Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker to awaken the box office with $200 million opening
By Erik Swann
Despite mixed reviews, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is still headed for a massive opening weekend.
The critics have seen Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and their reactions have been mixed, to say the least. Still, this likely won’t deter many fans from going to see the final installment in the Skywalker Saga. And according to a new box office estimate, a significant opening weekend still appears to be in sight for the film.
Variety reports that The Rise of Skywalker is currently pacing for an opening weekend haul somewhere between $175 million and $200 million. The trade also mentions that, despite this estimate, Disney is predicting a more modest $160 million.
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Both estimates are nothing to scoff at, but an opening of $160 million would actually be among the lowest for the franchise. The Force Awakens, the first installment in Disney’s Sequel Trilogy, grossed over $248 million during its debut weekend in 2015, and The Last Jedi pulled in $220 million two years later. But like its predecessors, The Rise of Skywalker is expected to get a nice bump from overseas markets.
Since Disney took the reins of Star Wars, the franchise has seen highs and lows at the box office. The aforementioned films have been financial peaks for the series, while Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story brought in smaller totals. Amid the ups and downs, George Lucas’ brainchild remains a viable asset for Disney and Lucasfilm.
Next. The 10 greatest heroes of the Skywalker Saga, ranked. dark
As the final film in the Skywalker Saga and the last Star Wars movie to be released for a while, the expectations for The Rise of Skywalker are enormous. Fans have a plethora of questions they hope writer/director J.J. Abrams can answer. Others, who were disappointed with Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi, are just hoping for a decent film.
We’ll finally learn everything for ourselves when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker arrives in theaters on December 20.