In Theaters: STAR WARS - THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, CATS and BOMBSHELL

"Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker" has taken the box office by storm with an incredible $40 million from Thursday previews, which is the fifth largest preview gross ever. However, the film has grossed $5 million less than the "The Last Jedi" previews, while "The Force Awakens" raked in $57 million from Thursday previews. The studio is expecting a $160+ million debut from 4,406 theaters for their Skywalker saga capper, which is well below the previous two films' $200+ million opening weekends.

Meanwhile, Universal's "Cats", which has been skewered by critics, brought in a modest $550,000 from previews, and the musical is expected to gross around $15 million from 3,380 theaters over its opening weekend.

The biopic "Bombshell" has expanded nationwide this weekend and will probably end up with around $7 million from 1,480 theaters.

Synopses, details, critical/audience reception, trailers, and more after the jump.

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Official Synopsis

No one's ever really gone... Rey's journey continues and the Skywalker saga concludes in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, coming December 2019.

Film Details

• Director: J.J. Abrams
  
  
• Starring: Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong'o, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran, Ian McDiarmid, Billy Dee Williams, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher
  
  
• Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
  
  
• Running Time: 141 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 57% (178 fresh, 132 rotten, score: 6.2/10)
  
• Metacritic: 54 out of 100 (19 positive, 36 mixed, 3 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 86% (average score: 4.3/5 from 10,049 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 5.0/10 (413 positive, 120 mixed, 409 negative).
• IMDb: 6.9/10 (46,739 votes)
  

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CATS

Official Synopsis

A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life.

Film Details

• Director: Tom Hooper
  
  
• Starring: Taylor Swift, Francesca Hayward, Idris Elba, Ian McKellen, Rebel Wilson, James Corden, Judi Dench, Ray Winstone, Jennifer Hudson, Jason Derulo,
  
  
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
  
  
• Running Time: 110 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG for some rude and suggestive humor
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 19% (30 fresh, 125 rotten, score: 3.8/10)
  
• Metacritic: 32 out of 100 (4 positive, 22 mixed, 20 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 67% (average score: 3.7/5 from 106 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 6.4.0/10 (44 positive, 4 mixed, 25 negative).
• IMDb: 2.9/10 (855 votes)
  

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BOMBSHELL

Official Synopsis

Starring Academy Award (R) winner Charlize Theron, Academy Award (R) winner Nicole Kidman, Academy Award (R) nominee John Lithgow and Academy Award (R) nominee Margot Robbie, based on the real scandal, BOMBSHELL is a revealing look inside the most powerful and controversial media empire of all time; Fox News, and the explosive story of the women who brought down the infamous man who created it.

Film Details

• Director: Jay Roach
  
  
• Starring: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, Allison Janney, John Lithgow, Connie Britton, Kate McKinnon, Malcolm McDowell, Mark Duplass
  
  
• Genre: Biography, Drama
  
  
• Running Time: 108 min.
  
  
• Rating: R for sexual material and language throughout
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 66% (105 fresh, 55 rotten, score: 6.7/10)
  
• Metacritic: 64 out of 100 (25 positive, 15 mixed, 1 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 89% (average score: 4.2/5 from 114 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 4.9/10 (9 positive, 4 mixed, 9 negative).
• IMDb: 5.7/10 (1,231 votes)
  

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