'The Last Jedi' scores massive USD 45 million Thursday opening

Rian Jonhson's latest entry in the world of epic sci-fi franchise 'Star Wars', 'The Last Jedi', has managed to set a record for the second-biggest Thursday night opening in North America.

According to Entertainment Weekly, 'The Last Jedi' earned an estimated USD 45 million in Thursday previews, earning the second-highest domestic preview total of all time.

'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2' was previously the second-highest with USD 43m.

This total puts the movie behind 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' which earned USD 57m in 2015.

'The Last Jedi' also easily beat last year's 'Rogue One', which posted USD 29 million for its Thursday opening.

Internationally, 'The Last Jedi' has earned an estimated USD 60.8 million in territories like the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, Brazil, Sweden, and more.

As of Friday morning, its global total stands at USD 105.8 million.

Directed by Rian Johnson, 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' stars returning cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Andy Serkis.

The space opera currently boasts a 93 per cent score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with over 291 reviews counted.

In comparison, 2015's 'The Force Awakens' - also scored a 93 percent, but with significantly more reviews.

-ANI