'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Tracking For A Sky-High $425 Million Worldwide Opening

Even a half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder could predict that Star Wars: The Last Jedi will make a ton of money. It's the highly anticipated follow-up to the acclaimed Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which shattered box office records as the highest-grossing movie in U.S. theaters.

Whether The Last Jedi can beat those records is another question. But box office tracking for Rian Johnson's film estimates that The Last Jedi could open to massive numbers worldwide.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is expected to open to more than $425 million at the worldwide box office, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Domestically, Johnson's film is expected to open to $200 million, which would be the best opening of the year so far — though this year's box office has suffered from historically low numbers. Though the estimates are gargantuan, it still doesn't best J.J. Abrams' The Force Awakens opening weekend, which amassed $529 million worldwide and $247.9 million domestically. But to be fair, The Force Awakens had the benefit of introducing a franchise to a brand new generation and of being the first Star Wars film in a decade. Expectations were sky-high for that film, and they far exceeded it, establishing itself as a critical and commercial success.

The $425 million estimate for The Last Jedi would place it in the top five of highest-grossing worldwide opening weekends, which, according to Box Office Mojo, would slot it behind Fate of the Furious ($541.9 million), The Force Awakens ($529 million), Jurassic World ($525.5 million), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ($483.2 million), but ahead of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ($422.5 million).

Star Wars films have historically done gangbusters at the box office, with the more recent films setting box office records. The older films still hold a high standing when you take inflation into account. Here are the past Star Wars domestic openings for comparison, via Box Office Mojo:

It should be noted that reviews for Star Wars: The Last Jedi only hit today, two days before the film's release. It's possible that the positive buzz and word-of-mouth for the film could propel the movie to an even greater opening weekend, or possibly best The Force Awakens' overall record-breaking domestic gross.

Here is the official synopsis for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, and Benicio del Toro:

Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares to do battle with the First Order.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15, 2017.