Light speed to success, Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is tracking to make $175 million to $200 million in its opening weekend. Which is similar to the tracking for The Force Awaken and The Last Jedi, both of which exceed those projections.
Back in December 2015, The Force Awakens directed by J.J. Abrams kicked off the sequel trilogy with a then-record domestic debut of $248 million. The Rian Johnson directed second installment The Last Jedi debuted to $220 million in December 2017.
So it is safe to assume The Rise of Skywalker will land somewhere in the same ballpark. However the final film in the Skywalker saga will once again face Jumanji, as the Next Level opens a week prior and also has strong tracking numbers.
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The film sees the return of stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd. Joining the cast of Episode IX are Naomi Ackie (Doctor Who), Richard E. Grant (Gosford Park, Hudson Hawk), Dominic Monaghan (Lost), Keri Russell (The Americans), and Matt Smith (Doctor Who), who will be joined by veteran Star Wars actors Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams, who will reprise his role as Lando Calrissian. The role of Leia Organa will once again be played by Carrie Fisher, using previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Abrams and Michelle Rejwan. Callum Greene, Tommy Gormley, and Jason McGatlin serve as executive producers. The screenplay was written by Chris Terrio & J.J. Abrams and the story is by Derek Connolly & Colin Trevorrow and J.J. Abrams & Chris Terrio, based on characters created by George Lucas.
The film hits theaters on December 20, 2019.
