“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has been knocked off a box-office throne it held for more than a decade. As of now, the 2015 blockbuster is no longer the highest-grossing movie in North American history.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” officially moved past the “Star Wars” film after 47 days in theaters. It took the record by a very narrow margin, bringing an end to one of Hollywood’s longest-running box-office reigns.
Lucasfilm has now reacted to losing the crown, and there appear to be no hard feelings. The studio celebrated the new record-holder with a fitting “Star Wars” message and a special congratulatory image.
Lucasfilm Congratulates ‘Spider-Man’ After Its Record Falls
Lucasfilm acknowledged the milestone on social media after “Brand New Day” moved ahead of “The Force Awakens.” Rather than ignore the takeover, the studio offered its congratulations to the team behind the superhero blockbuster.
“Impressive. Most Impressive,” the studio wrote, borrowing one of Darth Vader’s memorable lines. The company then went on to congratulate director Destin Daniel Cretton, Tom Holland, Sony Pictures, Marvel Studios, and everyone who worked on the film.
They posted their congratulatory message with an image that continued the “Star Wars” theme. Spider-Man could be seen celebrating as X-wings flew overhead, while a text overlay at the top declared, “The Force is strong with you!”
It was a gracious response to the end of a remarkable run at the top. Since “The Force Awakens” took the throne in 2016, several major blockbusters had tried and failed to catch it. “Avengers: Endgame,” for instance, became a worldwide phenomenon in 2019, but finished its domestic run below the “Star Wars” movie.
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” also seemed to be gunning for the record in 2021, but its North American total stopped at roughly $804.8 million.
‘The Force Awakens’ Held The Crown For More Than A Decade
The recently dethroned box office champion began its historic run almost immediately after its December 2015 release. The film opened to $247.97 million domestically, which was a record at the time. It continued to draw huge audiences through the holiday season.
By the end of its North American theatrical run, the movie had earned $936,662,225. It also became the first film ever to cross $900 million at the domestic box office, a milestone no other movie managed to reach for years.
The film’s success was helped by the enormous anticipation surrounding the return of “Star Wars” to theaters. It was the franchise’s first new live-action movie in a decade, and introduced a new generation of characters, alongside several familiar faces.
It ultimately earned more than $2 billion worldwide and remains one of the biggest theatrical releases in cinema history.
‘Brand New Day’ Reached The Top In Just 47 Days
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” started threatening the record from its very first weekend. The Tom Holland-led movie opened to an incredible $360.09 million domestically. It beat “Avengers: Endgame” for the biggest North American opening weekend ever.
The critically acclaimed movie continued adding to that total over the following weeks, eventually becoming the second film to ever cross $900 million domestically. By September 16, its total had reached $936,773,134 after a mere 47 days in theaters. That puts the current margin around $111,000, although “Brand New Day” is still playing in theaters and can extend its lead some more.
This latest achievement adds another major record to what has already been a uniquely successful theatrical run. The film has also earned around $2.45 billion worldwide, putting it among the highest-grossing films of all time.
