Update! Revised Projections Eye Unprecedented Opening Weekend Total. Star Wars: The Force Awakens hauls in $57 million for new US Thursday Night preview record

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And The Force Awakens gets its first entry of what could be many in the box office record books.

 

At Thursday night previews in the US, The Force Awakens brought in a record 57 million dollars at the box office.  Previews started at 7PM last night and ran through until morning in some spots.  That 57 million didn’t just beat the record, it demolished the previous record of $43 million held by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2.  With that $57m being wrapped into Friday numbers, The Force Awakens is expected to break another record tonight for single biggest opening day.  That record  was also previously held by Harry Potter and stands at $91m.  As of now, The Force Awakens is supposed to top $100m by end of day Friday.

 

Dud to positive audience response and excellent critical reviews, The Force Awakens isn’t expected to see any massive drop off into the weekend.  There is typically a risk with hyped releases such as Star Wars, that the weekend could be heavily front loaded due to anticipation to see the film as early as possible.  But even with that possibility, it seems The Force awakens still has a excellent chance of Topping the previous record for a domestic opening weekend currently held by Jurassic World at $208.8m.  As of now projections for the Star Wars weekend have the film anywhere from $215m to as high as $250m depending on how well the numbers hold through Sunday.

 

x-wing.0

 

Outside of the US , The Force Awakens continues to dominate as well.  The film has opened at #1 in 44 territories through Thursday totaling approximately $72M through its first two days.  The total puts it ahead of Jurassic World’s opening days, even without the benefit of an opening in China which Jurassic World did have.  The Force Awakens doesn’t premiere in China until January.

 

So, what does all this mean?  Well, it means Star Wars is off to a huge start in its new form.  How it holds in the coming days and weeks will determine how far it can crawl up the all time charts, but Disney and Lucasfilm couldn’t have asked for a more promising start.  This is the sort of beginning that all time record breakers see.  No it just remains to be seen if world of mouth will keep the movie pushing through records through its first week and if  audiences keep going back through the holidays for repeat viewings.

 

Update!

 

A Friday afternoon update from Deadline brings us the following statement.

 

Distribution executives are in complete awe and just can’t believe what they’re witnessing hour by hour. 

 

Complete Awe.  Apparently The Force Awakens continues to surprise at the box office.  Industry analysts are now projecting a Friday total of $130m-$145m which would obliterate the previous record by $40m or more.  This also has downstream impacts on the projection for the weekend which is now being viewed as a potential for $250m-$275m.  These are staggering and unprecedented box office figures if they come to fruition.

 

It is important to point out that these projections are coming from outside of Disney.  Disney projections still have a Friday total of $100m with the weekend topping out at $200m.  But in cases of big blockbusters like this it is always wise for the releasing studio to underplay projections as it is far better to exceed expectations than to fail to meet them.  Big things ahead for Star Wars in the financial department.  We’ll have updates as they occur throughout the weekend.

 

Source:

Deadline

Box Office Mojo

 

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59 thoughts on “Update! Revised Projections Eye Unprecedented Opening Weekend Total. Star Wars: The Force Awakens hauls in $57 million for new US Thursday Night preview record

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:25 am
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    This puppy is going to own the Box Office for a long time.

    How many other folks have seen it more than once, or plan to?

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:44 am
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      I am going to watch it again on Monday, and I wish I could see it a second time sooner than that.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:15 am
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        I’m seeing it twice. I find it boring to see a movie, no matter how good it is, more than thrice.

        • December 19, 2015 at 1:16 am
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          And yes, thrice is a word. Look it up.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:12 am
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      I saw it last night and this morning. Seeing it again on Tuesday and Thursday next week.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:49 am
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      Seen it 3 times, and will see it again.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:12 am
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      Watching it for the 2nd time tomorrow.

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:57 pm
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        same here tomorrow is my second time.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:16 am
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      Monday will be my fourth – and I’m not really sure I’m gonna stop there 😀

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:32 am
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    doesnt matter who is pushing Lucasfilm or Disney, this Kylo oedipus caracter is so negative to kids. And also I think over all saga the Jedi could never bring LIGTH to universe!! Their teachings always suffer murder acts and violence and fascism from the darkside. I felt sad after TFA not hopeful, you know

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:44 am
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      Tinha que ser brasileiro mesmo pra ficar falando de “fascimo” …

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:51 am
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        Vem cá André. Tirando o véu da magia do cinema de cima do filme, vc sinceramente acha que os significados das cenas da Primeira Ordem não são de tortura, massacre, lavagem cerebtal nos soldados, filho matando família, destruição da sabedoria energética da Força, arrasamento de ecossistemas do unverso? Vca não acha isso não?

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:14 am
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          You DO realize that the First Order is meant to portrays “evil” as in “things that suck and should not be”, right?

          That said: movies are meant to tell stories – stories people are supposed to reflect upon and draw their own conclusions (or not, if they so choose). I think that the idea – which you seem to implicate – that movies should somehow “educate” the audience is a VERY dangerous (and actually fascist) one.

          (Also, based on your previous posts, I’m not really sure that you have a clear idea about what “fascism” is)

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:37 am
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      I bet he will kill Snoke to save Rey in IX and the critics will foam at the mouth about how original that plot line is.

      • December 19, 2015 at 6:45 pm
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        I don’t believe Kylo is going to be redeemed. I think they’re going to end the Skywalker line in this series.

        • December 19, 2015 at 7:07 pm
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          I think the opposite….

          Him feeling conflict

          The incest vibe between him and Rey

          Rey not knowing her parents then looking at Luke at the end familiarly

          Maz talking about her destiny

          Plus, They are re-using all the OT tropes that I can easily see Luke hiding her on Jakku when Kylo went crazy to protect her before he went into hiding since it’s what Obi-Wan did to him.

          • December 20, 2015 at 2:05 am
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            She was old enough on Jakku to remember what her parents looked like. She’d remember her father, she was at least 5 or 6. And I think you’re reading way too much into her expression at the end of the film, she looks intimidated and out of her depth more than anything else. She’s standing before a legend.

            What more, Rey freaking perked up when Finn mentions Luke Skywalker, and asks if he’s a myth. How does she not know he’s not a myth if he’s her father and again, she was old enough to remember what he looked like. She’s also old enough to know what her surname is.

            Maz recognizes something in her, but doesn’t speak to her of her destiny. She just tells her to look forward, instead of back, as that’s where she’d find her future. Maz isn’t a Jedi, she doesn’t deal in prophecies, just a thousand years of experiences where she can draw her own parallel’s between different peoples lives she’s encountered.

            Rey also says she’s waiting for her family, plural. Not her Mother, or her Father, or her brother etc, but family.

            They used parallel’s in this film to help setup the new trilogy. To assume they’re going to remake the entire new sequel trilogy in this way is bold; because I think you’re going to see most of the similarities end with the next film.

            Kylo Ren murdered his own father, and if you didn’t notice, the sun Starkiller base was snacking on vanishes just before Ren makes the decision to gut his father. It was to show the his transition to the Dark side was complete. And we’ve already had one redemption story, why do another?

            Especially since Rey has no connection with Ren as Luke did with Vader to drive her to help him find his redemption.

          • December 20, 2015 at 6:46 am
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            Force Memory Wipe. They borrowed a lot from the EU in this one and that’s another idea that existed in that. Especially since new force powers were introduced in this one.

            As for the family thing, Nothing suggests Luke did not have a Wife or other children.

            Far as redemption goes, This film was nearly beat for beat ANH. Also Colin who is doing IX was pretty much hired for the success he had on another remake.

            Ren is not the most stable character though, For all we know Vader was literally talking to him the entire film.

            I am not saying you are wrong since it’s too early to tell but to borrow from another franchise…..”there are possibilities”.

          • December 20, 2015 at 8:13 pm
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            They didn’t borrow anything from the EU in here?

            I’ve seen you say Suncrusher yet Starkiller Base is nothing like the Suncrusher. Except both have to do with Suns, that’s it. The weapons appear and operate completely different.

            You’re going to be negative about anything and everything you can, so there’s little point in communicating with you. I guess enjoy being self-indulgent in how you didn’t like the movie.

          • December 21, 2015 at 7:36 am
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            Semantics. Never heard of Jacen Solo? Ben Skywalker? Jaina Solo?

            Yet you went onto reply to EVERY comment I made on here. Do you do this with all the men you have crush on? I’ll keep at it though if it makes you so happy. : )

          • December 21, 2015 at 9:02 am
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            What, Han and Leia having a child is taking from the EU? Are you serious? That wasn’t expected by fans who had never read the EU but had seen the end of Jedi? And you accuse me of using semantics.

          • December 21, 2015 at 10:47 am
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            A child that goes dark.

          • December 21, 2015 at 6:37 pm
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            Well, there are two paths their children who are Force Sensitive can go. Light. Or Dark. There isn’t a third option. In this case, they chose the most interesting of the two, and you’re claiming they took that from the EU? They couldn’t have come up with that decision by themselves as screen writers without someone writing that prior in awful series of novels years ago?

            K.

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:56 am
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    Money from father’s blood and weapon of mass destruction .JJ, where is the light??? JJ, Wheres the Jedis teaching?

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:46 am
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      no money, no new star wars.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:51 am
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        no war. no money

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:50 am
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    no war, no money

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:22 am
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    oh i believe it. i got to the mall two hours before my 7:40 showing and the line for 7:00 pm went almost to the parking lot. luckily my line was only about half full at that point, but wow. then when i got out a little after 10pm there was more lines! just crazy.

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:36 am
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    Which should come as a surprise to nobody. I still think Rogue One and Episode VIII will walk all over this one like Empire did with ANH even if they gross less.

    • December 19, 2015 at 7:06 am
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      I remember someone on these forums saying a few months ago that JJ was the perfect person for Episode VII, because all Disney wanted was a “3 wood straight up the fairway”. Having seen the movie (and had mixed feelings), I do think JJ managed that. I think it is all set up really well, and that Episode VIII could be outstanding.

      • December 19, 2015 at 7:38 am
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        I hope you are right but I think one of the biggest PT flaws was trying cram everything into the final two films which they seem to be doing here. I have a feeling there will be a laundrylist of unanswered questions in 2020 that they will have to use the EU to answer for decades.

        • December 19, 2015 at 8:50 am
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          I thought TFA was over-crammed, to be honest. I was disappointed in the film (having seen it twice), and it ranks as my 7th favourite, just behind Phantom Menace. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t really feel like Star Wars to me. More action than adventure. Some of it was brilliant, but some of it (in my opinion) was quite ordinary. I think it was very rushed.

          Having said that, I think JJ had so many things to try and achieve, and he pretty much did them all – to introduce great new characters (I’m happy with them), to please the old fans and get them onboard (he seems to have done this), to bring on new young fans (I’m sure he’s done this) and to set up Episode 8, which he’s done.

          The more I think about it, the more I think I underestimated the enormity of the task of making this film, and have to give credit to JJ & co where it’s due.

          • December 19, 2015 at 8:57 am
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            What bothers me is all the talk of the ticket and merchandise sales and not about the story or characters. We really didn’t see anything in this film that we have not seen before in other episodes for the most part. Hence why reboot is a proper term to describe this one.

            I very much wish Rian Johnson had done this film rather than Abrams and we might have had a different view of it but at least we know he will do his best in the next one.

            I agree about it not feeling like Star Wars too, I actually liked it up until Jakku but the Takodana and Starkiller nonsense brought it down pretty fast till it ended on a whimper.

            Not a good sign when only two people clap in your theater at the end in a fucking Star Wars film which is a first long as I been alive.

          • December 19, 2015 at 9:16 am
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            Yeah – we had a lot of cheering when the opening crawl began, (and to be fair, lots of laughs throughout the movie), but not much clapping at the end.
            I loved the opening crawl, and Poe’s early scenes, and quite a lot of the movie. But for every bit of brilliance, there was something that dragged me out of the magic. At the end, a few really killed whatever climax there had been – R2 magically waking up? And then showing the map of Luke Skywalker with EVERYONE in the Resistance Base watching on?!

            Still – the golf ball is in the middle of the fairway. Perhaps not as far up as we would have liked, but it is there, waiting for the second shot. Apologies if you don’t like golf 🙂

          • December 19, 2015 at 9:32 am
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            I’d be really interested in how this film is recieved in the coming months and years. It could be the highest grossing film in the series and best recieved critically but I doubt it will be considered a classic by any means when this trilogy is finished. Kind of reminds me of the rave reviews that The Dark Knight Rises got and Avatar as well before people learned to finally look beyond the hype.

            Something I never got though. What was with the title? Does it refer to Rey’s powers or the Force itself? That was never fully clarified at any point in the film unlike the titles of the other episodes.

          • December 19, 2015 at 9:38 am
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            I think the gloss will wear off a little bit. I doubt it will be as re-watchable, in the long run, as the OT, but then again, not many movies are.

            I was asking the same question myself – what’s with the title?! We were told beforehand that “this question will be answered in the movie”, but it wasn’t really. I need to watch it again, but when Snoke says “there has been an awakening”, I don’t think Rey has discovered her powers yet?

            I think a lot of answers may lie in deleted scenes. I wish I could see the 4 hour uncut version that was shown to Daniel Fleetwood just before he passed away. Bespin was also shown on the Drew Struzan poster, and hinted to play a part in the movie (in the flashback scene).

            You’re right about the titles of the other films – I don’t think anyone left ESB thinking “wait a minute, did the Empire actually Strike Back?!” 🙂

          • December 19, 2015 at 9:48 am
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            I think a large part of the fan community was so thrilled Lucas was gone and that we were finally getting actual sequels rather than prequels that it literally went to their heads like deathsticks. Lol. Adding to the fact it’s been 10 years since a live-action SW film has been in theaters.

            As well as what the New Republic is in this canon and how it relates to the Resistance. The dark side created the First Order but how? Those are some basic questions they could have begun to answer in this one but never touched instead.

            Totally forgot about that till now! Someone mentioned Rey and Finn hijacking a First Order Snowspeeder too. I bet there will be multiple versions on BD from Easter to the release of VII. All overpriced too!

            Yeah, It’s all pretty self-explanatory in the rest. Except maybe TPM which could mean Maul, Anakin, or Sidious and Jedi who could be Luke or Anakin. But The Force Awakens? Not a clue!

          • December 20, 2015 at 2:07 am
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            Thanks for being the one guy trying to bring everyone else down. Appreciate it.

          • December 20, 2015 at 6:50 am
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            I appreciate you valuing my opinion enough to heap such praise upon little old me. A nice boost to the ego. Alas I am not the only one on here who is but I like to think of myself as a special little snowflake.

          • December 19, 2015 at 6:43 pm
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            It was answered? Rey was the awakening, and as Maz points out in her conversation with her over Anakin’s lightsaber the Force has always been with her, waiting.

            Snoke obviously felt her connection to it before she was alerted to it; one would assume her absolute focus on her family returning for her on Jakku her entire life was the reason she had blocked out feeling the power she had, when Maz told her to move forward, she did. In a big way.

            I think the movie is great, personally. I saw you post farther up that you only had a few people clap in your theater, both mine on Thursday and Friday cheered quite loudly.

            Is the film perfect? No. It has flaws, but every flaw they tended to do something else to make up for it, to make it right. But I agree, there’s a lot they left on the cutting room floor, but I feel like the film parallels Episode IV in more ways than a forgotten youth on a dirt ball planet helps destroy a super weapon.

            Think about A New Hope as a stand alone movie. You don’t know who the Empire is and the extent of their power other then they have some big starships, the Death Star, and a freaky villain in Darth Vader.

            You don’t know who the Imperial Senate is, or why it matters that the Emperor has disbanded them. You come across the Rebel Alliance and have no real idea the enormity of their task in over throwing the current regime besides the events going on in that movie alone.

            It isn’t until Empire and Jedi that we start to see more of the Universe, and even then, it feels quite narrow compared to the scope of the prequels (in geography and politics) and you have to remember this was before how ever many writers filled in all the voids with details we crazy fans learned by heart over 4 decades.

            In TFA we have a scary bad guy, who has some big scary ships, and a super weapon. We don’t know the details of the First Order and how big it is, we don’t know exactly who the Resistance is and their relation to the Republic who we also know nothing about. The focus is on the adventure going on between all these things, just like in Episode IV.

            As frustrating as it is to say “Hey I wish you had spent more time informing us what the hell has happened for the last 30 years” they focused on the story of the characters they introduced. It was a tough decision that has obviously irritated some of us (even me to a degree) but in the end I got a movie without trade embargoes and Chancellors and instead I got Resistance pilots, Generals, and the Dark side vs the Light.

            I’m pretty happy 🙂 I think a lot of people are, and we’re just glad that while the film did stumble here and there, it did not suck, nor did it come even close to the level of the prequels schlock.

          • December 19, 2015 at 11:33 pm
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            Thanks for a long and well-reasoned post, and not just saying “you’re an idiot and you are wrong” 🙂

            To be honest, I’m stoked that so many people really felt the magic again and loved the movie. I wanted to – that’s why I went straight back the next day to see it again.

            Looking at just how many things JJ had to juggle into this movie, I do have to applaud him, and say he did a terrific job. He has:
            (i) introduced great new characters
            (ii) appeased old fans
            (iii) set up Episode 8 nicely
            (iv) attracted a new young generation of fans
            (v) protected Disney’s $4 billion investment

            This ranks as my 7th favourite Star Wars movie after 2 viewings, but at the same time, I’m really excited for Episode 8, because it is all set up really well.

            I have never said that I hated the movie, but I was underwhelmed by it.

          • December 19, 2015 at 10:53 pm
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            4hrs!! I really hope they will release that version some day.

          • December 19, 2015 at 10:51 pm
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            Exactly. When Snoke said to Kylo Ren that there had been an awakening … I thought; “did we miss something??”. I guess he was talking about Rey. Rey (re)discovering her force powers.

          • December 20, 2015 at 4:18 pm
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            R2 woke up when Rey arrived with the saber. The magic you refer to is The Force. The movie is called The Force Awakens!

          • December 19, 2015 at 11:20 am
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            Actually i preferred that Rian take up the next one rather than this. This way he would have much less pressure especially with such an opening figures and reviews. It can only mean the characters are well accepted by the audiences and Rian won’t have to do much introduction of new characters and can go straight into the backstories and new plotlines. He will also know what to include and dropout by gauging the responses and reviews. This way he can have the time to go boldly with VIII.

          • December 19, 2015 at 5:34 pm
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            That’s one way of looking at it but it’s done so well that I can see the suits pressuring him to include another BB-8 type character, making an Empire ripoff, or having a fourth superweapon to equal the success of TFA. Not to mention everyone will want answers from the next one, It’s what sank II since Lucas took his sweet time and kicked 95 percent of the story into III.

    • December 19, 2015 at 6:52 pm
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      Neither Rogue One or Ep. 8 will make as much as this movie. For one, I seriously doubt Rogue One will have as many positive reviews this movie has…

      • December 19, 2015 at 7:01 pm
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        Probably right about Rogue One but I have no doubt it will be a far better film due to having a lower budget and less studio interference.

        As for VIII, Johnson is a superior director and critical favorite. Plus he will be answering all the questions this one simply failed to answer and presumbly get into the meat of the story rather than waste time on self-referential fan service.

        • December 19, 2015 at 10:44 pm
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          failed, or did not want to answer? If they wanted to answer all questions, the movie would only be about answering questions … or would take 3-4hrs. Although I hope they’ll release an extended version some day, containing scenes that would have revealed too much.

          • December 20, 2015 at 6:35 am
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            4 hour cut supposedly exists and the fan who died allegedly saw it, i don’t want a LOTR length film but I have a feeling that there are key scenes they should have kept in (much like the PT) and removed others to make room for them.

  • December 19, 2015 at 7:18 am
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    To quote Spaceballs: “We not just doing this for money…we’re doing it for a shitload of money!”

  • December 19, 2015 at 7:30 am
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    force awakens is second to third best…thought the new hope elements and OT tone really GASP make the film

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:32 pm
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    I predict $220-230m for weekend box office, which would still obliterate the record, beating Jurassic World by double digits. I honestly doubt anything will beat it for a long time. I’ve never seen this kind of hype leading up to a film, and the fact the film is considered by most to be at least good, if not great, will keep the momentum going.

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:50 pm
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    Die, Avatar, die!

  • December 19, 2015 at 8:15 pm
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    Records are being set that will not be broken for years to come. My estimation still holds a weekend gross of 240mil. We’ll see how this pans out.

  • December 19, 2015 at 11:04 pm
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    I’ve seen TFA 9 times so far. Not only is it a pleasure to watch with fellow fans, I hope it beats Avatar!

  • December 20, 2015 at 3:43 am
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    ticket sales and money are not a good measure of greatness.

    neither is popularity.

    this years biggest selling album is ed sheeran.!

    x factor !!

    great british bake off!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • December 20, 2015 at 12:52 pm
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