An early forecast for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” predicts the film will open to $215 million at the box office when it lands in theaters on Dec. 15.
According to movie data and analysis website BoxOffice.com, the long range forecast has the eighth installment opening north of $200 million and on track to beat “Jurassic World” for the No. 2 spot among debut weekends.
Senior analyst Shawn Robbins credits the ever-growing fanbase of the franchise for the big opening number, as well as fans rallying behind the trailers. Writer/director Rian Johnson has “inspired a strong sense of encouragement among fans,” according to Robbins.
Anywhere north of $200 millions sounds realistic for “The Last Jedi,” given 2015’s strong opening for “The Force Awakens” — currently the biggest opening weekend of all time for a film in the U.S. and Canada. “The Force Awakens” opened to $247.9 million and went on to earn $936.6 million domestically. If “The Last Jedi” opens to $215 million, it will be the franchise’s second biggest opening as well as the second-biggest of all time, knocking the debut weekend of “Jurassic World,” which grossed $208.8 million when it opened in 2015, down to third place.
But it’s quite early by box office prognostication standard, and expectations could easily shift.
“The Last Jedi,” as the eighth entry in the “Star Wars” saga, picks up where “The Force Awakens” left off, after the franchise took a new path in 2016 with the prequel “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”
“The Last Jedi” stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. It is written and directed by Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Jason McGatlin and Tom Karnowski.
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” hits theaters Dec. 15. Disney and Lucasfilm have not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment.