'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Brings in $57M Thursday

The latest film in the franchise brought in $57 million on Thursday night.

ByABC News
December 18, 2015, 4:05 PM

— -- "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has already made box office history.

The Walt Disney Co., which owns production company Lucasfilm and ABC News, said the latest film in the franchise raked in an estimated $57 million Thursday night, beating out the previous record-holder for Thursday night sales, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2."

That 2011 film made $43.5 million at the box office Thursday night.

Disney added that 47 percent of Thursday's ticket sales were sold at 3-D theaters across the United States. Also, IMAX theaters domestically -- 391 to be exact -- made $5.7 million, which is nearly double the previous record of $3 million.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was released on more screens than any other film this month, playing in over 4,000 theaters nationwide, according to Disney.