En route to what will undoubtedly be a record-breaking first weekend, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” set the opening day box office record.
The seventh “Star Wars” film earned a whopping $120.5 million on its opening day, which accounts for Thursday night showings in addition to Friday. That easily bests the $91.1 million earned by “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,” which previously held the record.
While the inclusion of the $57 million Thursday night receipts may cause some to place an asterisk next to the “opening day” label, it is worth noting that the aforementioned “Harry Potter” film also generated considerable business–$43.5 million, in fact–from Thursday night screenings. “Star Wars” still had a bigger Friday than “Harry Potter.”
For “The Force Awakens,” the next stop will be the $208.8 million opening weekend record, which is currently held by “Jurassic World.” Analysts are eyeing a $250 million-plus weekend for “The Force Awakens,” so breaking the “Jurassic World” record is a presumed lock.
Friday’s Top 5:
“The Force Awakens” – $120.5m
“Sisters” – $4.9m
“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip” – $4.1m
“Mockingjay – Part 2” – $1.6m
“Creed” – $1.4m