DECEMBER 19 EVENING UPDATE: Disney executives reported on Saturday evening an estimated $60m second-day gross in North America that raised the space opera’s tally heading into Sunday to $180m.

Star Wars The Force Awakens

Combined with $129.5m after three international days - the figure had not been updated as of Saturday - the worldwide haul for Star Wars: The Force Awakens stands at $309.5m.

Studio brass said the film remained on track for a record-breaking $220m-plus after three days in North America.

DECEMBER 19 MORNING UPDATE: Disney executives reported on Saturday morning that Star Wars: The Force Awakens grossed an estimated record $125m on Friday opening day that set it on course for a projected $220m three-day weekend.

The worldwide tally stands at $250m, comprising an estimated international running total after three days of $129.5m.

The UK has climbed to $24.7m, Germany $12.7m, France $11.1m, Australia $10.4m, Mexico $5.7m, Russia $4.9m, Italy $4.4m, Brazil $4.1m and Sweden $3.9m.

Friday openers Spain and Japan have reached $3.5m and $3m, respectively. The Force Awakens touches down in India and Greece on December 24 followed by the final market of China on January 9, 2016.

DECEMBER 18 EVENING UPDATE: Disney executives said on Sa afternoon that Star Wars: The Force Awakens was on course for a record-breaking $120m-$125m first full day and proected a potential $225m+ historic industry opening weekend.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows - Part 2 holds the record for the biggest single day / opening day in North America on $91.1m in 2011.

The Friday figure includes the record $57m in Thursday previews and sets the sci-fi film on course to overtake Jurassic World’s all-time industry North American opening weekend of $208.8m set in June this year.

The projected North American running total range combines with the $72.7m from the first two days of international for a worldwide tally of up to $198m that does not include Friday’s international grosses, which Disney will report on Saturday.

Jurassic World also holds the biggest international and global opening weekend marks of $316.1m and $524.9m, respectively.

DECEMBER 18 MORNING REPORT: Fired up by a record $57m in Thursday evening previews across North America, the latest sci-fi episode has soared past $100m in two days.

The previous best score for Thursday previews was $43.5m set by Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011. Disney sources said 3D accounted for 47% of the night, while Imax reported $5.7m (from 391 screens) of the $57m North American previews haul, doubling its previous best of $3m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has amassed $72.7m from two days of international play, ranking number one in all 44 markets by Friday. It rolls out in all its remaining markets on Friday including Japan and Spain.

The film scored the industry’s biggest single day in history in the UK on Thursday on $14.4m and also did so in Sweden on $1.7m on Wednesday (the film is up to $2.7m as of Friday) and Norway on $1.1m on Wednesday.

Germany recorded the biggest industry opening day of all time on $7.1m, as did Australia on $6.8m and Brazil on $2.7m.

Disney executives said there were also record industry opening days in New Zealand, Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, French-speaking Switzerland, Austria, Ukraine, Slovakia, Croatia, Iceland, Serbia, Chile and Peru.

There were record Disney opening days of $7.8m in France, $3.4m in Mexico and $3.1m in Italy. The studio achieved the same distinction in Denmark, South Africa, Czech Republic and Turkey.

Biggest December opening days occurred in Argentina, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.

IMAX records fell in the UK, Australia, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Austria, Turkey, Portugal, Qatar, UAE, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, Chile, Costa Rica and Trinidad.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in India and Greece on December 24 followed by the final market China on January 9, 2016.

Separately, Disney executives reported that Inside Out stands on the cusp of a major milestone and has grossed $499.1m.