Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on Route to $US 1 billion at the Box Office

After two weekends in cinemas, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has grossed $US 341.3 million in North America and $US 363 million outside of North America for a $US 704.33 million global cume. This is no small feat. It’s rumoured that the film had an estimated production budget of $US 250 – 300 million, which means that it’s already made more than two times its budget after merely two weekends. Note: The general rule of thumb for big-budget Hollywood productions is that the film should make approximately twice its production budget to break even (taking marketing costs into consideration as well) and anything more than that are to be considered profits.

It’s difficult to predict exactly how much Rise of Skywalker will make by the end of its run. But here’s what we do know. One, there’s still another weekend before kids head back to school and adults head back to work. Two, China gives less and less of a damn about this franchise as the years go by (the film has only made $US 12 million in China, which is 10 times less than what TFA made there. Heck, even a second-tier MCU film like Captain Marvel grossed over $US 154 million in China). Three, the film has made slightly less in two weekends than The Last Jedi did in the same amount of time.

So let’s assume the film ends its run at around $US 1.1 billion worldwide.

Some might look at those numbers as a worrying sign, especially considering it’s a drop from The Last Jedi, which in and of itself was a drop from The Force Awakens. While it’s something that the folks at Lucasfilm and Disney should definitely reflect on, it’s not something we should be too concerned about.

After all, Star Wars has always had a complicated relationship with the box office, dating all the way back to the original trilogy. A New Hope grossed a staggering $US 775 million at the box office (and this is in 1977, mind you), The Empire Strikes Back grossed $US 538.3 million, which is a 30% drop from the predecessor (almost a mirror reflection of The Last Jedi‘s 35% drop from The Force Awakens), while Return of the Jedi grossed $US 475 million.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is currently playing in Malaysian cinemas. 

For more box office analysis, click here. 

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