With less than eight weeks to go before its hits theaters, analysts are projecting Star Wars: The Force Awakens to potentially take in approximately $215 million at the box office its opening weekend.
If that projection holds true, it would be the second highest weekend box office gross of all time, following December 2015’s opening for Star Wars: The Force Awakens which sold $247.9 million in tickets its opening weekend.
Currently, the film holding the record for second highest opening weekend is Jurassic World with a $208.8 million.
Further projections predict that The Last Jedi will clear approximately $742 million during its domestic theatrical release, somewhat down from The Force Awaken‘s $936.6 million domestic box office total.
Analysts are crediting Star Wars‘s family friendly brand as the main reason driving anticipated ticket sales for the film’s debut weekend as well as the positive creative reputation that writer/director Rian Johnson brings with him to the franchise. The film will also feature Carrie Fisher in her last performance as Princess Leia, the role that launched her to stardom in the original Star Wars film in 1977.
The Last Jedi stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.
