"STAR WARS: Revenge of the Sith" is setting Re-Release box office Records, beating out new titles

If last year taught us anything, it’s that there’s a massive hunger for movie re-releases — especially when they tap straight into millennial nostalgia. That trend is alive and well, with Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith storming back into theaters for its 20th anniversary and smashing records along the way. In a surprising twist, the epic space opera even outpaced the debut of The Accountant 2, the newest Ben Affleck flick. Even more impressive, Revenge of the Sith managed to double the earnings that The Phantom Menace pulled in during its own re-release last year.

Fueled by a $25 million domestic opening and another $17 million from international fans, the film’s re-release weekend hit a total of $42 million. This latest boost has pushed the movie past the $400 million mark in U.S. earnings alone, and it’s now closing in on a staggering $900 million worldwide. Revenge of the Sith wrapped up the divisive Star Wars prequel trilogy, a set of films that, while still debated, has gained a loyal following. Compared to its two predecessors — The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones — Revenge of the Sith earned much stronger praise, winning over critics and audiences alike.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film boasts a “certified fresh” score of 79%, significantly ahead of Attack of the Clones (61%) and The Phantom Menace (54%). After George Lucas completed this final chapter, the franchise found new life under director J.J. Abrams with The Force Awakens, but Revenge of the Sith remains Lucas' swan song — and the definitive story of Anakin Skywalker’s tragic fall into Darth Vader.

Old Favorites Are Outshining New Movies

The film’s triumphant return marks the biggest re-release success since The Lion King roared back into theaters in 2011 with a $30 million haul. It even outperformed the re-releases of cinematic heavyweights like Titanic ($17 million), Avatar ($10 million), and the legendary Empire Strikes Back ($22 million back in 1997). While James Cameron’s Titanic still holds the crown for the most lucrative re-release with $350 million worldwide in 2012, more recent returns like Coraline and Interstellar have shown that old favorites still have plenty of magic left, each pulling in over $50 million when they revisited the big screen.

Right now, you can catch Revenge of the Sith on the silver screen — and judging by the numbers, you’ll be far from the only one reliving the galaxy’s most dramatic fall from grace.