鈥淪tar Wars: The Last Jedi鈥� rocketed to a debut of $220 million at the North American box office, landing the second-best opening ever and slotting in behind only its predecessor, 鈥淭he Force Awakens,鈥� according to studio estimates Sunday.
The Disney blockbuster became just the fourth film to open above $200 million domestically. Aside from 鈥淭he Force Awakens鈥� ($248.8 million), the others are 鈥淭he Avengers鈥� ($207.4 million) and 鈥淛urassic World鈥� ($208.8 million). Accounting for inflation, the debut of 2012鈥檚 鈥淭he Avengers鈥� would rank just ahead of 鈥淭he Last Jedi.鈥�
鈥淭he Last Jedi鈥� is off to a similar start overseas, too, with $230 million in international ticket sales, said Disney. That brings its three-day global haul to $450 million.
As anticipated, 鈥淭he Last Jedi鈥� fell shy of the opening weekend for J.J. Abrams鈥� 2015 franchise reboot, which eventually grossed $2.1 billion worldwide. But the massive debut not only puts 鈥淭he Last Jedi鈥� in the record books, it singlehandedly brightens what has been a disappointing year for Hollywood. The weekend was far and away the highest grossing of the year.
The opening also gave the Walt Disney Co. the opportunity to flex its muscles on the heels of its deal announced Thursday to purchase 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion. As part of the acquisition, Disney will take control of 20th Century Fox, one of Hollywood鈥檚 six major studios.
Fox, as it happens, was the only studio to open another new wide-release film against 鈥淭he Last Jedi.鈥� Its family film, 鈥淔erdinand,鈥� was essentially stampeded by 鈥淭he Last Jedi,鈥� grossing $13.3 million. 鈥淔erdinand鈥� and other upcoming releases will look for more room in the coming weeks, once the 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� tsunami has waned.
While Abrams鈥� reboot capitalized on a decade鈥檚 hiatus for 鈥淪tar Wars,鈥� Rian Johnson鈥檚 sequel didn鈥檛 have the same luxury of freshness. It follows not only 鈥淭he Force Awakens,鈥� but last year鈥檚 spinoff, 鈥淩ogue One.鈥� That release opened with $155.1 million, and ultimately took in a little more than $1 billion globally.
Johnson instead aimed to distinguish 鈥淭he Last Jedi鈥� by introducing some new tones to George Lucas鈥� space opera. 鈥淭he Last Jedi鈥� is more irreverent than previous chapters.
The plan has seemed to work. Critics gave Johnson鈥檚 film a 93 per cent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences endorsed it, too, with an A CinemaScore.
Signalling its faith in Johnson鈥檚 course for 鈥淪tar Wars,鈥� Lucasfilm earlier announced that Johnson is developing another trilogy for the franchise, the first of which he鈥檒l write and direct. Abrams is set to return to direct Episode IX after he was brought in to replace Colin Trevorrow.
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
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