Normally, you can't quantify feelings such as anticipation and excitement. But in the case of Disney and Lucasfilm's upcoming "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," you can.
Lucasfilm may be trying to downplay expectations, but movie insiders are predicting a massive Alderaan-like eruption (too soon?) at the box office. Deadline is reporting that box office analysts are predicting that J.J. Abrams' newest addition in the "Star Wars" galaxy could pull in as much as $615 million worldwide in its first weekend. A number like that would prove that the Force is very much strong with this one.
This summer's "Jurassic World" smashed box office records when is earner just north of $524 million worldwide in its opening weekend. The film eventually topped out at $1.6 billion, becoming the third-highest grossing film of all-time. If these projections are accurate, "The Force Awakens" will blow that total out of the water.
Several entertainment critics attributed much of the success of "Jurassic World" to a powerful nostalgia factor. Well, "Star Wars" is arguably the most beloved film franchise of all-time and has twenty-plus more years of nostalgia built up on the "Jurassic" series. Throw in the fact that the series has continued to attract new generations of fans thanks to animates series such as "The Clone Wars" and "Rebels" in addition to a host of books, comics and video games, and you have all the makings for the biggest blockbuster in history. Excitement for the project was stoked even further with the brief teaser Lucasfilm released yesterday.
"The Force Awakens" is expected to open in 4,000 theaters and play on 10,000 total screens (!). That includes every single IMAX screen in the entire U.S. for a month. James Cameron's "Avatar" ($2.78 billion) better watch its back because the Millennium Falcon is coming for that No. 1 spot.
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will debut on Dec. 18.
