Long-awaited film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” pulled in a record $57 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters in its debut on Thursday night, boosting its global ticket sales total to nearly $130 million in two days, Walt Disney Co said on Friday.
“Force Awakens” surpassed the previous opening day record of $43.5 million set in 2011 by the final “Harry Potter” movie.
The new “Star Wars” film is the first in a decade and the seventh installment in the series created by George Lucas. Disney bought “Star Wars” producer Lucasfilm for $4 billion in 2012.
Forty-seven percent of Thursday's domestic ticket sales came from 3D tickets, Disney said.
“Force Awakens” opened in 12 international markets on Wednesday and expanded to 32 others on Thursday. International sales reached $72.7 million through Thursday, Disney said.
Box office forecasters say weekend sales for “Force Awakens” may beat the record set in June by dinosaur movie “Jurassic World” with $208.8 million.
