‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Becomes Fastest To $1 Billion At Box Office

Star Wars: The Force Awakens continues to imperial march towards being the highest-grossing movie of all-time. Rae, Fin and Kylo Ren surpassed $1 billion at the box office, and did so at lightspeed, achieving the milestone in record-setting time.

A tremendous second weekend force pushed The Force Awakens to a worldwide total of nearly $1.1 billion in an astonishing 12 days. The previous record holder, Jurassic World, needed thirteen days to accomplish the remarkable feat. The seventh installment of Star Wars grabbed a domestic total of $544.5 million, and grossed an estimated $153.5 million in the U.S. and Canada in its second week.

Star Wars obliterated the competition, after The Force Awakens’ $153 million, second place went to the Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg comedy Daddy’s Home which opened with $38.8 million and Joy featuring Jennifer Lawrence debuted with $17.5 million.

The J.J. Abrahams-directed film set the record for Christmas day at the box office with $49.3 million. Annnnnd it also topped $100 million in IMAX screenings in 10 days, another global record.

“This would have been a respectable opening weekend for Star Wars,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Rentrak. “It’s become a happening. It’s a cultural event that’s seeped into the zeitgeist. That’s the only way you get these numbers.”

The Force Awakens has paid monumental dividends for Disney, since the sci-fi flick cost an estimated $200 million to make. This is Disney’s second $1 billion movie this year, Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron made a billion last summer.

Here’s a scary fact, the movie has yet to open in China, the second biggest film market in the world. It will open there on January 9.

[AP]