With new theatrical releases still a ways off, reopened movie theaters have turned to older titles to fill up their screens. One of these titles is the Star Wars film,The Empire Strikes Back, which is now on track to reign supreme over the domestic box office.
According to Deadline, Empire took in $175,000 from 483 locations on Friday, July 10. With its Friday gross, Empire has now taken in $290.4 million domestically. That single-day haul also means the film is poised to gross in the high $400K and low $500K for the entire weekend. This will mark the first time Empire has topped the domestic box office since its theatrical re-release in February 1997.
Right behind Empire at this weekend's box office are fellow Disney titles Black Panther and Inside Out with projected three-day weekend grosses of $110,000 and $106,000, respectively.
Other classic features that have recently topped the domestic box office include Jurassic Park, Zootopia and Ghostbusters. Empire's projected high $400K to low $500K weekend gross is higher than the $280,000 sum Zootopia amassed when it topped the June 26-28, 200 box office frame.
Originally released on May 21, 1980, The Empire Strikes Back is the sequel to 1977's Star Wars. Since the prequels' inception, it is officially the fifth chronological installment in the film saga overall.