In a stunning South African box office haul,
Disney’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi that opened this weekend in the country at
the same time as its global release, raked in close to R10 million from local
cinema-goers as the movie everybody is flocking to go see.
It's exactly in line with what TVwithThinus reported earlier this month, that The Last Jedi is tracking to open first globally and in South Africa for its opening weekend box office haul.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi opened the weekend
in first place according to box office haul, not just in South Africa, but also
in North America and another 53 other territories ranging from Iceland and
Australia to Norway, and from New Zealand to Switzerland.
Only in Turkey, South Korea, India and
Malaysia did The Last Jedi not open in first place, with the film only opening
in China in January 2018.
Episode VIII, directed by Rian Johnson, is a
hit in South Africa as it is worldwide, ranging from normal cinemas as well as
3D and Imax theatres where theatre-goers are queuing up like crystal foxes to
enter and see the latest installment in that space saga set in a galaxy far,
far away.
Disney tells TVwithThinus that Star Wars: The
Last Jedi’s 3-day box office weekend since its Friday 17 December came in at
just under R10 million in South Africa – R9 916 146 ($777 822).
This ranks as the second biggest December
industry opening day and weekend ever in South Africa, only behind Star Wars:
The Force Awakens. The Last Jedi is also Disney’s biggest opening day for the year
in the country.
It’s important to note that The
Force Awakens had a 5-day opening weekend to reach its R16 443 117, versus
the almost R10 million that The Last Jedi did in its 3-day opening, making The
Last Jedi’s opening haul incredibly impressive.
The Last Jedi dominated the international box
office in its opening weekend in 54 markets where it made $230.8 million
besides its North American haul of $220 million.
It means that Star Wars: The Last Jedi ranks
as the 5th best international box office opening weekend ever.
