If you’ve ever wondered how many theaters did Star Wars open in, you’re not alone. There are as many as 43. In fact, the first showing of Star Wars happened in 43 different theaters, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Salt Lake City, Seattle, and Portland. Whether you’re curious about the exact number or just curious about the film itself, you’ve come to the right place.
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32 theaters
Although it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when Star Wars first opened in theaters, the original release was seen in 43 locations on May 25, 1977. The opening day was an early Wednesday, so the distributor, 20th Century-Fox, wanted to book as many theaters as possible with Dolby sound systems. Although the number of opening-weekend engagements fell short of the number of prints in circulation, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the film wasn’t a hit. In fact, the film continued to perform well after the premiere weekend, and over two dozen 70mm engagements were shown in major cities in the U.S. by Christmas 1977.
During the Christmas holiday season, a Star Wars trailer was released, with no music score, which whetted both children and adults’ appetites for the movie. However, despite the trailer’s success, Fox was not confident that the film would be able to compete with summer blockbusters and pushed its release date to the Wednesday before Memorial Day, May 25, 1977. However, theater owners were not as enthusiastic about the film as Fox was, and fewer than forty theaters agreed to show it.
After its debut in limited theaters, Star Wars received seven Oscar nominations, sold hundreds of millions of tie-in merchandise, and became a blockbuster. Its success helped propel 20th Century-Fox into the world of filmmaking, and inspired a whole generation of writers and moviegoers to follow in its footsteps. Additionally, the film’s success boosted the personal budget of the two lead actors, George Lucas and Harrison Ford. Hundreds of millions of DVDs were welcomed into home theater libraries.
While Star Wars opened in 32 theaters on its opening day, it was not until May 26 that the movie had become so popular. This was due to the fact that the film remained in theaters for just a week before being released in the U.S., where it would ultimately end up with an average of four to five million dollars in revenue. This impressive debut was a major hit and helped the movie spread across the world, earning the title “Star Wars” in no time.
43 theaters
Star Wars opened in only 32 theaters on May 25, 1977. It went on to become a cultural phenomenon and was re-released in many theaters in the summer of 1999. The film debuted to critical acclaim and set records in both domestic and international box office. Despite the film’s limited opening weekend, it exploded into a multibillion dollar phenomenon. Despite the shaky start, the movie’s success soon soared, and by August, it was playing in more than a thousand theaters worldwide.
The movie received seven Oscars and surpassed the expectations of its audience. It earned close to $850 million worldwide. Lucas, along with 20th Century Fox, arranged marketing and distribution with the studio and theaters. The movie’s star, Carrie Fisher, played Princess Leia. She recalled that seeing “Star Wars” was like a cosmic earthquake, with the first shot a spaceship chase and a roaring crowd cheering.
In contrast, “Smokey” had a record opening weekend, with $386 million in the first weekend and $63 million overall. This was equal to $28,000 per theater by 2022. In the United States alone, “Smokey” grossed $533 million and sold 56 million tickets. In total, the films opened in 43 theaters in 1977. And the earliest openings aren’t even close to being that great anymore.
The original release date of Star Wars was originally scheduled for the Christmas season of 1976, but the movie’s production and release were delayed. Fox wasn’t confident that the film would compete against other summer blockbusters, so the release was pushed back to the Wednesday before Memorial Day, May 25, 1977. But the movie wasn’t exactly well-received by theater owners. Less than forty theaters opened the film, despite the initial success.
Star Wars has become an icon in pop culture, with numerous sequels, television series and other products. The movie has inspired the creation of a large industry of tie-in products, including toys, games, and apparel. The film has also spawned multiple spin-offs, including prequels and sequels. The Star Wars movie franchise is so wildly successful, it has even inspired a series of television shows based on the characters.
