QUESTIONS surround ‘STAR WARS: The FORCE AWAKENs’

Countdown clocks will hit zero tonight when “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” debuts. Its hype is galactic, but questions surround the film:

IS IT ANY GOOD?: Critics, embargoed until early Wednesday morning, have roundly praised “The Force Awakens” as a return to form for the franchise and a loving resurrection of the space opera. The general feeling is that the movie balances old (the original stars, hand-crafted effects) and new (the heirs apparent Daisy Ridley and John Boyega) in a kind of greatest hits of “Star Wars” that, while it may not chart much new ground, flows with the spirit of the original movies. The force is strong with it.

HOW MUCH WILL IT MAKE?: For months it’s been the favorite parlor game of the movie industry. Will it pass the record $208.8 million domestic debut of “Jurassic World” in June? The December marketplace is a different beast than the early summer; the previous top December opening is the $84.6 million for 2012’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” It goes without saying that “The Force Awakens” will smash that. It’s already sold more than $100 million worth of presales. Rival studio executives peg a debut above $200 million and likely surpassing “Jurassic World.” Analysts, though, caution that the opening weekend is only part of the story for “The Force Awakens.” Given Disney’s investment and planned rollout of sequels and spinoffs for years to come, the more significant box-office fate of “The Force Awakens” will be told over weeks and months. “The real key here is where we are in March,” says Paul Dergarabedian of box- office data firm Rentrak. “This movie gets into the $1 billion club without breaking a sweat.” While the film’s all-powerful merchandising soaks up holiday sales, Disney will hope that “The Force Awakens” plays like “Avatar” and “Titanic” – movies that remained top draws through January and benefited from repeat viewings. The film opens most everywhere internationally this weekend, but doesn’t land in China until Jan. 9.

WHO’S THE BREAKOUT STAR?: There are many contenders here, led by the fierce Ridley and Boyega, who adds to the humor that runs throughout the film. Harrison Ford, too, has drawn some of his best reviews in decades for his reprisal of Han Solo. But there’s no question: the scene-stealer of “The Force Awakens” is BB-8, the puppy-like droid who bleeps and bloops and rolls away with the movie.

ARE WE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THE OSCARS?: It isn’t out of the realm of possibility, but “The Force Awakens” faces the odds of surviving an asteroid field. Academy voters seldom reward sequels, and Abrams’ film is the last-screened entry of the season. It’s not without precedent, though; “Star Wars” was a best picture nominee in 1978 when Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall” won.

Associated Press