Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's new film, "Sisters," drew the all-time short straw when it came to a movie release date. Universal Pictures has set the comedy, directed by Jason Moore, against a film that the world has been waiting to see since Disney purchased Lucasfilm in October 2012 - "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
Fey and Poehler understand their movie will not gross anywhere near its sci-fi competitor, but the comedians are in good company when it comes to opening up against the "Star Wars" franchise. Movies such as "The Shining," "Smokey and the Bandit," "The Blue Lagoon" and "The Spy Who Loved Me" all went head to head with George Lucas' space opera.
The two comedians can also look to their fellow "Saturday Night Live" alums, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, whose film "The Blues Brothers" opened against the wide release of "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980.
The competing studios of 20th Century Fox (the distributor for the first six "Star Wars" films) got a little smarter when opening their films opposite the prequel movies (Episodes I-III), scheduling their big movies the week before or the week after (sometimes two weeks).
In pre-sale tickets alone, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has surpassed $100 million. The film will open in more than 4,100 theaters, but it may not top the opening weekend box office record of $208.8 million set this summer by another major franchise return - "Jurassic World."
"The Force Awakens" is the first film in the "Star Wars" franchise to open outside the summer blockbuster season, infiltrating the holiday and Oscar season on Friday, Dec. 18 (screenings start the night before on Thursday).
Continue reading to see how other films competed against their "Star Wars" competitors, and remember this weekend, "you can see both" "The Force Awakens" and "Sisters." (Tina and Amy would appreciate it!)
The movies are listed in descending order from "Star Wars: Episode IV - Return of the Jedi" to "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace." The box office data is from Box Office Mojo.
"Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi"
Premiere date - Wednesday, May 25, 1983
Opening weekend box office - $23 million (1,002 theaters)
Worldwide gross - $475 million
"Chained Heat" was the only film to premiere against the final film in Lucas' original trilogy, opening two days later on Friday, May 27. The movie starred "The Exorcist" actress Linda Blair and was directed by Paul Nicholas.
Opening weekend B.O. - $2.25 million
Domestic gross - $6.15 million
"Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back"
Premiere date (limited and wide releases) - Wednesday, May 21, 1980/Friday, June 20, 1980
Opening weekend B.O. - $4.9 million (LIMITED - 126 theaters)/$10.8 million (WIDE - 823 theaters)
Worldwide gross - $538 million
Opening against the limited release (two days later on Friday, May 23, 1980):
- "Carny" starred Gary Busey, Jodie Foster and Robbie Robertson and was directed by Robert Kaylor.
Opening weekend B.O. - N/A
Domestic gross - $1.81 million
- "The Gong Show Movie" starred Chuck Barris, who also directed, and Robin Altman.
Opening weekend B.O. - $1.47 million (775 theaters)
Domestic gross - $6.62 million
- "The Shining," based on the Stephen King novel, starred Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall and was directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Opening weekend B.O. - $622,337 (10 theaters)
Domestic gross - $44.01 million
Opening against the wide release (same day):
- "The Blue Lagoon" starred Christopher Atkins and a then 14-year-old Brooke Shields in the racy romantic adventure directed by Randal Kleiser.
Opening weekend B.O. - N/A
Domestic gross - $58.85 million
- Developed from their "Saturday Night Live" sketch, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd reprised their roles as Jake and Elwood Blues for the big screen in "The Blues Brothers," directed by John Landis.
Opening weekend B.O. - $4.85 million (594 theaters)
Worldwide gross - $115 million
- "Brubaker" starred Robert Redford. Stuart Rosenberg directed the Oscar-nominated script by W.D. Richter and Arthur A. Ross.
Opening weekend B.O. - $2.74 million (594 theaters)
Domestic gross - $37 million
"Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope"
Premiere date (limited and wide releases) - Wednesday May 25, 1977/Friday, July 15
Opening weekend B.O. - $1.55 million (LIMITED - 43 theaters)/$6.8 million (WIDE - 757 theaters)
Worldwide gross - $775 million
Opening against the limited release (two days later on Friday, May 27, 1977):
- "Smokey and the Bandit," starred Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jackie Gleason and was the directorial debut of stuntman Hal Needham. Field earned a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Carrie, aka Frog, the runaway bride Bandit (Reynolds) picks up in his truck.
Opening weekend B.O. - $1.72 million (498 screens)
Domestic gross - $126.73 million
Opening against the wide release (same day):
- "The Spy Who Loved Me" was the tenth James Bond movie and the third for Roger Moore, playing the British spy character. Moore co-stars with Barbara Bach, as Bond girl, Anya Amasova, and Curd Jürgens, playing the villain, Karl Stromberg.
Opening weekend B.O. - N/A
Domestic gross - $46 million
"Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith"
Premiere date - Thursday, May 19, 2005
Opening weekend B.O. - $108 million (3,661 theaters)
Worldwide gross - $848 million
"Dominion: A Prequel to the Exorcist" is the fifth installment in "The Exorcist" series and opened on Friday, May 20. The movie starred Stellan Skarsgârd (reprising his role from "Exorcist: The Beginning") and was directed by Paul Schrader.
Opening weekend B.O. - $140,703 (110 theaters)
Domestic gross - $251,495 (in theaters only two weeks)
"Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones"
Premiere date - Thursday, May 16, 2002
Opening weekend B.O. - $80 million (3,161 theaters)
Worldwide gross - $649 million
- "About a Boy" starred Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Rachel Weisz and Nicholas Hoult in his first starring role. Chris and Paul Weitz directed the film, which premiered on Friday, May 17.
Opening weekend B.O. - $8.55 million (1,207 theaters)
Worldwide gross - $130.54 million
"Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace"
Premiere date - Wednesday, May 19, 1999
Opening weekend B.O. - $64 million (2,970 theaters)
Worldwide gross - $1 billion
- "The Love Letter," opening on Friday, May 21, 1999, starred Kate Capshaw, Blythe Danner, Ellen DeGeneres and Tom Selleck and was directed by Peter Chan.
Opening weekend B.O. - $2.69 million (769 theaters)
Domestic gross - $8.3 million
- "Besieged" starred Thandie Newton and David Thewlis and was directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
Opening weekend B.O. - $159,289 (36 screens)
Domestic gross - $2.04 million (153 theaters at its widest release)
- In an ironic twist, "Trekkies," a documentary about "Star Trek" fans, also opened this weekend. The film was in theaters (339 total) and grossed $318,246 domestically. A sequel came out in 2003 that explored the fandom in Europe.
