While, as a practice, we generally try and refrain from putting too much an emphasis on box office numbers as money has nothing to do with quality. Still, it’s not everyday that film crosses $900 million in North American ticket sales- actually it’s never happened before. Today, on its 50th day of release, Star Wars: The Force Awakens continues to soar to unprecedented heights, and will become the first film in history to crack the number at the domestic box office.
While industry math can be hard to trace, what with numbers adjusted for inflation and the like, the unparalleled success of J.J. Abrams‘ much-beloved reboot of the venerable space soap opera, is something that will be hard to top. The film is currently the highest grossing movie in U.S. box office history and the third highest grossing worldwide behind Avatar ($2.8 billion) and Titanic ($2.1 billion). On top of that, the film will very likely cross $2 billion worldwide any second now. Walt Disney Picture chairman Alan Horn said in a statement:
This is a historic moment for Star Wars, for Lucasfilm, and for Disney, and all of us here are extremely gratified to be a part of this journey with fans around the world who have made Star Wars: The Force Awakens such an extraordinary success. The film’s achievements are truly astounding, and it’s our great honor to relaunch this cinematic galaxy not only for all the devoted decades-long fans but for a new generation who will keep the Star Wars legacy alive for many years to come.
As of right now, industry experts predict The Force Awakens will net about $950 million domestically before it ends its theatrical run. Disney, of course, has Star Wars films in the pipeline for many years to come. Next year will see the arrival Rogue One: A Star Wars Story directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) while December 2017 is the target release date of Rian Johnson’s Episode VII.
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