From Darth Vader coffee mugs to holiday sweaters with Chewbacca in a Santa hat, “Star Wars” has unleashed a galaxy of goods. Cash registers will ring again when “The Force Awakens” hits theaters on Dec. 18. The film could generate more than $9 billion in revenue for Disney and its partners, from cinemas to TV networks, retailers, and toymakers. Ticket sales alone could reach $2.4 billion, according to Nomura Securities. DVDs, movie downloads, and video games may total hundreds of millions more. In a slow year, more than $2 billion of “Star Wars” merchandise is sold. That could reach $5 billion, estimates Macquarie Research, putting it in a class with “Toy Story 3” for top-grossing franchises. “The buzz on this is tremendous,” said Marcus Theatres CEO Rolando Rodriguez.
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