‘Star Wars’ becomes highest grossing domestic movie ever

Star Wars: “The Force Awakens” broke the $760.5 million record for us and Canadian ticket sales set by 2009’s “Avatar“, giving the Walt Disney Co. blockbuster bragging rights over the biggest film market in the world.

In just 20 days of release, the seventh Star Wars film has hit a domestic total of $758.2 million (as of yesterday). “We feel it here and it drives us every day, and it will continue to in the very bright future of “Star Wars’“.

All said, “Force Awakens” may not be the inflation-adjusted champion, but not even a month into its box office run, “Episode VII” certainly has momentum in its corner. Box office analysts at least agree that it will definitely reach $2.2 billion eclipsing James Cameron’s Titanic for the number two spot. A juggernaut from the moment theaters opened to the public, there was simply no stopping Star Wars.

“Star Wars” is already the fourth-highest grossing movie worldwide, and should pass “Jurassic World” this week. Global numbers for Thursday were not released at press time, but THR estimates say it was north of $17 million, passing $1.6 billion worldwide. The movie broke the record for the highest-grossing opening weekend after its December 18 USA release.

Original trilogy stars Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher reprised their Han Solo and Princess Leia roles alongside younger newcomers, including Daisey Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac. Contingent on how fans in China perceive the movie, it is expected to overtake Avatar’s global haul of a record $2.8 billion, if its current performance is anything to go by. “Gone With the Wind“, from 1939, remains the all-time box-office champion with more than $1.7 billion domestically in today’s dollars.