• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Arts & EntertainmentStar Wars

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Scored the Second-Biggest Thursday Opening Ever

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 15, 2017, 1:42 PM ET

It’s not exactly lightspeed, but Star Wars: The Last Jedi is definitely off to a fast start at the box office. The latest addition to the Walt Disney-Lucasfilm Star Wars saga kicked off its first weekend in theaters with the second-biggest Thursday night previews opening ever last night.

Disney said on Friday that The Last Jedi pulled in roughly $45 million in domestic theaters on Thursday night. That’s second only to 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which grossed $57 million in North America in its own first night of preview showings on its way to setting the box-office record for a domestic opening weekend ($247 million). The Force Awakens eventually became the highest-grossing domestic film of all-time, making $936 million in North American theaters and more than $2 billion worldwide.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

As Fortune noted this week, The Last Jedi is not expected to top its predecessor at the box office (despite stellar reviews from critics). Opening weekend estimates from the film industry are forecasting a domestic bow as high as $215 million this weekend for The Last Jedi, which would make it only the fourth film ever to top the $200-million mark in its first weekend.

According to Box Office Mojo, The Last Jedi also pulled in more than $60 million overseas, where the movie started showing in certain countries as early as Wednesday.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

‘I lost more money than anybody in the history of capitalism!’: Remembering Ted Turner
C-SuiteFinance
‘I lost more money than anybody in the history of capitalism!’: Remembering Ted Turner
By Shawn TullyMay 10, 2026
3 hours ago
hathaway
Arts & EntertainmentHollywood
‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ broke the box office. It may also be the last great victory for Hollywood’s IP machine
By Nick LichtenbergMay 9, 2026
24 hours ago
‘Blue dot fever’ plagues musicians like Post Malone, Meghan Trainor, and Zayn as a growing list of artists cancel tours due to lagging ticket sales
Arts & EntertainmentMusic
‘Blue dot fever’ plagues musicians like Post Malone, Meghan Trainor, and Zayn as a growing list of artists cancel tours due to lagging ticket sales
By Dave Lozo and Morning BrewMay 7, 2026
3 days ago
people watching tv
Arts & EntertainmentGen Z
Gen Z just broke the streaming model: A majority subscribe, binge, and cancel over and over, study finds
By Jake AngeloMay 7, 2026
3 days ago
turner
PoliticsMedia
Understanding the legacy of Ted Turner and the creation of the 24-hour news cycle: ‘there is no hyperbole here’
By Jocelyn Noveck, Wyatte Grantham-Philips and The Associated PressMay 6, 2026
3 days ago
turner
PoliticsObituary
He was ‘The Mouth of the South’ and ‘Captain Outrageous,’ but Ted Turner said ‘If only I had a little humility, I’d be perfect’
By David Bauder and The Associated PressMay 6, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
Future of Work
'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
By Jake AngeloMay 9, 2026
22 hours ago
Ted Cruz says the quiet part out loud: Trump accounts are Social Security personal accounts as GOP senator reveals 'dirty little secret'
Politics
Ted Cruz says the quiet part out loud: Trump accounts are Social Security personal accounts as GOP senator reveals 'dirty little secret'
By Jason MaMay 9, 2026
18 hours ago
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
Success
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 9, 2026
23 hours ago
You're probably safe from the Hantavirus outbreak, but here's what you absolutely must not do, experts say
Politics
You're probably safe from the Hantavirus outbreak, but here's what you absolutely must not do, experts say
By Catherina GioinoMay 8, 2026
2 days ago
Companies are abandoning 'peanut butter' raises as pay-for-performance takes over the workplace in the AI era
Future of Work
Companies are abandoning 'peanut butter' raises as pay-for-performance takes over the workplace in the AI era
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 9, 2026
1 day ago
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
Magazine
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
By Sharon GoldmanMay 6, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.