding before the premiere of the film.

The highest-grossing film ever in the US was Avatar in 2009, which earned $760 million.

The film is being screened in 4,134 theaters in North America, a record for a December opening.

Here in West Michigan fans lined up to catch the sold out show.

The last Star Wars movie, “Revenge of the Sith”, debuted ten years ago.

“I am also extremely appreciative of the strong roles chosen for the female characters – a film finally showing that a woman character is not always a damsel-in-distress but can hold her own”.

“The Force Awakens” picks up the intergalactic story of good versus evil 30 years on from “The Return of the Jedi”, the finale of the original trilogy.

Anthony Nygren and Meg Thompson exchanged vows fit for a rebel fighter – in front of several hundred movie goers – “I promise to love you faithfully like Chewbacca to your Han Solo”.