“Star Wars” is shrinking at the box office. “The Rise of Skywalker” is nearing $1 billion worldwide, but it’s way behind the previous installments.

“The Force Awakens” finished its theatrical run with $2 billion worldwide. That was an enormous hit.

But the next chapter, “The Last Jedi,” ended up with $1.3 billion, a significant fall off.

“Skywalker” shows “Star Wars” fatigue. It’s not quite at $1 billion, and it’s getting ready to say goodbye. Disney will keep it in movie theaters for a while but the big push is over.

In the US, “Skywalker” has earned just half of what “The  Force Awakens” raked in. Of course, maybe a lot of fans are waiting for the streaming and the DVD, with inevitable extras.

Now the studio is threatening us with a new “Star Wars” movie in 2022. Yes, just two years from now. We can only hope they will reconsider and wait longer. You can’t miss something that’s never gone.  It’s time to give “Star Wars” a rest until they have a great– I mean a GREAT — idea, not just more young people wandering around the universe with the inevitable cameos from the other movies. Let some nostalgia sink in first.

In other box office news, “Just Mercy” launched with $10 million. Considering that it’s had almost no marketing or press, that’s pretty exciting. The Michael B. Jordan-Jamie Foxx drama deserves a solid run. It should have been a Best Picture contender. Alas, now we can just hope people see it and learn about Bryan Stevenson.

For Warner’s “Just Mercy” is a last shot in a year of failures for adult-themed movies. They’ve pulled Clint Eastwood’s excellent “Richard Jewell” after 28 days and just $21 million. It’s their biggest screw up after a string of disasters. Only “Joker” stands out in their year. “Richard Jewell” should have been a hit, a contender, and a conversation starter. Eastwood, 89, also deserved better.

Kristen Stewart has a bomb in “Underwater,” DOA, her second in a row after “Charlie’s Angels.” It’s not a big deal. She’s not an action star. I guarantee you she will win an Oscar soon for a great drama or quirky indie movie. These were just bad movies anyway, they’re not her fault.

UPDATED Tony Danza emceed the annual AARP Movies for Grown Ups dinner last night at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel with aplomb and genuine excitement. He announced from the stage: “I’m the anti- Ricky Gervais!” And indeed he was, thank goodness. The night — which will air on PBS January 19th — was so authentically pleasant even Hollywood superstar Warren Beatty remarked to me, “I really enjoyed this!”

And so he should have as his wife, Annette Bening, stunning with platinum blonde hair, was honored for Lifetime Achievement by her “20th Century Women” co-star Billy Crudup. She gave a moving, and funny speech, thanked everyone she knew, but at the last minute — during her presentation — she cut the part about Beatty other than to say “I love you.” She did say, “He’s a great filmmaker…” but then choked up and decided to keep the rest to herself.

Among the other honorees was Linda Ronstadt, who came down to Los Angeles from her home in San Francisco. Fighting Parkinson’s Disease, Linda used a wheelchair to get around but stood when her old friend singer Maria Muldaur presented her with her award. Linda told me: “This may be my last trip down here. It’s too hard for me. It’s very painful.” She was surrounded by friends including her bff and career adviser John Boylan. Among those who were lined up to say hello: the great songwriter Diane Warren.

Another hero dealing with Parkinson’s is Alan Alda, who was seated early with wife Arlene. They’ve been married over 60 years, a record for show business couples. Alda presented an award to his “Marriage Story” director Noah Baumbach, who was pretty hilarious in his description of turning 50. (PS Tony Danza is turning 70 this spring and looks younger than most of these people!)

I asked Alda how he wrote the screenplay for his now classic movie “The Seduction of Joe Tynan” on coast to coast flights back in the 70s. I can barely get any work done on a plane.

“I was obsessed,” he said, “and focused. I had to get it done. But of course, now, forget it!”

The Aldas and the Beattys stayed to the very end, with Annette declaring, “Why are we always the last to leave?” She’s right, they are a very sociable couple, and love to hang out no matter the event. Warren was particularly happy to see three time Oscar nominee Diane Ladd, who presented Best Supporting Actress to daughter Laura Dern with a swell reminisce of raising a precocious kid in Hollywood. When Beatty saw Ladd, he told me: “We’ve known each other since we’re 19!”

Some other notes:

Juliette Lewis gave the Best Director award to Martin Scorsese and said, “Marty gave me my creative wings when I was 18 in Cape Fear.”

Adam Sandler who received the Best Actor award noted, “I’m a comedian who can act, and that’s good.”

Renee Zellweger, who got the Best Actress Award made the crowd feel better by saying, “I don’t feel like we are getting older, I feel like we are winning.”

Alan Alda giving to the award to Noah Baumbach for his best screenwriter  quipped, “I’ve been married to the same person for 62 years.  Since I just played a divorce lawyer in “Marriage Story,” people have been  asking me if I ever considered divorce?  I answer no, but my wife has considered murder.”

Noah then replied, “You were that rare person I’d hope you’d be. “

Diane Ladd, who previously won the for Best Supporting Actress award for her work in “Joy,” which was presented to her by her daughter Laura Dern now had the honors and presented Laura Dern with hers for “Marriage Story.”  Laura then loving described her mother as “my muse.”

Don Johnson noted that when he first got the infamous birthday card from AARP, “I was pissed.  Then I went on to have 3 more kids,  I was never really good at math.”

• Career Achievement: Annette Bening
• Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups: The Irishman
• Best Actress: Renée Zellweger (Judy)
• Best Actor: Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)
• Best Supporting Actress: Laura Dern (Marriage Story)
• Best Supporting Actor: Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood)
• Best Director: Martin Scorsese (The Irishman)
• Best Screenwriter: Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story)
• Best Ensemble: Knives Out
• Best Intergenerational Film: The Farewell
• Best Foreign Language Film: Pain & Glory (Spain)
• Readers’ Choice: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
• Best Time Capsule: Harriet

Additional reporting by Leah Sydney

Universal Pictures has the odd distinction of having the best and worst movie of the 2019 season.

“Cats” has been a spectacular failure, and a meme, and just an unmitigated disaster. There aren’t enough jokes in the world for the furry adaptation of the Broadway musical. Now and never.

But Sam Mendes’s extraordinary “1917” has gone into wide release and it’s a major, major hit. On Friday, “1917” went into wide release and scored $13,970,000. That should give the “one-shot” movie at least a $40 million weekend. And this is a war movie with no stars, just good actors and brilliant technology, as well as a terrific screenplay.

Last weekend, “1917” won the Golden Globe for Best Feature, and Mendes won Best Director. Its later release in the season has put the film and its director (as well as cinematographer Roger Deakins and editor Lee Smith) in position for multiple Oscar nominations on Monday morning, and potential wins.

This must come as a shock to Netflix, which came into the Oscar race with four very good films that seemed like they’d be overwhelming the competition: “The Irishman,” “Marriage Story,” “Two Popes,” and “Dolemite is My Name.”

The first two of those were all but assured Oscars dominance. They’ve already won many accolades. The question remains how Netflix will battle “1917” after Monday’s announcements. Can “The Irishman” be resurrected? Or has the whole theater vs platform debate crystallized with this situation?

I wrote after its initial screening that “1917” was a masterpiece and I meant it. Make no mistake, it’s sensational. But Martin Scorsese’s work on “The Irishman” is, too. Let’s call it a masterwork. It is neither too long nor a retread of his previous work. But not having it in theaters after its first month may have damaged the cause. On a smaller screen, with interruptions at home, “The Irishman” can be lost to divided attention. It requires your full focus. Maybe Netflix can put it back into theaters with an intermission and snacks starting next Friday, make it an event.

Meantime, Universal can claim this phrase: “well played.” Indeed.