“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” collected a record- setting $57 million in ticket sales in the United States and Canada Thursday night.
The revenues bested those for the the previous record holder, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2,” which grossed $43.5 million from Thursday shows in July 2011, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Box office analysts expect the new “Star Wars” to gross $180 million to $220 million through Sunday in its domestic opening weekend. It remains to be seen if “The Force Awakens” will top the record $209 million that “Jurassic World” opened with in June, according to The Times.
The film began its international rollout Wednesday and has grossed $72.7 million overseas so far, bringing its global cumulative box office to $130 million, The Times reported.