Star Wars: The Force Awakens made its domestic debut with an estimated $238 million, smashing the previous record set by Jurassic World of $208.8 million, which opened in the summer. The film posted the highest Thursday preview gross ever ($57 million), the highest single day and Friday gross ($120.5 million), and it is the first film to surpass $100 million in a single day. It also posted the highest theater average for a wide release with $57,568 and marks the biggest December opening of all time. Star Wars: The Force Awakens received an A CinemaScore from audiences.
Marking the biggest opening weekend ever in numerous key territories, including the UK, Germany, Australia, and Russia, Star Wars: The Force Awakens posted an estimated international opening weekend of $279 million (the third-highest reported opening weekend in industry history, behind Jurassic World at $316 million, including around $97 million China, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at $314 million) and topping the previous December record held by Avatar ($164.5 million). This result excludes any results from China, where the film opens Jan. 9.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens made its way across the global landscape (except for China) this weekend to post an amazing estimated $517 million global gross. This marks the second-highest reported global weekend opening of all-time, behind only Jurassic World ($525 million, including China).
Star Wars: The Force Awakens also generated a record-breaking estimated $48 million from IMAX screens globally, beating the previous Jurassic World record of $44 million (which included China). Many territories saw record-breaking IMAX weekends including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and Australia.
The film’s domestic opening records include:
– Highest Thursday “preview” gross: $57M. Previously $43.5M, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (WB, 7/15/11).
– Highest one-day gross: estimated $120.5M. Previously $91.1M, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (WB, 7/15/11).
– First film to reach triple digits ($100M+) in a single day. Closest previously $91.1M, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (WB, 7/15/11).
– Highest opening weekend: estimated $238.0M. Previously $208.8M, Jurassic World (Uni, 6/12-14/15).
– Highest December opening weekend: estimated $238.0M. Previously $84.6M, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (WB, 12/14-16/12).
– Highest opening weekend per theatre average (wide release): estimated $57,568. Previously $48,855, Jurassic World (Uni, 6/12-14/15)
– Highest December opening theatre count: 4,134. Previously 4,045, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (WB, 12/14/12)
“Our sole focus has been creating a film that delivers that one-of-a-kind Star Wars experience, and director J.J. Abrams, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, and the Lucasfilm team have outdone themselves,” said Alan Horn, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. “To all of the fans around the world who not only came out in Force to make this such an exciting and astronomical debut but who treated this film as their own and helped preserve the experience for their fellow fans by not spoiling it – thank you, we do.”
Directed by J.J. Abrams, the movie stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk produced the film with Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt.
While Star Wars: The Force Awakens conquered the world, 20th Century Fox also opened Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip domestically in 3,653 theaters, in which the fourth installment earned $14.4 million. While the sequel took second place domestically, it’s the lowest debut for any film in the franchise, with the last movie having opened to $23 million. “The Road Chip” received an A- CinemaScore.
Opening in third place, Universal Pictures’ R-rated comedy Sisters, starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, earning $13.4 million from 2,962 theaters. The movie, which received a B CinemaScore, cost about $30 million to make.
Dropping three spots to fourth was Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, which added $5.7 million its fifth weekend for a total of $254.4 million domestically. The last installment cost $160 million to produce.
New Line and MGM’s Creed rounded out the top five with $5.1 million and has taken in $87.9 million in four weeks. The film cost $35 million to make.
Taking sixth place was Disney•Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur, which grossed $4.2 million and has earned $96.5 million domestically. Internationally, the movie has earned $93.1 million for a worldwide total of $189.6 million.
