Star Wars: The Force Awakens Shatters Opening Night Preview Record With $57 Million Box Office

The official Thursday night U.S. box office numbers are in, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens is now the new preview night champion. A staggering $57 million box office pull outweighed even the highest early estimates by two million dollars. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 held the record for four and a half years with $43.5 million, but mere magic was nothing to the power of the Force.

The 13.5 million dollar (more than 30%!) victory on preview night is a great sign for The Force Awakens in its quest for a new opening weekend record. Jurassic World set that one just this past June with $208.8 million. If Star Wars can take that record, it will be a revenge story for Disney, who had it previously with The Avengers at $207.4 million.

Next up are the Friday and December opening records, both of which will likely be beat today. The only other film with preview night viewings, the Tina Fey and Amy Poehler comedy Sisters, pulled in $769,000 last night.