'Star Wars' Franchise Crosses $4 Billion, Eclipsing Disney's Lucasfilm Price (hollywoodreporter.com)

Combined, Disney and Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Force Awakens have surpassed $4.06 billion in ticket sales at the worldwide box office. That's more than what Disney paid to buy George Lucas' Star Wars franchise. From the Hollywood Reporter: While an interesting benchmark, it doesn't, of course, account for the hundreds of millions spent to produce and market the trio of films, or the fact that Disney splits box-office grosses with theater owners. Conversely, Disney has minted additional money from lucrative ancillary revenue streams, merchandising sales and theme park attractions. Opening in North America on Dec. 15, The Last Jedi zoomed past the $900 million mark on Thursday, finishing the day with $934.2 million globally, including $464.6 million domestically and $469.6 internationally (it doesn't land in China until Jan. 5). The sequel to The Force Awakens was directed by Rian Johnson, and has dominated the Christmas corridor. The Last Jedi will jump the $1 billion mark over New Year's weekend on its way to becoming the top-grossing 2017 release, eclipsing the $1.264 billion earned by fellow Disney title Beauty and the Beast. In December 2015, filmmaker J.J. Abrams' The Force Awakens shattered numerous records on its way to grossing $2.068 billion globally, including an all-time best $936.7 million in North America, not accounting for inflation.

Comments

A movie with a message

[Anonymous Coward]

"We can film whatever we want, slap Star Wars on it and rake in the cash."

Re:A movie with a message

[Excelcia]

I'm honestly now not sure if JJ or Lucas is worse. George Lucas, for all his (myriad) faults was at least original. JJ took the original trilogy and just put it in a blender and hit frappe. What came out was Star Wars for millennials.

Empire vs Rebels
Empire/First Order vs Resistance

Force sensitive struggles to find himself on a journey to fulfill his birthright accompanied by cute droid.
Force sensitive struggles to find herself on a journey to fulfill her birthright accompanied by cute droid.

Evil shadowy overlord who in the past persuaded angsty rebellious jedi to betray the Jedi and destroy them, turning angsty rebellious jedi into evil sidekick.
Evil shadowy overlord who persuaded angsty rebellious jedi to betray the Jedi and destroy them, turning angsty rebellious jedi into evil sidekick.

Have to destroy death star in final battle to save rebel base.
Have to destroy death planet in final battle to save rebel base.

Yawn.

Sure, the more control Lucas got, the worse his films got. Hands down awful. But at least the stupidity was his. I have to give him that. What was JJ's excuse?

Re:A movie with a message

[bongey]

Kathleen Kennedy's goal is to make 'The Force Is Female" , https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/def...
Make weak males , Mary Sue females throughout the movies. Come on Luke Skywalker gets his ass beat by a girl who just a week later didn't even know what the force existed. Oh and she can lift more than Yoda with the force. So she is basically the most powerful Jedi after about a week.

Get over yourselves

[CohibaVancouver]

I'm 50 years old. In 1977 I saw Star Wars in the theatre 13 times ("Star Wars" NOT "A New Hope").

I bought the comics. I had the toys. I read "Splinter of the Mind's Eye." I loved everything Star Wars.

Nevertheless.

People need to get over themselves. These movies are not the second coming of Christ. They are *never* going to be able to live up to fanboy expectations, so let those expectations go. See the movies, have a good time, enjoy the light sabers and the Falcon but stop getting so worked up about a 2.5 hours of popcorn fun.

Re:They're coasting on fumes

[AHuxley]

But some General and Vice Admiral got to lecture the audience and cast.
The really bad casino people and freedom for the "horses".
Can an entire franchise be supported by more and more virtue signalling?