‘Rogue One’ News Update: Predictions Suggests Box Office 2016 Top, ‘Force Awakens’ Performance Not Expected By Disney

With the premiere of the first ever feature-length "Star Wars" anthology film just over three months away, some believe that "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" will become the year's top-reigning film in the box office despite not achieving the same success as "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens;" with the latter sentiment shared by Disney.

Flicksided is expecting great things for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," but apparently not great enough that it can stand on par or over with the main series entry "Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens." Apparently, being a "Star Wars" film, "Rogue One" might still have enough pull to push past the $1 billion threshold and becoming the top film for the year.

According to numbers at Box Office Mojo, the two top spots in domestic gross performance that "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" are both owned by fellow Disney-owned properties: "Finding Dory" and "Captain America: Civil War." "Finding Dory" has about $80, 000 over "Captain America: Civil War," though the worldwide numbers show the latter well past the $1 billion mark, while "Finding Dory" came up short by about $30, 000.

Just like "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," both top spot holders are part of beloved film franchises, although the "Star Wars" franchise as a whole likely carries far more weight. Because of this, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" has a strong chance of earning well based on the sheer number of loyalty of rabid "Star Wars" fans alone.

On Disney's side, the company's higher ups apparently never had any expectations that "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" will be able to compete with "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens." During the Goldman Sachs investors conference held last week, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that they "never felt it would do the level that 'Force Awakens' did."

Despite the somewhat downing sentiment, Disney still believes that "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" will still perform well financially. Deadline reported that based from the most recent cut of the film the Disney executives were shown, Iger said that "we love what we've seen" and that "interest is high" despite expectations not reaching the levels of "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens."