By Josh Bate
Despite the challenges to moviegoers and studios alike amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the re-release of The Empire Strikes Back championed the domestic box office this weekend with a $908,000 gross. Previous plans for a 4K theatrical release of the film were up in the air given the tumultuous theatrical landscape at the moment, but Disney still opted to re-release a version of The Empire Strikes Back to mark the iconic film’s 40th anniversary. This isn’t the first time Irvin Kershner’s film has excelled at the box office this year. July saw Empire sore to the top of the box office, earning $611,000 when many theaters in the U.S. were not open or had greatly reduced capacity.
Per Box Office Mojo, The Empire Strikes Back earned $908,000 this weekend at the domestic box office. The Friday total was $360,000, followed by Saturday’s take of $321,000 and Sunday’s take of $227,000. This means The Empire Strikes Back has now earned $292.1 million domestically.
Although journeying to a theater may not be the safest venture at the moment, Empire’s success highlights the draw such a monumental film still has and how hardcore Star Wars yearned to experience the film on the big screen. We’re hoping Empire and the other Skywalker Saga films see similar re-releases at points in the future when theaters are safer to frequent and more Star Wars fans can once again enjoy the saga on the big screen.
Images courtesy of Disney & Lucasfilm