Weekend box office: Star Wars: The Force Awakens shatters records

Brad Sturdivant December 20th, 2015

You’re going to have to be patient with every news outlet as we try to wrap our heads around the box office performance of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (click the link to read our spoiler-free review). When it comes to all-time weekend box office records, there are a lot of ways to look at the numbers, between inflation considerations, what constitutes a “weekend” and midnight showings. I’ll let you look at it the way you want to, but here’s what we know for sure; STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS had an insane opening. If you include the Thursday night showings, the film is on pace to bring in about $250 million. But even then, we can’t give an exact number yet because chances are good Star Wars is going to out-perform what everyone is estimating it’ll take in on Sunday. But best guesses have the opening anywhere between $220 million and $260 million, which will put it well ahead of the all time record of $208 million (JURASSIC WORLD). We’ll be keeping an eye on this and will update as the numbers become final. The other new movie of the weekend was the Tina Fey and Amy Poehler team-up, SISTERS, which did about $14 million. I applaud the gamble of counter-marketing, but they should have steered clear of Star Wars.

Next week is the big Christmas weekend, but everything is going to be competing for second place behind Star Wars. First up is Quentin Tarantino’s latest, THE HATEFUL EIGHT. It should do typical Tarantino business, but I think it will struggle to find a wider audience. Then we have JOY with Jennifer Lawrence. J-Law fans will enjoy seeing her carry her own film, but it’s not the awards-chaser some were hoping for. Then there’s DADDY’S HOME, which might be able to fill the comedic void that SISTERS clearly could not. Will Smith’s CONCUSSION also hits on Christmas Day and finally, there’s the POINT BREAK remake. Sigh.

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens $248m

2. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip $m

3. Sisters $13.9m

4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 $5.3m

5. Creed $4.8m

6. The Good Dinosaur $4.4m

7. Krampus $3.9m

8. In the Heart of the Sea $3.4m

9. Spectre $1.3m

10. Spotlight $1.3m

(Deadline)