Most people predicted that Star Wars: The Force Awakens would make $2 billion easily when it hits theaters this December, but according to a new report by The Hollywood Reporter, Lucasfilm will make most of their money from their merchandise!
How much exactly are we talking? Well, according to Macquarie Securities analyst Tim Nollen, Star Wars: The Force Awakens merchandise will make up to $5 billion...within the first year of the film's release! Check out Nollen's assumptions below!
"It’s not clear how to model this as we can’t name a similar such event. But looking at another successful Disney franchise, Cars 2 sold more than $2.8 billion worth of merchandise in its first year alone in 2011, and the original Cars movie sold approximately $10 billion worth of merchandise in its first five years of release. Taking into account the strength of the Star Wars franchise, which has altogether sold over $20 billion worth of licensed goods in its lifetime, we estimate that Star Wars: The Force Awakens could perhaps bring in merchandise sales of $5 billion in the first year."
With Lucasfilm set to release all official merchandise this week at their Force Friday event, you'll be able to pick up all your favorite figures at major retailers such as Toy R Us, Wal Mart, etc. As for the film's initial release, Nollen also chimed in on that and predicted that it'll "gross about $2 billion at the global box office, netting nearly $1.2 billion in revenue for the company," making it third in the box office all-time, only trailing Avatar (the #1 film in the box office) and Titanic! Sound off below with your thoughts!
Starring original cast members Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker and franchise newcomers, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o and Max von Sydow, Star Wars Episode VII is set to be released on December 18th, 2015.