However, the movie's record may not be safe for long with Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens due for release in December.
Audiences have been wetting their pants for weeks after seeing Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens photos, including an aged Han Solo and Chewbacca (who looks as though he’s had some work done around the eyes to keep him young), and a series of trailers.
While we obviously haven't seen the movie yet, The Force Awakens looks like it will have that rare combination of extraordinary hype coupled with cinematic excellence.
One positive sign about the movie’s quality was recently revealed in a Vanity Fair article. It turns out Star Wars creator George Lucas’ original plans for episodes VII, VIII, and IX were scrapped while director J.J. Abrams protected the brand by working with Empire Strikes Back co-writer Lawrence Kasdan.
Moreover, the fact that the Jar-Jar Binks era appears to be over bodes well for not only The Force Awakens but future movies in the series.
Ultimately, it looks as though Abrams and his team have much-needed reverence for the franchise. And we all know what Abrams can do with seemingly sacrosanct franchises and characters.
While we realize that terrible movies can have stellar opening weekends – and that The Force Awakens is going to be a monetary force to be reckoned with no matter the quality of the film – the early indications that Abrams is creating a gem position it well to break Ultron's opening-weekend record.
The most recent entry in the franchise, Revenge of the Sith, was unquestionably the strongest of the three Star Wars movies that came out circa the new Millenium, and it raked in a cool $108 million on nearly 700 fewer theaters than Ultron. Add in the fact that Sith: (a) didn't have any of the original cast, (b) didn't have Abrams' name attached, and (c) came out a decade ago, and you have to think that The Force Awakens is going to obliterate that number.
So, while The Avengers: Age of Ultron continues to raise its grosses well into nine-figures, just wait for this December when The Force will awaken record-setting audiences.
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