Star Wars: the Last Jedi

'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' has second biggest Thursday opening ever

Box office numbers for the preview night of Episode VIII is second only to its prequel, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which made $57 million when it opened in 2015.

"The Last Jedi" opens in more than 4,100 theaters domestically this weekend. The movie will likely come up short against the opening for "The Force Awakens," but Thursday's box office windfall bodes well for the space franchise as it heads into the weekend.

The box office record for an opening weekend belongs to "Force Awakens," which premiered to $248 million two years ago.