Star Wars sets New Year’s box office record
Star Wars: The Force Awakens has marched confidently into the new year, raking in an additional $US88.3 million ($A121.02 million) over the New Year’s weekend and topping the US box office for a third week, according to studio estimates.
In addition to setting a new high mark in New Year’s box office history, the record-busting film blew past the US grosses of both Jurassic World ($US652.3 million) and Titanic ($US658.7 million) to become the second-highest earner of all time with $US740.3 million in just 19 days of release.
The top film is Avatar with a $US760.5 million lifetime US domestic gross, but Star Wars is barrelling in to surpass it soon.
For context, it took Avatar 72 days to reach $US700 million. Star Wars did that in 16 days.
Internationally, Star Wars earned $US96.3 million on the weekend, boosting its global total to $US184.6 million. The film opens in China on January 9.
While Star Wars might not give up its throne any time soon, films like Daddy’s Home and Sisters have proven to be incredibly strong performers.
Daddy’s Home, the comedy starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, came in second with an estimated $US29 million, bringing its total to $US93.7 million in just two weeks. The film fell only 25 per cent from its first weekend in theatres.
Even more formidable is the mere 11 per cent drop from the Tina Fey and Amy Poehler comedy Sisters, which brought in $US12.6 million in its third weekend for a fourth-place spot. The film has earned $US61.7 million so far.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theatres, according to Rentrak, with available international sales in brackets:
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens, $US88.3 million ($US96.3 million international).
- Daddy’s Home, $US29 million ($US9.2 million international).
- The Hateful Eight, $US16.2 million.
- Sisters, $US12.6 million ($US650,000 international).
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, $US11.8 million ($US10.3 million international).
- Joy, $US10.4 million ($US9.3 million international).
- The Big Short, $US9 million ($US2.2 million international).
- Concussion, $US8 million ($US1.4 million international).
- Point Break, $US6.8 million ($US6.8 million international).
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, $US4.6 million ($US4.4 million international).
