• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Arts & EntertainmentStar Wars

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Scored the Second-Biggest Thursday Opening Ever

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
December 15, 2017, 1:42 PM ET

It’s not exactly lightspeed, but Star Wars: The Last Jedi is definitely off to a fast start at the box office. The latest addition to the Walt Disney-Lucasfilm Star Wars saga kicked off its first weekend in theaters with the second-biggest Thursday night previews opening ever last night.

Disney said on Friday that The Last Jedi pulled in roughly $45 million in domestic theaters on Thursday night. That’s second only to 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which grossed $57 million in North America in its own first night of preview showings on its way to setting the box-office record for a domestic opening weekend ($247 million). The Force Awakens eventually became the highest-grossing domestic film of all-time, making $936 million in North American theaters and more than $2 billion worldwide.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

As Fortune noted this week, The Last Jedi is not expected to top its predecessor at the box office (despite stellar reviews from critics). Opening weekend estimates from the film industry are forecasting a domestic bow as high as $215 million this weekend for The Last Jedi, which would make it only the fourth film ever to top the $200-million mark in its first weekend.

According to Box Office Mojo, The Last Jedi also pulled in more than $60 million overseas, where the movie started showing in certain countries as early as Wednesday.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.