Star Wars smashes US box office record

Image source, Disney/Lucasfilm

Image caption, British duo John Boyega and Daisy Ridley in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has smashed the record for the biggest box office opening weekend in North America with ticket sales of 拢159.7m.

The previous record, 拢140m was set by Jurassic World in June.

The new Star Wars film has taken an estimated 拢347m globally in three days - putting it just behind Jurassic World's 拢352m.

The amount of money expected to be made on Sunday was 7.5m so it's hoped the film can achieve the largest four-day weekend total in British and Irish cinemas.

Star Wars took 拢9.6m on its opening day, including 拢2.4m from midnight screenings.

That beats the previous best of 拢9.48m set by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, The Star Wars European premiere took place in London last week

Star Wars: The Force Awakens went on to make 拢8.6m on Saturday in the UK and Ireland.

These figures meant it had already overtaken the lifetime totals of several big films, including the first Hunger Games release and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Jurassic World currently holds the record for the largest four-day weekend in the UK and Ireland.

The new Star Wars film also set a new opening night record in the US and Canada.

The Force Awakens made 拢38m on Thursday night, beating the previous record hit by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

Analysts say the space saga could become the biggest-selling movie of all time.

The latest film returns to "a galaxy far, far away" some 30 years on from the action of 1983's Return of the Jedi.