‘Star Wars’ toward ‘Avatar’ record

Disney’s recordbusting film brought in $90.2m over the New Year’s weekend

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is even closer to usurping Avatar’s reign as the top US box office earner of all time.

Disney’s record-busting film brought in $90.2 million (Dh331.2 million) over the New Year’s weekend, bringing its US total to $742.2 million. Avatar earned $760.5 million over its theatrical lifetime — a record Star Wars is expected to pass this week.

Globally, Star Wars: The Force Awakens ranks as the sixth highest-grossing film in history, having earned $1.5 billion worldwide. It should pass Furious 7 and Marvel’s The Avengers to become the fourth biggest film in history in the coming days.

The film will get a big shot in the arm next week when it premieres in China, the world’s second biggest market for film.

Depending on how enthusiastically it is received in the People’s Republic, The Force Awakens could shoot past Avatar’s record $2.8 billion global haul.

OTHER CONTENDERS

Even as The Force Awakens commanded the bulk of box office revenues a few films managed to profit from the holiday season.

Paramount’s Daddy’s Home, a comedy about a nerdy stepfather (Will Ferrell) who finds himself outshone by his wife’s first husband (Mark Wahlberg), picked up $29 million in its second weekend, driving the film’s domestic total to $93.7 million.

TOP TEN HIGHEST GROSSING MOVIES OF ALL TIME

1,669.0

1,519.6

1,515.0

1,510.8

1,405.0

1,341.5

1,276.5

1,215.4

2,000

2,186.8

2,500

2,788.0

3,000 Although a brand-new character introduced in

BB-8, an astromech droid, is already a favourite.

Worldwide box office (including US)