Star Wars becomes UK’s biggest film of 2015

JJ Abrams’ film has also overtaken Avatar (£94m) as the second most successful film in history in the UK. But Skyfall still reigns supreme as the UK’s highest-grossing film of all time with £103m in 2012. At the end of December, Star Wars: The Force Awakens also became the fastest film to take $1bn (£674m) at the global box office. It achieved the feat in 12 days, beating the previous record of 13 days set by Jurassic World in June.

It still has a way to go before it can compete with the two films which took more than $2bn worldwide – 1997′s Titanic ($2.18bn; £1.45bn) and 2009′s Avatar ($2.78bn; £1.85bn). Both were directed by James Cameron and were also released in the same pre-Christmas slot as The Force Awakens.

Star Wars fans, many of them waving lightsabers, turned out in force for the red carpet event in Leicester Square on the premiere night. They cheered as a procession of stormtroopers, led by Darth Vader, marched down the red carpet before the stars arrived.

Director JJ Abrams and cast members including Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver and Lupita Nyong’o had all flown in from Los Angeles, where the world premiere was held on Monday. Famous droids C-3PO and R2-D2 and new robot BB-8 also made an appearance.

Tags: Adam Driver, Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Domhnall Gleeson, Harrison Ford, J.J. Abrams, John Boyega, Kenny Baker, Mark Hamill, Max von Sydow, Oscar Isaac, Peter Mayhew, Star Wars