Disney and Lucasfilm are bringing the year to end with a big bang, as it's been revealed that their latest episodic release in the 'Star Wars' franchise, 'The Last Jedi' will pass the $1 billion mark in the worldwide box office this weekend, even before the holiday that is New Year's Day on Monday, January 1, 2018.

Oscar Isaac returns as Poe alongside droid BB-8 in 'The Last Jedi'Oscar Isaac returns as Poe alongside droid BB-8 in 'The Last Jedi'

Half of that total was amassed in the film's very first week of release, and whilst the competition wasn't as strong as it may have been for 'Star Wars' films of the past, it is worth noting it has beaten out contenders for the top spot each week, such as the new Dwayne Johnson-led film 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle'.

The exciting news continues in that 'The Last Jedi' is expected to become the highest grossing movie of 2017 overall, despite only being released in December, and with its theatrical run going into 2018, it will allow Disney to start off the New Year with some big numbers.

Rian Johnson is the man behind the flick, sitting in the director's chair for 'The Last Jedi' and winning such confidence in his role that he's already been given free rein on a brand new 'Star Wars' trilogy, taking place in a completely different part of the galaxy. No major details have yet been given on this series, but it's expected to launch at some point in the near future, when the current trilogy in the episodic series has come to an end, as well as the 'Star Wars Story' releases, such as last year's 'Rogue One' and next year's Han Solo-led story, 'Solo'.

All of the success seen by Disney with the 'Star Wars' franchise following their acquisition of Lucasfilm back in 2012 should give them all the confidence in the world. They've already made the money back that they spent on gaining the rights for the property, and with the amount of good being said about the franchise, despite the controversy this latest film has caused with some fans, we can't see them slowing down on bringing more 'Star Wars' projects to fruition in the coming years. It's an exciting time to be a sci-fi fan.

More: 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Is The Franchise's Longest Film To-Date

'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' is available now in cinemas across the globe.