# List of box office records set by Star Wars: The Force Awakens
*Star Wars: The Force Awakens* (2015), the seventh episode of the [Star Wars](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-wars) franchise and the first released under [Walt Disney Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/walt-disney-studios-division), set a series of box office records at its release: the biggest domestic and worldwide opening weekends and the biggest December international opening, the fastest film to reach $1 billion worldwide, and, within 20 days, the highest-grossing film of all time at the domestic (United States and Canada) box office.[1](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/disney-crosses-5b-in-global-box-office-for-2015-as-star-wars-the-force-awakens-posts-record-529m-global-248m-domestic-debut/) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/27/star-wars-the-force-awakens-box-office-record) • [3](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/star-wars-the-force-awakens-becomes-highest-grossing-domestic-film-of-all-time/) Most of its opening records have since been surpassed, but its lifetime domestic gross of $936,662,225 stood as the all-time record for more than a decade.[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt2488496.htm/)
| Record | Value | Previous record |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic opening weekend (final) | $247,966,675 | Jurassic World, $208.8 million (June 2015)[1](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/disney-crosses-5b-in-global-box-office-for-2015-as-star-wars-the-force-awakens-posts-record-529m-global-248m-domestic-debut/) • [5](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3244295172/) |
| Worldwide opening weekend | $529 million ($248M domestic, $281M international) | Jurassic World, $524.9 million[1](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/disney-crosses-5b-in-global-box-office-for-2015-as-star-wars-the-force-awakens-posts-record-529m-global-248m-domestic-debut/) |
| Fastest to $1 billion worldwide | 12 days | Jurassic World, 13 days[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/27/star-wars-the-force-awakens-box-office-record) |
| Highest-grossing domestic film of all time | $936,662,225, reached in 20 days | Avatar, $760.5 million[3](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/star-wars-the-force-awakens-becomes-highest-grossing-domestic-film-of-all-time/) • [4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt2488496.htm/) |
| Biggest Christmas Day gross (domestic) | $49.3 million | (first film to hold this mark cited by the Guardian)[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/27/star-wars-the-force-awakens-box-office-record) |
| IMAX worldwide opening weekend | $48 million on 677 screens (excluding China) | Jurassic World, $44.1 million (including China)[6](https://www.imax.com/pr/imax-scores-record-shattering-opening-weekend-box-office-star) |
| Lifetime totals | $936,662,225 domestic; $1,131,561,399 international; $2,068,223,624 worldwide in 62 markets | —[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt2488496.htm/) |
## Opening weekend records
The film opened day-and-date on December 16, 2015 in a rollout that ran through January 9, 2016 across 62 markets.[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt2488496.htm/) Thursday-night previews in North America grossed $57 million, breaking the record of $43.5 million set by *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2* in 2011; nearly half of the preview total came from 3-D screenings and roughly 10 percent from IMAX.[7](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/12/20/star-wars-the-force-awakens-fulfills-destiny-as-biggest-box-office-opener-ever-with-238-million/) By Friday it had set the domestic opening-day record, counted by studios as a single day including Thursday showings, at an estimated $120.5 million; [Lucasfilm](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucasfilm) later cited the record opening day as $119.1 million.[7](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/12/20/star-wars-the-force-awakens-fulfills-destiny-as-biggest-box-office-opener-ever-with-238-million/) • [8](https://www.starwars.com/news/thank-you-star-wars-the-force-awakens-becomes-the-1-film-of-all-time-in-the-us)
First estimates put the domestic opening weekend at $238 million; final figures rose to $247,966,675, an all-time industry high that surpassed *Jurassic World*'s $208.8 million from June 2015.[1](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/disney-crosses-5b-in-global-box-office-for-2015-as-star-wars-the-force-awakens-posts-record-529m-global-248m-domestic-debut/) • [5](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3244295172/) The international debut of $281 million set the biggest December international opening, overtaking *Avatar*'s $164.5 million from 2009, and the combined $529 million global debut passed *Jurassic World*'s $524.9 million worldwide record.[1](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/disney-crosses-5b-in-global-box-office-for-2015-as-star-wars-the-force-awakens-posts-record-529m-global-248m-domestic-debut/) • [9](https://www.screendaily.com/box-office/the-force-awakens-hits-529m-worldwide-/5098266.article) Because the film did not open in China until January 9, its worldwide opening record was set without the world's second-largest movie market; *Jurassic World*'s debut had included Chinese grosses.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/27/star-wars-the-force-awakens-box-office-record)
The opening also set records in individual markets and formats. It posted the biggest opening weekend in at least 18 major markets, took $22.5 million in France for the second-biggest industry opening weekend of all time there, and $13.4 million in Japan for the biggest debut of 2015 in that market.[3](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/star-wars-the-force-awakens-becomes-highest-grossing-domestic-film-of-all-time/) • [9](https://www.screendaily.com/box-office/the-force-awakens-hits-529m-worldwide-/5098266.article) IMAX reported a record $48 million worldwide opening on 677 screens excluding China, beating *Jurassic World*'s $44.1 million, along with records for domestic ($30.1 million) and international IMAX openings.[6](https://www.imax.com/pr/imax-scores-record-shattering-opening-weekend-box-office-star) • [8](https://www.starwars.com/news/thank-you-star-wars-the-force-awakens-becomes-the-1-film-of-all-time-in-the-us) In the United Kingdom the film had the biggest single day in that market's box office history.[10](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/star-wars-the-force-awakens-had-the-biggest-ever-day-in-uk-box-office-history-a6778106.html)
## Speed milestones and daily records
**Fastest to $1 billion.** The film crossed $1 billion worldwide in 12 days, one day faster than *Jurassic World*, and did so before opening in China.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/27/star-wars-the-force-awakens-box-office-record) It was also the fastest film to reach $700 million domestically, in 16 days.[11](https://time.com/4171394/star-wars-force-awakens-records/) • [3](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/star-wars-the-force-awakens-becomes-highest-grossing-domestic-film-of-all-time/)
**Daily and weekend marks.** In its first weeks it set the biggest Christmas Day gross in history at $49.3 million, the best second-weekend earnings with $153.5 million, and the highest domestic second and third weekends on record; it also set a domestic record for the biggest combined Christmas Day and [New Year's Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-years-day) box office haul at $34.5 million.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/27/star-wars-the-force-awakens-box-office-record) • [11](https://time.com/4171394/star-wars-force-awakens-records/)
## All-time domestic record
On January 6, 2016, in its 20th day of release, the film passed the $760.5 million lifetime domestic gross of *Avatar* to become the highest-grossing film of all time in the United States and Canada, a record it would hold for more than a decade.[3](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/star-wars-the-force-awakens-becomes-highest-grossing-domestic-film-of-all-time/) • [12](https://flickscope.com/news/spider-man-took-the-all-time-domestic-record-by-110909-and-the-coverage-rounded-it-away_a142) Its final domestic total was $936,662,225, with $1,131,561,399 international and $2,068,223,624 worldwide.[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt2488496.htm/) The film did not, however, break inflation-adjusted records: after $700 million unadjusted it ranked No. 21 on the adjusted list, and the original 1977 *Star Wars* remained ahead on an adjusted basis at more than $1.48 billion.[11](https://time.com/4171394/star-wars-force-awakens-records/) • [7](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/12/20/star-wars-the-force-awakens-fulfills-destiny-as-biggest-box-office-opener-ever-with-238-million/)
## Records that later fell
The domestic opening weekend record stood until 2018, when *Avengers: Infinity War* launched with $257 million against The Force Awakens' $247 million; the record later passed to *Avengers: Endgame* and then to *Spider-Man: Brand New Day*, which opened at $360 million in 2026.[13](https://apnews.com/article/40c065a34256c04f9b977eba64ad6d50) The all-time domestic gross record fell in September 2026, when *Spider-Man: Brand New Day* reached $936,773,134 on its 47th day of release, exceeding The Force Awakens' total by $110,909.[12](https://flickscope.com/news/spider-man-took-the-all-time-domestic-record-by-110909-and-the-coverage-rounded-it-away_a142)
## References
1. [Disney Crosses $5B in Global Box Office for 2015 as "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Posts Record $529M Global, $248M Domestic Debut, The Walt Disney Company](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/disney-crosses-5b-in-global-box-office-for-2015-as-star-wars-the-force-awakens-posts-record-529m-global-248m-domestic-debut/)
2. [Twelve days of Star Wars: film rockets to $1bn at the box office in record time, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/27/star-wars-the-force-awakens-box-office-record)
3. ["Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Becomes Highest Grossing Domestic Film of All Time, The Walt Disney Company](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/star-wars-the-force-awakens-becomes-highest-grossing-domestic-film-of-all-time/)
4. [Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt2488496.htm/)
5. ['Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Crushes Records, Topping Largest Box Office Weekend of All Time, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3244295172/)
6. [IMAX Scores Record-Shattering Opening Weekend Box Office With Star Wars: The Force Awakens Grossing $48 Million In IMAX Theatres Worldwide, IMAX Corporation](https://www.imax.com/pr/imax-scores-record-shattering-opening-weekend-box-office-star)
7. ['Star Wars: The Force Awakens' fulfills destiny as biggest box-office opener ever with $248 million, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/12/20/star-wars-the-force-awakens-fulfills-destiny-as-biggest-box-office-opener-ever-with-238-million/)
8. [Thank You: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Becomes the #1 Film of All-Time in the US, StarWars.com](https://www.starwars.com/news/thank-you-star-wars-the-force-awakens-becomes-the-1-film-of-all-time-in-the-us)
9. ['The Force Awakens' hits $529m worldwide, Screen Daily](https://www.screendaily.com/box-office/the-force-awakens-hits-529m-worldwide-/5098266.article)
10. [Star Wars: The Force Awakens had the biggest ever day in UK box office history, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/star-wars-the-force-awakens-had-the-biggest-ever-day-in-uk-box-office-history-a6778106.html)
11. [All the Records 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Has (And Hasn't) Broken, Time](https://time.com/4171394/star-wars-force-awakens-records/)
12. [Spider-Man Took the All-Time Domestic Record by $110,909 and the Coverage Rounded It Away, FlickScope](https://flickscope.com/news/spider-man-took-the-all-time-domestic-record-by-110909-and-the-coverage-rounded-it-away_a142)
13. ['Spider-Man: Brand New Day' beats 'Avengers: Endgame' box office record, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/40c065a34256c04f9b977eba64ad6d50)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Awards and screen reference › Box office records and number-one lists*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license