The Force was strong among Utah moviegoers this weekend, with seven locations in the Utah-based Megaplex Theatres chain ranking in the top 40 nationally for ticket sales of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.”
Two locations placed in the top 10: The Megaplex at The District in South Jordan, at No. 3; and the Megaplex Jordan Commons in Sandy, at No. 6. That’s according to film industry tracking sources, the Megaplex chain announced in a news release Monday. The chain did not release exact dollar amounts.
Among those attending at The District were 300 fans who sat through a 25-hour marathon of nine “Star Wars” movies on Wednesday and Thursday, ending with the first screening of “The Rise of Skywalker.”
Also in the rankings: Megaplex at Thanksgiving Point, Lehi, at No. 16; Megaplex Geneva, Vineyard, at No. 19; the Legacy Crossing location, Centerville, at No. 23; the Valley Fair location, West Valley City, at No. 36, and The Gateway multiplex, downtown Salt Lake City, at No. 40.
Blake Andersen, president of Megaplex Theatres, said in a statement that he expected crowds at the theaters through the holidays. “It’s a great time of year to be a movie fan, since there is something for everyone,” Andersen said, citing such titles as “Jumanji: The Next Level” and a new version of “Little Women” (which opens Christmas Day).
Nationally, “The Rise of Skywalker” brought in an estimated $175.5 million at 4,406 theaters in North America between Friday and Sunday, the website Box Office Mojo reported. That’s the third largest December opening of all time — but since the top two are the previous installments of the “Star Wars” franchise, “The Force Awakens” (at $248 million) in 2015, and “The Last Jedi” (at $220 million) in 2017, the new movie’s haul is considered a slight disappointment within the industry.