How Much Money Has Star Wars Made?
When Star Wars was first released in 1977 it had a slow start but then word of mouth spread and suddenly the film was a LITERAL blockbuster.
People were queuing around the block to see the film. It was making ticket sale records by the week.
Back then, you couldn't book tickets to see films on your cell phone, you had to do it the old fashion way and if you wanted to see the film at a peak demand time period, you had to take a place on the sidewalk.
Anyways ticket sales were massive and Star Wars (before it became known as A New Hope) became one of the biggest money-making movies ever.
Collectively, the 12 Star Wars films on this list have a worldwide cume of over 10 billion dollars.
Star Wars Box Office Sales:
Star Wars Box Office Ticket Sales Facts
- Six months after it's release, it was the number one box office champion in North American history, having overtaken Steven Speilberg's Jaws in revenue. It held that record until Speilberg's follow up to Jaws, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial claimed it back.
- If you adjust ticket sale prices for inflation, then Star Wars is the 4th highest-grossing film in history, sitting behind Gone With the Wind, Avatar, and Titanic.
- Side Fact – Lucas put ET aliens in The Phantom Menance.
- When the Special Edition of Star Wars: A New Hope was released, ticket sales saw it go up to number two on the all-time list until Titantic drowned it.
- JJ Abram's turn at the helm, The Force Awakens sits at number 10 on the adjusted for inflation list.
- That said and even though Avengers Endgame is the current number one box office champ worldwide, The Force Awakens is the number one film in the North American market. That's some pretty good mojo eh!
- 5 Star Wars films have been the highest-grossing films for their release year – the original Original Trilogy films, The Phantom Menace, The Force Awakens, and The Last Jedi.
Which Star Wars Actor Has the Highest Film Grosses?
This is a trick question. You would think given the success of his career and his many movie hits, that Harrison Ford would have sold the most tickets when you add up every movie he's been in.
But the Star Wars character that has sold the more tickets than Ford when you add up all the sales of the movies they have been in?
Well.
You know that guy in The Empire Strikes Back when Han Solo tells that guy he's “see him in Hell!” When that guy is actually a well known actor called John Ratzenberger.
You may know him as Cliff from the classic comedy show, Cheers.
Your kids might know him as Mr Potatoe Head from Toy Story and just about every single Pixar film. That's right, his voice over work means that he is the Star Wars actor with the highest career box office gross!
But.
Hold.
On.
To.
Your.
Buts.
The truth is that Mace Windu himself has a higher earnings total than Force – that's right Samuel L Jackson has had more earnings – three Star Wars prequels, a turn as Frozo in The Incredibles and various other big selling tent pole such as a few Avengers films, Spider Man, Captain Marvel et al have it over Harrison Ford.
Ford is actually twelve on the all time list, Jackson 2.
Mark Hamill comes in about number 50 when you add in the recent billion-dollar performance of The Rise of Skywalker and Carrie Fisher 45 (she had a better post Star Wars career than Hamill).
The number one player across all films? It's cameo king Stan Lee who has appeared in most of the Marvel films until his death.
How Star Wars Box Office Numbers are calculated
Paul Rose Jr has worked as TV News Producer, Forensic Analyst, and Train Conductor, among many other things. He’s the former TV Editor for Infuzemag.com and owns more books, DVDs, and comics than most people have seen in their lifetimes. When he’s not writing articles, he exercises his creative muscle writing screenplays and acting in film and television in Los Angeles, CA.