After recieving almost universal critical acclaim from critics lucky enough to watch the movie before its official release date Star Wars: The Force Awakens opened worldwide last weekend to virtually unanimous praise from fans and average movie audiences, garnering an average score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, and 8.5 (out of 10) on Metacritic.Over the course of its opening wekend The Force Awakens amassed $529 million worldwide, breaking multiple box office records. As of yesterday the movies epic earnings have risen to $689 million, with many expecting the movie to break the $1 billion mark by Christmas weekend.
Creator George Lucas and director J.J. Abrams at the LA premiere!
Before its release many box office analysts speculated that The Force Awakens could be the first film in cinematic history to earn $3 billion in box office takings, a figure that would beat Avatars $2.7 billion and would make the newest episode in the long running space opera saga the most successful movie of all time.
Earlier this year Colin Trevorrows Jurassic World also broke many box office records, totalling out an impressive $1.6 billion in box office takings over the course of its theatrical run, making it the third most successful movie of all time.
Fans eagerly wait to watch the movie at the world premiere in LA.
But if The Force Awakens dominance continues over the holiday season it may well push past the $2 billion mark by New Years weekend, taking Jurassic Worlds crown as the most succesful movie of 2015, and setting its sights on James Camerons 2009 sci fi adventure epic.
Of course, in merchandising alone Star Wars: The Force Awakens will make double (or more) of whatever it makes in the box office, with many children and the young at heart expected to be opening one or more Star Wars themed presents this December 25th.
