The early Star Wars movies gave birth to the blockbuster era, ushering in a period in which major new films were released on thousands of screens across the USA to capitalise on the attendant hype. Now, in a moment of symmetry which Yoda himself might have hailed, new instalment The Force Awakens is to get the widest December release of all time in North America.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, JJ Abrams’ film will hit 4,100 cinemas in the US and Canada from 18 December, 55 more than for the previous record holder for the month, 2012’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The figure is not far shy of the all-time widest release, the 4,468 sites where The Twilight Saga: Eclipse screened on opening weekend in June 2010. However, at cinemas the festive period is far busier than early summer for new releases.
Some analysts earlier this year suggested The Force Awakens could open to a staggering $300m in the US over its opening weekend, though official box office tracking now places the film’s bow between $180m and $220m. With early positive reaction to Abrams’ movie suggesting that reviews may be favourable, the new episode looks set to smash Jurassic World’s $208.8m US opening weekend record, even though summer is traditionally a much better period to build strong debuts.
Bookmakers long ago stopped taking bets on The Force Awakens being the highest-grossing movie of 2015, and the film looks likely to challenge Avatar’s $2.7bn record as the biggest film of all time at the global box office. To do that, it may have to succeed in China – an unknown quantity as most filmgoers in the world’s most populous nation are largely unaware of Star Wars – where the film opens on 9 January.
US fans planning to dress up for the film’s opening weekend may need to restrain themselves, as many of North America’s largest cinema chains have introduced rules for attendees. AMC says ticket holders must avoid wearing masks or face paint, while Cinemark has banned lightsabers and blasters, and Bow Tie has placed a restriction on Jedi-style cloaks.
