Day: December 18, 2015

Previews in the U.S. start tonight at 7 PM, and most of the town is already betting a record of $50M, outstripping Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2‘s midnight preview moolah of $43.5M. At this point in time, domestic presales are projected at $100M for the JJ Abrams film. Anything over $208.8M this weekend in the U.S. and Canada beats the all-time debut record set by Jurassic World in June. As for Wednesday, France chalked up $5.2M making it the biggest opening day ever in December, more than doubling the first day of Avengers and almost double the first day of Jurassic World. The local French industry runs its charts in terms of admissions rather than euro or dollar figures. Using that standard, The Force Awakens had the second best opening of 2015 with 619,200 tickets sold compared to No. 1 Spectre’s 850,297 — that was on a holiday Wednesday, when parents and kids both had a day off (previews were included in its admissions tally). In dollars, Rey, Finn, Poe & BB-8 took $5.2M on Wednesday with no previews. Spectre’s Wednesday take was $4.4M. On the all-time first day chart, SWTFA comes in No. 12 in terms of admissions, but it’s important to remember that this new chapter has 3D which drove 72% of box office on opening day and will continue to be a factor in dollar grosses.


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As for Wednesday, France chalked up $5.2M making it the biggest opening day ever in December, more than doubling the first day of Avengers and almost double the first day of Jurassic World. The local French industry runs its charts in terms of admissions rather than euro or dollar figures. Using that standard, The Force Awakens had the second best opening of 2015 with 619,200 tickets sold compared to No. 1 Spectre’s 850,297 — that was on a holiday Wednesday, when parents and kids both had a day off (previews were included in its admissions tally). In dollars, Rey, Finn, Poe & BB-8 took $5.2M on Wednesday with no previews. Spectre’s Wednesday take was $4.4M. On the all-time first day chart, SWTFA comes in No. 12 in terms of admissions, but it’s important to remember that this new chapter has 3D which drove 72% of box office on opening day and will continue to be a factor in dollar grosses.

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Sets All-Time Record With $529M Global Opening; Lights Up $281M Intl – Update

White House: Obama will give a ‘non-traditional’ State of the Union


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White House officials are pledging that President Obama will deliver a “non-traditional” State of the Union address in January, the last time he will deliver the annual speech as president.
The address will still be given in the Capitol before joint session of Congress. But instead of rattling off a laundry list of proposals for lawmakers to consider, a senior White House official said the president will take a “big picture approach to some of the challenges and opportunities that we face” as a country.

Ryan and Pelosi corral votes as $1.1T funding bill speeds to floor


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The House is poised to pass a bipartisan $1.1 trillion bill to fund the government, with GOP and Democratic whip teams going into overdrive to boost their numbers before the Friday morning vote.

Democratic leaders have voiced numerous objections to the package, particularly the inclusion of an end to a ban on crude oil exports and the failure to address Puerto Rico’s debt crisis. But with the White House urging support — and dozens of conservatives expected to buck GOP leaders and vote no — the Democrats are also scrambling to convince wary rank-and-file members that the current package is the best they can get.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/263683-ryan-pelosi-corral-votes-as-11t-funding-bill-speeds-to-floor