New York (CNN Business) Moviegoers showed up in droves for the latest "Star Wars" movie. Fans watching the movie on Christmas Day put "The Rise of Skywalker" over the half-billion-dollar mark at the box office.

Disney DIS said Thursday that latest "Star Wars" sequel brought in $32 million in the United States on Wednesday, the biggest Christmas Day for a any movie since "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was released before the holiday in 2015.

The total worldwide earnings for "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" climbed to more than $500 million.

"The Rise of Skywalker," the ninth film in the core Star Wars anthology, opened to mixed reviews on December 30, and earned $176 million in North America its first weekend . That would be a strong showing for any other film, but it was less than what the previous two Star Wars films brought in.

But it proved to be the flick of choice for Christmas moviegoers. "Jumanji: The Next Level," which opened December 13, brought in $12.5 million Wednesday. And the "Little Women" movie netted about $6 million on its opening day.

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