Filming Locations and Production Timeline
Principal photography for Star Wars The Last Jedi took place primarily at Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom, with additional location shooting in Ireland, Iceland, and Croatia. The production utilized large-scale sets built at Pinewood, including a full-scale Millennium Falcon interior and the Crait salt flat scenes, which were filmed at a purpose-built set. Filming began in February 2016 and wrapped in July 2016, with the film releasing in December 2017. The production employed thousands of crew members across multiple international locations, with the UK serving as the primary base for post-production and visual effects work by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), a Lucasfilm subsidiary. For more details on the production scale, see the official Lucasfilm page Lucasfilm.
Key Filming Sites
The Skellig Michael island in Ireland stood in for Ahch-To, the remote planet where Luke Skywalker lives in exile. The Dubh Linn Gate and other Irish coastal locations provided the dramatic cliffs and ancient monastery settings. In Iceland, the Vatnajökull glacier and surrounding landscapes served as the backdrop for the planet Crait's surface in certain establishing shots. Croatia's Dubrovnik and Split areas were used for the casino and city scenes on Cantonica, with the production temporarily closing parts of the old city for filming. The interiors of the Supremacy, the First Order mega Star Destroyer, were constructed on soundstages at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England.
Budget, Revenue, and Financial Performance
Star Wars The Last Jedi had a reported production budget of approximately $200 million, with total marketing and distribution costs bringing the overall investment to an estimated $317 million, according to industry analysts. The film grossed $1.332 billion worldwide at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing films of the Disney era. Despite the strong gross, the film's net profitability was lower than its predecessor, The Force Awakens, due to the high break-even point required for the combined production and marketing spend. The film's performance is tracked by Box Office Mojo, which provides detailed domestic and international gross data Box Office Mojo.
Revenue Breakdown
The domestic box office gross for Star Wars The Last Jedi was $620.2 million, while international markets contributed $712 million, with China representing a significant portion of the overseas total at $124 million. The film also generated substantial revenue from home entertainment, streaming, and merchandise licensing, though these figures are not fully disclosed by Disney. As a public company, Disney reports its studio entertainment segment revenue quarterly, and The Last Jedi contributed to the segment's performance during fiscal year 2018. Investors can review Disney's financial reports on the SEC website SEC.gov for segment-level data.
Production Companies and Key Personnel
Star Wars The Last Jedi was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, and distributed worldwide by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film was directed by Rian Johnson, who also wrote the screenplay, and produced by Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, along with Ram Bergman and J.J. Abrams, the latter serving as executive producer. The cast included Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Laura Dern, with a musical score composed by John Williams. The visual effects were supervised by ILM's Hal Hickel, and the film's cinematography was handled by Steve Yedlin.