'Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens' rakes in $50 million in advanced ticket sales and may beat out the 'Jurassic World' record of $208 million for biggest opening weekend of the year. Meanwhile, a new television spot features Finn, who served as a Stormtrooper, having a change of heart.
According to Variety, J.J. Abrams' highly-anticipated addition to the 'Star Wars' franchise has easily raked in $50 million in advance ticket sales. Fandango, a company that sells tickets via telephone and the internet, announced that the upcoming film broke its records for highest pre-sold tickets in the company's history. It even surpassed the numbers brought in by science-fiction adventure film 'The Hunger Games' in 2011.
It was reported by Cinema Blend that advanced ticket sales opened to the public about a month ago and currently, IMAX screenings have sold out. In order for Abrams' installment to break the record for biggest opening weekend of the year, it would have to go beyond the $208 million mark set by Colin Trevorrow's 'Jurassic World'. Currently, 'Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens' reigns over ticket sales for 'Star Wars' and 'The Empire Strikes Back' but still lags behind 'Return of the Jedi'.
Several theaters are reportedly staying open for longer hours to accommodate streams of waiting fans during the film's first week of release, including additional screenings for 2AM and 5AM. Disney, in its eagerness to break holiday box office records, took further measures to ensure that theaters play their film for at least three whole weeks in order to cover the holiday period through New Year's Day.
Meanwhile, the Verge reported that a new television spot has been released featuring John Boyega's Finn. The film's fifth television spot showed Finn running from the First Order while serving as a Stormtrooper. Eventually, he is seen manning the Millennium Falcon, just as Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker had done in the past.
'Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens' is an upcoming epic adventure-fantasy film directed by J.J. Abrams. It is set 30 years after the events of 'Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi', which was released in 1983.The upcoming film features the return of Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Carrie Fisher as Leia.
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