Riding Globes, ‘1917’ ends ‘Star Wars’ box-office reign

It took the once-called ‘War to end all wars’ to take down Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker at the box-office.

Director Sam Mendes’ World War I story 1917 brought in $36.5 million in its third week in theaters but first weekend of wide release.

The epic film, starring George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Richard Madden, Benedict Cumberbatch and Colin Firth, among others, easily topped the ninth and final installment in the Skywalker saga, which earned $15.1 million.

Universal’s strategy for 1917 worked beautifully, as the film went from just 11 screens in its first two weeks to more than 3,400 on the weekend after it won Golden Globes for best director and best drama film.

‘I hope this means that people will turn up and see this on the big screen, the way it was intended,” Mendes said at the Golden Globes ceremony. 

His hopes weren’t unfounded: 1917 has now brought in over $60 million at the world-wide box-office.

That’s of course dwarfed by Disney’s total domestic take of $478.2 million for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which is on the verge of reaching $1 billion globally after four weeks. 

Mission accomplished! 1917 earned $36.5 million, compared to Star Wars with $15.1 million; George MacKay, center, is among the ensemble cast that includes Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Richard Madden, Benedict Cumberbatch and Colin Firth, among others

Bonafide hit! The Rise Of Skywalker has brought-in $478.2 million, and is on the verge of reaching $1 billion globally after four weeks; pictured is Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, left, and Daisy Ridley as Rey in a scene from the sci-fi epic

Jumanji: The Next Level took third place in its fifth week of release for Sony with earnings of $14 million, and has totaled more than $257 million domestically. 

Like A Boss and Just Mercy tied for the fourth spot in the weekend box-office with $10 million.

Rounding out the sixth through tenth spots were:  Little Women ($7.65 million, $8.1 million international); Underwater ($7 million, $7.1 million international); Frozen 2 ($5.76 million $19.1 million international); Knives Out ($5.73 million $5.5 million international); and Spies in Disguise ($5.1 million $11.4 million international).

End of an era: Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker is the ninth and final installment in the so-called Skywalker Saga; The film starsDaisy Ridley as Rey 

Shot and edited to appear as though it was done in a single take, 1917 was based in part on an account told to Mendes by his paternal grandfather Alfred Mendes, who was a message carrier during The Great War. 

The story follows two British corporals, Blake (Chapman) and Schofield (MacKay) who are sent on a suicide mission to warn comrades about a looming ambush by the Germans at the height of the conflict.

Blake and Schofield are in a riveting race against the clock as they cut through No Man’s Land in northern France and into enemy territory to deliver the message to Colonel MacKenzie (Cumberbatch) to stop the attack and prevent the slaughter of 1,600 British troops – one of them Blake’s brother (Madden). 

Colossal:  1917 was shot and edited as though it was done in a single take;  Colin Firth is pictured as General Erinmore in a scene from the WWI epic that was directed by Sam Mendes