B次元官网网址淪tar Wars: The Last JediB次元官网网址� 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, B次元官网网址淭he Force Awakens,B次元官网网址� according to studio estimates Sunday.
The Disney blockbuster became just the fourth film to open above $200 million domestically. Aside from B次元官网网址淭he Force AwakensB次元官网网址� ($248.8 million), the others are B次元官网网址淭he AvengersB次元官网网址� ($207.4 million) and B次元官网网址淛urassic WorldB次元官网网址� ($208.8 million). Accounting for inflation, the debut of 2012B次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淭he AvengersB次元官网网址� would rank just ahead of B次元官网网址淭he Last Jedi.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he Last JediB次元官网网址� 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, B次元官网网址淭he Last JediB次元官网网址� fell shy of the opening weekend for J.J. AbramsB次元官网网址� 2015 franchise reboot, which eventually grossed $2.1 billion worldwide. But the massive debut not only puts B次元官网网址淭he Last JediB次元官网网址� 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 HollywoodB次元官网网址檚 six major studios.
Fox, as it happens, was the only studio to open another new wide-release film against B次元官网网址淭he Last Jedi.B次元官网网址� Its family film, B次元官网网址淔erdinand,B次元官网网址� was essentially stampeded by B次元官网网址淭he Last Jedi,B次元官网网址� grossing $13.3 million. B次元官网网址淔erdinandB次元官网网址� and other upcoming releases will look for more room in the coming weeks, once the B次元官网网址淪tar WarsB次元官网网址� tsunami has waned.
While AbramsB次元官网网址� reboot capitalized on a decadeB次元官网网址檚 hiatus for B次元官网网址淪tar Wars,B次元官网网址� Rian JohnsonB次元官网网址檚 sequel didnB次元官网网址檛 have the same luxury of freshness. It follows not only B次元官网网址淭he Force Awakens,B次元官网网址� but last yearB次元官网网址檚 spinoff, B次元官网网址淩ogue One.B次元官网网址� That release opened with $155.1 million, and ultimately took in a little more than $1 billion globally.
Johnson instead aimed to distinguish B次元官网网址淭he Last JediB次元官网网址� by introducing some new tones to George LucasB次元官网网址� space opera. B次元官网网址淭he Last JediB次元官网网址� is more irreverent than previous chapters.
The plan has seemed to work. Critics gave JohnsonB次元官网网址檚 film a 93 per cent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences endorsed it, too, with an A CinemaScore.
Signalling its faith in JohnsonB次元官网网址檚 course for B次元官网网址淪tar Wars,B次元官网网址� Lucasfilm earlier announced that Johnson is developing another trilogy for the franchise, the first of which heB次元官网网址檒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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