Star Wars: The Force Awakens shatters North American box office records
Star Wars: The Force Awakens has shattered North American box office records by scoring the biggest opening of all time with a $238 million haul.
The Disney sci-fi epic, featuring original franchise stars Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher and newcomers Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley, skyrocketed to number one, easily eclipsing the $209 million debut previously set by Jurassic World in June (15).
The huge figure makes it the highest-grossing movie debut in the
U.S. and Canada since box office records began, not accounting for
inflation, while it also sets a new record for a December opening,
more than doubling the $84.6 million made by The Hobbit: An
Unexpected Journey in 2012.
The gross helps to boost The Force Awakens' global grab to $517
million after setting new opening weekend records in the U.K.,
Germany, Australia and Russia, among 14 other countries.
"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," reads a press release from Alan Horn, chairman
of 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."
Meanwhile, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip is a distant new
entry in the North American chart at number two with $14.4 million,
while Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's Sisters comedy takes the third
spot with $13.4 million.