The 20th anniversary re-release ofStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithis making a big impact at the box office, and could take a top prize from another beloved Disney classic. Re-releases andStar Warshave gone hand in hand for years, with the 1997 Special Edition of the original trilogy films being among the most memorable. However, the practice of re-releasing films in theaters has started to decline as streaming has gained popularity. Yet following the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney has been experimenting with re-releases ofStar Warsfilms.Return of the Jedireceived a 30th anniversary re-release in 2023, andThe Phantom Menacegot a 25th anniversary release in 2024. Now,Revenge of the Sithis getting the big-screen re-release treatment, and it is doing better than anyone could have expected.
‘Revenge of the Sith’ at 20: How Hayden Christensen Redeemed Anakin Skywalker and Silenced His ‘Star Wars’ Haters
Hayden Christensen’s ‘Star Wars’ debut as Anakin Skywalker was met with polarizing reviews, but he turned it all around by ‘Revenge of the Sith.’
Box office numbers show thatStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithpulled in $11.3 million on its opening Friday, according toCollider.Box office estimates now track the movie’s opening weekend to gross between $25 and $30 million,possibly beatingThe Accountant 2for the number two spot at the box office, behindSinners. This is easily the biggest opening weekend for a re-release since theaters reopened following the COVID-19 pandemic. IfRevenge of the Sithcrosses $30.2 million, it will beat the 2011 re-release ofThe Lion Kingas the biggest opening weekend for a modern re-release. It is also close to the opening weekend of theStar WarsSpecial Edition that was released in 1997, which grossed $35 million in its opening weekend, not adjusted for inflation. Here is a list of the opening weekends for some high-profile re-releases since 2010.
Release Date
Opening Weekend
Theater Count
The Lion King
Sept. 16, 2011
$30,151,614
Jurassic Park
Aug 09, 2025
$18,620,14
Beauty and the Beast
Jun 27, 2025
$17,751,905
Aug 22, 2025
$17,285,453
Finding Nemo
Sept. 14, 2012
$16,687,773
Sept. 23, 2022
$10,529,576
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
July 24, 2025
$8,723,194
Aug 11, 2025
$8,391,479
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Jul 29, 2025
$5,100,654
Pride & Prejudice
Jun 25, 2025
$2,801,275
Sept. 2, 2022
$2,638,285
Jun 03, 2025
$1,550,424
Jul 11, 2025
$1,455,260
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Jul 16, 2025
$1,072,350
$1,026,760
‘Star Wars’ Revenge at the Box Office
In terms of box office numbers, the re-release ofRevenge of the Sithalready grossed more on its opening day thanthe re-releases ofThe Phantom Menace,Return of the Jedi, andAvatarmade in their opening weekends. What is even more impressive is that the film does not have a 3D ticket price surge, unlike many top-grossing opening re-releases likeTitanic,The Lion King, andBeauty and the Beastdid back in the early 2010s. Currently,Revenge of the Sithis only set to be released for one week, and if it grosses $30 million, it will surpass 2023’s 25th anniversary ofTitanicand the 2022 re-release ofAvatar, two of the highest-grossing films of all time.
Revenge of the Sithcame at the perfect time. It was released asAndorSeason 2 began airing on Disney+, and following Star Wars Celebration, which had just concluded with many high-profile announcements, includingHayden Christensen’s return to play Anakin Skywalker inAhsokaSeason 2. While the prequel films were criticized at the time of their release, their popularity has grown in recent years, and an entire generation has wanted to revisit one of their favoriteStar Warsmovies on the big screen. This is a similar audience nostalgia that worked for the Special Edition re-releases of the originalStar Warstrilogy, which came out in celebration ofStar Wars'20th anniversary.
It has been six years since aStar Warsmovie graced the big screen, and the franchise will make its grand return on August 06, 2025,with the release ofThe Mandalorian & Grogu.Revenge of the Sithserves as a nice appetizer for what is to come, showing the power thatStar Warscontinues to have over audiences after all these years and many complaints from the fickle fandom. Even thoughRevenge of the Sithhas been available on home video for 20 years and is easily accessible on Disney+, nothing quite tops seeingStar Warsin a movie theater.
Source:Collider
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
