Rise of Skywalker dominates box office despite devastating reviews


The newest chapter in the Star Wars franchise better hope it's still on the rise.
Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker opened Thursday night to a $40 million North American box office haul. It's the fifth-highest preview performance of all time, but below the $57 million Disney earned with The Force Awakens and $45 million for The Last Jedi, per The Hollywood Reporter.
In other less-than-ideal news, Rise of Skywalker also got particularly dismal reviews from critics across the board, culminating in a 57 percent rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Still, Disney anticipates Rise of Skywalker will end up with at least $160 million in its debut weekend, while tracking services are anticipating it'll end up closer to $175 to $200 million.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
If Star Wars can be thankful for anything, it's the fact that it's not Cats, which ended up with a terrible 19 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
In search of paradise in Thailand's western isles
The Week Recommends 'Unspoiled spots' remain, providing a fascinating insight into the past
-
The fertility crisis: can Trump make America breed again?
Talking Point The self-styled 'fertilisation president', has been soliciting ideas on how to get Americans to have more babies
-
The fall of Saigon
The Explainer Fifty years ago the US made its final, humiliating exit from Vietnam
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
Andor series two: a 'perfect' Star Wars show
The Week Recommends Second instalment of Tony Gilroy's 'compelling' spin-off is a triumph
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Video games to play this winter, including 'Marvel Rivals' and 'Alien: Rogue Incursion'
The Week Recommends A Star Wars classic gets remastered, and 'Marvel Rivals' pits players against superhero faves