The Last Jedi Breaks Into Top 10 Highest-Grossing Films Worldwide

Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi is now in the top 10 highest-grossing films of all-time at the worldwide box office. The highly-anticipated sequel to J.J. Abrams’ 2015 film and box office record-holder, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, marks the second installment in Lucasfilm’s Star Wars sequel trilogy and one that’s already on its way to becoming one of the industry’s biggest blockbuster earners ever.

The Last Jedi hit theaters one month ago, in mid-December 2017, and in that time, it has already passed Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast to become 2017’s highest-grossing movie at the domestic box office, as well as the fourth movie to cross the coveted billion-dollar mark that year alone. Since then, it has raked in even more money in the new year, which has allowed it to pass Iron Man 3′s worldwide gross of $1.214 billion. And now, it has crossed yet another major milestone.

According to Box Office Mojo, Star Wars: The Last Jedi has earned an estimated $591.5 million at home so far, with another $673.4 million coming from international markets. Combined, that brings Episode VIII‘s total to over $1.264 billion globally, which not only puts the film past 2017’s Beauty and the Beast ($1.263 billion) but also makes it the tenth highest-grossing film ever to release. The Last Jedi now has its sights set to cross 2013’s Frozen ($1.276 billion) and 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 ($1.341 billion).

First Order AT M6 walkers deploy on Crait in Star Wars The Last Jedi The Last Jedi Breaks Into Top 10 Highest Grossing Films Worldwide
This news follows The Last Jedi being removed from the vast majority of theaters in China – a whopping 92 percent drop rate – due to poor audience turnout for the sci-fi/fantasy blockbuster. The film had the lowest-grossing opening weekend in the country of all three Star Wars movies released under Walt Disney Studios’ oversight: The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi. At the moment, it’s difficult to tell how well Episode VIII will continue to perform overseas, and if its poor attendance in China will greatly affect the film’s chances at breaking into the top 5 highest-grossing films of all-time (of which it will need at least $1.518 billion).

At $1.264 billion worldwide, though, The Last Jedi is already one of the biggest movies ever to hit the big screen. And now, all sights are turning to Abrams’ forthcoming Star Wars: Episode IX – the presumed final chapter in the long-running Skywalker saga. But for now, if Star Wars: The Last Jedi is to crack the top 5 highest-grossing movies of all-time, it just needs to stay on target.

Source: Box Office Mojo