Everyone knew Star Wars: The Force Awakens would open huge, but just how much it would ring up over its first days in theatrical release was a matter of debate. Most had it opening around $250 million domestically over its first weekend, and those who guessed that amount weren’t far off.
Walt Disney Studios’ official numbers are $238 million domestically, five days internationally for a total of $279 million, and $517 million worldwide since its debut in theaters. The film also received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and audiences, scoring a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earning an A cinemascore from moviegoers.
“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,” stated 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.”
Per Disney, here’s the list of records smashed by Star Wars: The Force Awakens:
· Biggest Thursday preview gross with $57 million.
· Biggest Friday and biggest single-day gross with $120.5 million.
· First film ever to post a single day over $100 million.
· Fastest film to $100 million and $200 million.
· Biggest December debut (nearly 3 times previous record of $84.6 million).
· Biggest IMAX Thursday night preview ($5.7M), single-day ($14M, Friday), and weekend ($30.1M).
· Highest theater average for a wide release ($57,568).
Internationally, Star Wars: The Force Awakens records included:
· Biggest opening weekend of all time in UK (4-day), Australia, Russia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Austria, Poland (3-day), Denmark (5-day), Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ukraine, Iceland, Serbia, and New Zealand. Second biggest opening weekend in France, Belgium, Israel, Chile.
· Biggest IMAX global debut of $48 million.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens was directed by J.J. Abrams and stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow.