Beauty and the Beast pips Star Wars to be the UK's top film of 2017

Jonathan Olley Star Wars: The Last JediJonathan Olley
New character Rose was introduced in The Last Jedi

Star Wars' Jedi warriors normally emerge victorious in their battles - be they against the evil First Order or box office rivals.

But the Force was not with Star Wars: The Last Jedi in the battle to be the UK's most popular film of 2017.

The foe to defeat the all-action space sequel in the year-end box office rankings was Emma Watson, with her hit Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty and the Beast earned £4.1m more than The Last Jedi in 2017.

Getty Images Emma WatsonGetty Images
Emma Watson played Belle in Beauty and the Beast

Episode VIII of the long-running sci-fi franchise had taken £68.3m by the end of 31 December, according to the Press Association.

But while Beauty and the Beast was released in March and has now disappeared from cinemas, The Last Jedi is still playing on hundreds of screens, so its total will continue to grow in the coming weeks.

Beauty and the Beast was also the most popular film around the world, taking $1.26bn (£929m) at global box offices.

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