Disney and Lucasfilm look to get the Star Wars franchise back on track after the box office disappointment of Solo: A Star Wars Story with this December’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and according to long-range tracking estimates the J.J. Abrams-directed Episode IX is on course for a bumper opening weekend – albeit the lowest of the Sequel Trilogy.
According to Box Office Pro, The Rise of Skywalker is shaping up for a domestic opening weekend of around $185 million, which puts it below Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($248 million) and Star Wars: The Last Jedi ($220 million), but well ahead of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ($155 million) and especially Solo ($84.4 million).
Given the fractured fan-base following The Last Jedi, Disney would presumably consider a domestic opening weekend in the region of $185 million as a win, particularly if its accompanied by positive reviews and fan reactions. It’s also opening in the majority of international markets that same weekend (no China, although the Middle Kingdom isn’t a particularly big market for Star Wars anyway) and so the real indicator of the film’s success will be its global total.
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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is set for release on December 19th 2019 in the UK and December 20th 2019 in North America. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sees J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) directing a cast that includes Star Wars veterans Daisy Ridley (Rey), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Lupita Nyong’o (Maz Kanata), Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux), Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico), Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca), Billie Lourd (Lieutenant Connix), Greg Grunberg (Snap Wexley), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian) and Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa) as well as new additions Naomi Ackie (Lady Macbeth), Richard E. Grant (Logan), Dominic Monaghan (Lost), and Keri Russell (The Americans).
