'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Soars With Record-Breaking $238 Mln Debut

(RTTNews) - Market researcher Rentrak (RENT) announced the official worldwide weekend box office estimates for the weekend of December 20, 2015, as compiled by the company's theatrical measurement services.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" collected $238 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales, topping the $208.8 million hauled in by Universal Studios' "Jurassic World" in June, Rentrak said in a statement Sunday.

Rentrak's Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian commented, "A box office force has awakened the global movie marketplace as Disney's 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' is thrilling fans around the world this weekend with a combined $517 million debut (the second biggest global opening ever) and in the process posts the biggest North American opening weekend ever and the third biggest international debut of all-time."

"'Star Wars: The Force Awakens" which started showing in international markets on Wednesday, brought in an added $279 million overseas, lifting the worldwide total to $517 million as of Sunday.