Sunday, May 24, 2026

Box Office: China Opening for “Last Jedi” Half Off Mark of “Force Awakens” at $27 Mil

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WITH SPOILERS

“The Last Jedi” just doesn’t catch a break.

The Rian Johnson directed “Star Wars” eighth episode came in 2nd last weekend when it opened in China. The final take was $27.8 million.

That was  just about 50% off of the China opening weekend for “The Force Awakens.” That film started with over $52 million and went on to make $124 million total in China.

At this rate, “The Last Jedi” can look for maybe $60 million in China. That’s far off what was expected.

Historians will look back at “The Last Jedi” with some interesting theories. Do you give the people what they want and expect? Or do you just follow your own plan and say to hell with it?  Johnson delivered a good film but with a lot of downers for the ending. And the audience responded in kind.

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz411. He wrote the FOX411 column on FoxNews.com from 1999 to 2009 and previously edited Fame magazine and wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine. His bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, and the Miami Herald. He is a voting member of the Critics Choice Awards (Film and Television branches), and his movie reviews are tracked by Rotten Tomatoes. is articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. With D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, he co-produced the 2002 documentary "Only the Strong Survive," which screened at Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

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