'Star Wars' empire could grow by $180 million to $220 million this weekend
- 8 years ago
Break box-office records, the new "Star Wars" movie could.
Hollywood is waiting to see if "The Force Awakens" can set a new benchmark for the cinema industry, after Universal's "Jurassic World" broke the record for the biggest domestic opening with $208.8 million in June.
Helped by a surge in early ticket sales, theaters have been selling out screenings, even at 2 and 5 a.m., and theaters have been adding showtimes around the clock to satisfy the audience appetite.
Walt Disney Co., which has much riding on the revival of the "Star Wars" franchise, has waged a sustained marketing campaign to appeal to the franchise's core fan base and tap into the nostalgia for the original trilogy, which began in 1977.
The hype reached a new level Monday after Disney held the world premiere in Hollywood, where it showed the film in three theaters and closed down four blocks of Hollywood Boulevard for the festivities.
Hollywood is waiting to see if "The Force Awakens" can set a new benchmark for the cinema industry, after Universal's "Jurassic World" broke the record for the biggest domestic opening with $208.8 million in June.
Helped by a surge in early ticket sales, theaters have been selling out screenings, even at 2 and 5 a.m., and theaters have been adding showtimes around the clock to satisfy the audience appetite.
Walt Disney Co., which has much riding on the revival of the "Star Wars" franchise, has waged a sustained marketing campaign to appeal to the franchise's core fan base and tap into the nostalgia for the original trilogy, which began in 1977.
The hype reached a new level Monday after Disney held the world premiere in Hollywood, where it showed the film in three theaters and closed down four blocks of Hollywood Boulevard for the festivities.