'Rogue One' rules weekend box office: More spin-off films on the way?
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
鈥淪tar Wars鈥� fans apparently have no lack of faith in the franchise, as the newest film set in that fictional universe, 鈥淩ogue One,鈥� catapulted to No. 1 at the box office this past weekend, bringing in $155 million.
鈥淩ogue,鈥� which opened on Dec. 16, has now achieved the second-best movie opening in December ever. The only movie that ranks above it: last year鈥檚 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� movie 鈥淪tar Wars: The Force Awakens.鈥�
Meanwhile, the Disney animated hit 鈥淢oana,鈥� which opened in November, placed second for the weekend, grossing more than $11 million. The comedy 鈥淥ffice Christmas Party,鈥� which opened earlier this month, placed third, taking in more than $8 million, while the new film 鈥淐ollateral Beauty,鈥� which stars Will Smith as a man struggling after the death of his daughter, came in fourth place, grossing $7 million.聽
The new 鈥淗arry Potter鈥� movie 鈥淔antastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,鈥� which originally opened in November, came in fifth, grossing $5 million.
鈥淩ogue One鈥� is set in the 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� universe but was something of a departure for those behind the franchise. While every 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� movie before this was part of one saga 鈥� every movie before 鈥淔orce Awakens鈥� was labeled by episode, making it easy to keep track 鈥� 鈥淩ogue鈥� is a spin-off movie, centering on new characters.聽
It stars Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, who along with her companions is attempting to obtain the plans for the Death Star. 鈥淩ogue鈥� takes place before the events of the 1977 original film 鈥淪tar Wars,鈥澛燽ut after the 2005 "Revenge of the Sith," the third installment of the prequel trilogy.
The success of 鈥淩ogue鈥� so far may mean audiences will see more 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� films that are not part of the central narrative. One, which will star Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover as younger versions of "Star Wars" characters Han Solo and Lando Calrissian, respectively, is already planned.
鈥淭he success of 鈥楻ogue One: A Star Wars Story鈥� shatters any doubts that the world of Jedi knights, shadowy totalitarian governments, and bug-eyed aliens is much bigger than the saga of the Skywalker clan,鈥� writes.
Meanwhile, suggests the success of 鈥淩ogue One鈥� means the galaxy far, far away could look different than what viewers are used to in future films.聽
鈥淭hat 鈥楻ogue One鈥� was a relatively solid critical hit as well as a commercial success means that Lucasfilm might feel even freer to experiment with tone, style, and content in the saga鈥檚 upcoming spin-offs,鈥� Ms. Robinson wrote.
