'Star Wars' extends its box office conquest

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" continued its box office romp on North American screens, adding to earnings that already have shattered records, preliminary industry figures showed Sunday.

The latest "Star Wars" space epic surpassed the $1 billion mark in global box office sales in record time, Disney announced Sunday, as fans of the space epic packed theaters around the world.

Twelve days after it first hit screens, "The Force Awakens" has posted an estimated $545 million in ticket sales in North America and $546 million internationally, a statement said.

The highly anticipated seventh installment of the blockbuster saga has received mostly glowing reviews, and is being credited with breathing new life into the juggernaut Hollywood franchise launched by creator George Lucas in 1977.

In North America, Disney said "The Force Awakens" posted record Christmas Day box office sales of $49.3 million.

For the Friday-Saturday-Sunday period, it earned an estimated $153.5 million, box office monitor Exhibitor Relations said.

Debuting in the number two spot was "Daddy's Home," a comedy about the emotional competition between a father and stepfather.

Starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, it brought in $38.8 million for the three day period.

In third with $17.5 million was another premiere, "Joy," starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.

The quirky tale of a mom whose marketing mojo makes her a millionaire, has earned solid reviews for the Oscar-winning co-stars.

Meanwhile "Sisters," a comedy starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, landed in fourth with total revenue of $13.9 million.

Slipping to fifth place was "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip," with $12.7 million.

Results for the rest of the top 10 were as follows:

6. "Concussion" ($11 million)

7. "The Big Short" ($10.5 million)

8. "Point Break" ($10.2 million)

9. "Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2" ($5.3 million)

10. "Creed" ($4.6 million)