'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Official Opening Night Box Office Released by Disney

The Force was strong at the box office on Thursday night.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi rode rave reviews from critics to a monster preview night at the North American box office. According to the final numbers released by Disney, the film hauled in $45 million on Thursday.

This marks the second biggest preview night in domestic box office history. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, released in 2015, set a record that isn't likely to be broken any time soon, earning $57 million on its first night.

While The Last Jedi couldn't top its predecessor, it's preview outing was still beyond impressive. Rogue One, last year's entry into the Star Wars franchise, made $29 million in its Thursday debut, 55 percent less than The Last Jedi.

The box office success won't slow down at any point this weekend. The eighth chapter in the Skywalker Saga is currently eyeing a domestic opening around $200 million, with a global launch that is expected to top $400 million.

This massive outing will likely allow Disney to end the year as box office champions for six consecutive weeks. Ahead of The Last Jedi's release, Pixar's Coco was number one at the domestic box office for three straight weeks. It's hard to believe that any movie released throughout the rest of December will be able to top the Star Wars juggernaut.