'The Last Jedi' opens with $220M, second best weekend all-time
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 14: An advertisement of the new Star Wars film plays on a screen as the Disney logo is displayed outside the Disney Store in Times Square, December 14, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (AP) -- "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" rocketed to a debut of $220 million at the box office, landing the second-best opening weekend ever in North America and slotting in behind only its predecessor, "The Force Awakens."
The Disney blockbuster is only the fourth film to open above $200 million in North America. Aside from "The Force Awakens," the others are "The Avengers" and "Jurassic World."
Good reviews helped it. Rian Johnson's sequel to "The Force Awakens" has a 93 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences endorsed it too, giving it an A on CinemaScore.
The weekend's only other new wide release came from 20th Century Fox, the film studio that Disney on Thursday acquired as part of its $52.4 billion purchase of its parent company, 21st Century Fox. "Ferdinand" grossed $13.3 million.