DHAKA: The latest Star Wars film has taken $53m in ticket sales on its first weekend in China, the country’s highest ever opening weekend.

Globally, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ has become the third most commercially successful film in history, according to the Walt Disney studio, reports the BBC.

‘Titanic’, released in 1997, is number two and 2009’s ‘Avatar’ is top, with a total box office take of $2.8bn.

The film was released in China a month after its global release.

Disney, owners of the intergalactic adventure franchise, have focused considerable marketing effort on China, even going as far as putting 500 Stormtroopers on the Great Wall of China for an event.

It is the first episode many Chinese have seen, as the original Star Wars was not released in China at the time.

BDST: 1519 HRS, JAN 11, 2016
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