WINNING

‘The Last Jedi’ Lands Second-Best Opening Weekend Ever

The latest installment in the sci-fi saga brought in $220 million domestically.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi opened to $220 million in North American theaters this weekend, taking the top spot at the box office and claiming the second-best opening ever. Disney’s latest installment in the Star Wars franchise beat last year’s spin-off film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but fell short of its predecessor, The Force Awakens. Despite failing to break the nearly $250 million record set by The Force Awakens, the latest sci-fi adventure breathed new life into theaters that had seen a lull in recent months, and devoted Star Wars fans began lining up outside theaters days before the film’s opening. The movie follows Rey, played by Daisey Ridley, as she seeks out Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker in a bid to get him to join the Resistance. The film also features the late Carrie Fisher in her final role as Princess Leia. Ferdinand, the only other wide release this weekend, claimed second place in theaters but trailed far behind The Last Jedi, bringing in $13.3 million in ticket sales. Pixar’s family film Coco, which dominated theaters for the past three weeks, took third place this weekend, with $10 million in ticket sales.