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Star Wars: The Force Awakens is Now the Highest-Grossing Domestic Film Ever

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens broke a new record Wednesday. The seventh installment in the space saga became the highest-grossing film in North America, shooting past Avatar’s $760.5 million lifetime domestic haul in just 20 days.

Since its Dec. 18 debut in the U.S. and Canada, the movie crushed a series of records, according to a Disney press release. It was the fastest film to reach $100 million, doing so in 21 hours. It also pulled in the biggest opening week at $391 million.

Rare Photos of George Lucas Behind the Scenes of Star Wars

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George Lucas and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) on the set of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope in a galaxy far, far away.Lucasfilm
Lucas gives direction to Sir Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi) in Episode IV.Lucasfilm
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo) sit around Lucas on the set of The Empire Strikes Back.Lucasfilm
Lucas with Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), along with Hamill and Ford on the set of Episode IV.Lucasfilm
Lucas directs Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) and Carrie Fisher.Lucasfilm
Harrison Ford and Lucas share a moment in Endor on the set of Return of the Jedi.Lucasfilm
Lucas on set filming the opening scene of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.Lucasfilm
Lucas reviews concept art for Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.Lucasfilm
Lucas inspects a model pod racer for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.Lucasfilm
Lucas makes sure that the Death Star is fully armed and operational for Return of the Jedi.Lucasfilm
Lucas holds up Jango Fett's helmet.Lucasfilm
Natalie Portman (Queen Amidala) and Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) listen to Lucas' directions on the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.Lucasfilm
Lucas directs a lightsaber battle between Ian McDiarmid (Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious) and Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu) on the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.Lucasfilm
Lucas sets up camp next to a Bantha on the set of Episode IV.Lucasfilm
Lucas finds the droid he was looking for.Lucasfilm

But one title still eludes The Force Awakens: the highest-grossing film of all time. Its current $1.5 billion global haul is short of Avatar’s record-setting $2.8 billion, according to Variety. But those rankings might change after Jan. 9 when the new Star Wars film opens in China, the world’s second largest movie market.

And Disney has more in store for the franchise it bought from Lucasfilm for $4 billion in 2012. The studio plans to release one movie a year for the next five years.

 

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Write to Mark Rivett-Carnac at mark.rivett-carnac@timeasia.com