Bryan Alexander

USA TODAY

The Force will run strong next year with Star Wars: Episode VIII voted the most anticipated 2017 film in a survey conducted by the ticket site Fandango.com.

The vote comes as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Fandango's most anticipated film for 2016) leads the box office charge over the holidays, now nearing $575 million in global box office. Episode VIII (in theaters Dec. 15), the second film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, follows 2015's record-breaking The Force Awakens and stars Carrie Fisher, who died Tuesday, as Leia.

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The poll of more than 2,000 site visitors who described themselves as frequent moviegoers was conducted the week of Dec. 19, prior to Fisher's death. All films scheduled for national release were included.

"Episode VIII is looking to be the movie event of 2017, just as Rogue One was the movie event of 2016. Disney keeps doing this every year," says Erik Davis, managing editor of Fandango.com. "They concentrate on that Star Wars moment and each year it explodes."

The Fandango list is dominated by five superhero event movies, with Chris Pratt's Star-Lord leading Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 into the second spot, followed by Wonder Woman (No. 4), the reboot Spider-Man: Homecoming (No. 5), the DC Comics superteam Justice League (No. 6) and Hugh Jackman's final Wolverine movie Logan (No. 9).

The humor-filled original Guardians surprised with its power in 2015, taking $773 million in worldwide box office.

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"The recipe that writer/director James Gunn created is such a winning one," says Davis. "The second looks to be just as much fun and now we love these characters. The success will not be a surprise this time around."

Guardians 2(out May 5) also boosted Pratt to take Fandango's most anticipated actor in a separate poll.

Wonder Woman (June 2) and its star Gal Gadot look to make a strong showing, with Gadot topping the year's rising female movie star poll and Wonder Woman reigning as the most anticipated comic-book character.

"People have been waiting for this female-led superhero movie, and this love only grew when we saw Wonder Woman revealed in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," says Davis. "She will pack a big punch in her solo outing."

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Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast (March 17) is a strong No. 3 amidst the superheroes on the most anticipated movies poll.

"The live-action Jungle Book made nearly $1 billion in box office and it's not close to the brand of Beauty and the Beast," says Davis. "Bringing these beloved characters into live action with Emma Watson as Belle, with those songs, it’s going to be a box-office beast."

The placement gives Walt Disney Studios the top three spots on the list (including Star Wars and Guardians 2), which doesn't surprise Jeff Bock, senior box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations.

"It’s going to be that way for years to come, total Disney domination," says Bock.

The first Fast & Furious film without the late Paul Walker, The Fate of the Furious, landed at No. 7. The second installment of E.L. James' kinky sex drama Fifty Shades Darker landed at No. 8 and Gru's return to Minion-mania in Despicable Me 3 rounds out the list at No. 10.

The full results:

FANDANGO's 2017 HOT LIST

Most anticipated movie

1. Star Wars: Episode VIII(Dec. 15)

2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2(May 5)

3. Beauty and the Beast(March 17)

4. Wonder Woman(June 2)

5. Spider-Man: Homecoming(July 7)

6. Justice League(Nov. 17)

7. The Fate of the Furious(April 14)

8. Fifty Shades Darker(Feb. 10)

9. Logan(March 3)

10. Despicable Me 3(June 30)

Most anticipated actress

1. Emma Watson (Beauty and the Beast)

2. Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: Episode VIII)

3. Jennifer Lawrence (Red Sparrow)

4. Halle Berry (Kingsman: The Golden Circle)

5. Charlize Theron (The Fate of the Furious)

Most anticipated actor

1. Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2)

2. Dwayne Johnson (Jumanji)

3. Hugh Jackman (Logan)

4. Idris Elba (Thor: Ragnarok)

5. Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok)

Rising female movie star

1. Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman, Justice League)

2. Zendaya (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

3. Elizabeth Debicki (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2)

4. Priyanka Chopra (Baywatch)

5. Sofia Boutella (The Mummy)

Rising male movie star

1. Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

2. Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast)

3. Ezra Miller (Justice League)

4. R.J. Cyler (Power Rangers)

5. Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out)

Most anticipated comic-book character in a 2017 movie

1. Wonder Woman(Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman, Justice League)

2. Baby Groot (Vin Diesel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2)

3. Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, Logan)

4. Spider-Man(Tom Holland, Spider-Man: Homecoming)

5. Thor (Chris Hemsworth, Thor: Ragnarok)

Most anticipated comedy

1. Pitch Perfect 3

2. Baywatch

3. Snatched

4. Fist Fight

5. Battle of the Sexes

Most anticipated horror thriller

1. Alien: Covenant

2. Stephen King’s It

3. Split

4. Get Out

5. A Cure for Wellness