Some industry experts have already predicted that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will break the all-time box office record currently held by James Cameron's "Avatar" at $2.7 billion. Whether or not the highly anticipated new entry into the "Star Wars" series can generate those types of ticket sales remains to be seen. But one thing many industry insiders can agree on is that "The Force Awakens" is going to make a killing in merchandise sales.
Tim Nollen, an analyst with Macquarie Securities, recently published a report that states, despite a drop in stock prices, Disney and Lucasfilm are going to end this year on a major high note. He says that the film could "provide an immediate catalyst this week with the Sept. 4 global consumer product launch, leading into the film release Dec. 18."
So what kind of numbers are we talking here?
Nollen estimates that products connected with "Star Wars" could generate upwards of $5 billion in just the next year. Add that to the $1.5 billion that "Jurassic World" made (a figure that Lucasfilm is realistically targeting) and you've almost got the GDP of a small country.
There are executives within Lucasfilm that are trying to temper expectations for the financial benefits of "The Force Awakens." But with numbers in the capital-B billions being tossed around, how can you not get excited?
We'll check back with updated figures once toys start hitting the shelves.
