Captain Phasma and Kylo Ren in promo image for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Lucasfilm

The STAR WARS Film That Made Disney the Most Money Is Revealed

Originally posted on Nerdist | By Eric Diaz | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 9:51 PM ET

When the Walt Disney Company bought Lucasfilm back in 2012 for $4 billion, some wondered if the investment was worth it. Could Star Wars movies make a killing at the box office like they’d done in decades prior? Well, it turned out they made quite a bit of money, more than covering their investment. But which Disney Star Wars made the most? According to a report in Forbes, it was 2015’s The Force Awakens. Yes, it cost a staggering $535.5 million to produce. But it grossed over $2 billion at the box office globally, and Disney’s final profit take when all was said and done was over $500 million. And that’s not counting merchandise.

The Force Awakens literally awakened the dormant brand, which hadn’t released a film since 2005’s Revenge of the Sith. Most Star Wars fans had given up on Episodes VII-XI ever happening years earlier. And the promise of a continuation to the characters from George Lucas’ beloved original trilogy became a cultural event. It’s also a Star Wars tradition that the first movie in each trilogy makes the most money. A New Hope was easily the highest earner of George Lucas’ first batch of movies, and The Phantom Menace made the most when it came to the prequels.

So, which Star Wars movie made the least profit? The Rise of Skywalker had many production problems, making it cost a whopping $490 million. It “only” made a profit of $48 million, despite grossing over a billion globally. The only Star Wars movie from the Disney canon that lost money was Solo. That one lost $103 million. Of course, Lucasfilm makes far more from Star Wars merchandise and licensing than the movies themselves. Ultimately, between toys, clothing, theme parks, and the movies themselves, Disney has made over $12 billion from the brand overall. No matter which way you spin out, or how you may feel about “Disney Star Wars,” its ultimate profitability overall can’t be dismissed.

This article first appeared on Nerdist and was syndicated with permission.

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