Star Wars: The Force Awakens Sets New Opening Night Box Office Record

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has set a new opening night box office record in the US and Canada, industry experts said.

The new Star Wars movie made $57 million on December 17, beating the previous record of $43.5 million held by Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011.

Analysts say the space saga could become the biggest selling movie of all time.

Rentrak’s Paul Dergarabedian, one of Hollywood’s best-known box office analysts, said the movie’s opening night performance in the US and Canada “portends a massive and potentially record-breaking opening day and weekend for the film”.

Analysts expect The Force Awakens to make about $200 million in the US and Canada over its opening weekend, a total that could challenge the record Jurassic World set earlier this year.

The latest installment in the dinosaur theme park franchise made almost $209 million in its first three days on North American release in June.

Analysts say The Force Awakens opened on December 17 so would have to perform staggeringly well over the weekend to top the latest James Bond movie.

Directed by JJ Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens returns to “a galaxy far, far away” some 30 years on from the action of 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens sees original trilogy stars Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher reprise their Han Solo and Princess Leia roles alongside younger franchise newcomers.