'Star Wars' again crushes the competition

IT DIDN'T take a Jedi to know "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was going to be a big hit at the box office.

But this big?

The movie has surpassed the $1 billion mark at the box office in a record-setting 12 days.

The previous quickest to reach $1 billion was "Jurassic World," which did it in 13 days in June. But "Jurassic World" had the benefit of record grosses in China. "The Force Awakens" doesn't open in the world's second-largest movie market until Jan. 9.

"Force Awakens" also posted the biggest Christmas Day box office in history with $49.3 million and the best second-weekend earnings with $153.5 million.

"Force" has been setting records since its debut Dec. 17. It brought in $238 million in North America over its opening weekend, besting "Jurassic World," and set international opening-weekend records in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and on Naboo and Tatooine. It also topped $100 million in IMAX screenings in 10 days, another global record.

The "Star Wars" force meant the rest of the week's releases were competing for second place. That prize went to "Daddy's Home," which opened with $38.8 million, according to studio estimates. Yeah, daddy's home, and he's taking you to "Star Wars." "Joy," debuted in third with $17.5 million.

"Concussion," the Will Smith-head trauma drama, took in $11 million, good for sixth, followed by "The Big Short," which snagged $10.5 million (but parlayed that into $40 billion by going long on "Star Wars" futures). Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight" (in only 100 theaters) finished 10th with $4.5 million - maybe 11th depending on the final count for "Creed."

So if any of you are keeping track at home, No. 1. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" did $153.5 million domestically. Nos. 2-10 did $124.4 million combined.

* You know who else is raking it in this holiday season?

Adele.

The Voice Awakens.

Billboard reported that her new album, "25" sold 1.15 million in pure album sales in the week leading up to Christmas, the third week in a row it topped a million.

"25" has now sold more than 7 million copies.

Imagine how many albums she'd sell if she twerked.

Realitytvworld.com reports that

Elizabeth McGovern

(Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham) will ride in a "Downton Abbey" float at New Year's Day's Tournament of Roses Parade.

"The Crawley family estate has been painstakingly recreated in float form, complete with a magnificent landscape depicting English rose gardens and rolling green lawns and a 1919 Bentley driven by the family chauffeur," said a parade news release.

"The float will feature more than 60,000 roses in 20 different varieties, including velvety Roseberry and Cherry O roses; fragile pink Titanic and Priceless roses; and English garden roses, which are rarely seen at the Rose Parade. Oriental lilies, snapdragons, hypericum and a variety of orchids will provide accents throughout the garden."

For more on "Downton," read Ellen Gray on Page 23.

* Entertainment Weekly reports that Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher have donated $1 million to Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee to support victims of the conflict in Syria.

The gifts will fund a measles vaccination program for children in Northern Syria and also support families, particularly women and children in and around Syria, by funding education, health care, shelter, and sanitation.

* Some old rock band called the Beatles made their catalog available to streaming services on Christmas Eve. After two days, Spotify offered up some preliminary numbers on which Fab Four tracks were the hottest. Rolling Stone has a trio of charts but here are the top 10 Beatle songs streaming on Spotify across the universe.

1. "Come Together"

2. "Let It Be"

3. "Hey Jude"

4. "Love Me Do"

5. "Yesterday"

6. "Here Comes The Sun"

7. "Help!"

8. "All You Need Is Love"

9. "I Want To Hold Your Hand"

10. "Twist And Shout"

Interestingly, the list features songs from the mop top era, the psychedelic era and the long-haired breaking apart era. Of course, all three eras happened over seven years.

Interestingly, none of the top songs come from "Sgt. Pepper."

For perspective, Adele took 46 months between the release of "21" and "25." In the final 46 months of the Beatles, the band released "Revolver," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," "Magical Mystery Tour," the "White" album, "Yellow Submarine," "Abbey Road" and "Let it Be."

Uh, hello.

- Daily News wire services

contributed to this report.

Email: gensleh@phillynews.com

Phone: 215-854-5678

On Twitter: @DNTattle