LOS ANGELES, Dec 27 — Limp review reception regardless, Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker was enough of a hit with North American moviegoers to generate the second-highest amount of one-day Holiday Season box office revenue to date, with a take of US$32 million (RM132 million) on Christmas Day.
Although movie critics and release week audiences were down on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, this last entry in the nine-film, four-decade Skywalker Saga has become Christmas Day’s second highest box office earner, behind only Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.
A December 25 domestic revenue of US$32 million pushed The Rise of Skywalker ahead of fellow top five entries 2017 predecessor Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (US$27.5 million), 2016 franchise prequel Rogue One (US$25.9 million), and 2009 Christmas Day debut Sherlock Holmes (US$24.6 million).
The Force Awakens remains safe in the number one spot for the Christmas Day holiday at US$49 million, per Box Office Mojo figures.
Disney and Lucasfilm have been pushing their advantage with a series of promotional videos underscoring the new film’s current box office-topping status.
On the horizon is a duel with Avatar (US$25 million) for the second-highest New Year’s Day gross. The Force Awakens appears likely to remain in first on US$34 million.
However, not even The Force Awakens is the top single-day grosser once the holiday season focus is widened to include the whole year.
That honour goes to Disney’s other superpowered hero saga, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, whose Phase Three closer, Avengers: Endgame, was responsible for an April 2019 theatrical take of US$157 million in contrast with The Force Awakens’ mid-December 24-hour accumulation of US$119 million.
All told, The Rise of Skywalker has climbed to US$516 million worldwide.
Thanks to extended holidays, the last week of the year is traditionally a period of much increased moviegoing activity, and as a result, the Star Wars movie could surge further towards joining the US$1 billion club.
It’s joined by The Lion King, Frozen II, Toy Story 4 and Joker, each of which are still adding to their totals even if by incremental amounts, as well as Marvel’s Spider-Man: Far from Home and Captain Marvel, and Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin. — AFP-Relaxnews
