Los Angeles, California – Dinosaurs are back on the big screen, and they’re making a significant impact at the box office. “Jurassic World Rebirth,” the seventh film in Universal’s iconic franchise, opened to impressive sales, raking in $147.3 million during its first five days across 4,308 theaters in North America. This hefty sum positions the film as a leading contender for summer blockbuster status, coinciding with the Independence Day holiday.
Despite the strong debut, “Jurassic World Rebirth” has shown a marked decline compared to its predecessors. The film earned $91.5 million during its opening weekend, which started on Wednesday to take advantage of the holiday crowd. This total is a significant dip from the three-day opening figures of earlier installments, including the $208 million that “Jurassic World” attracted in 2015 and $145 million generated by “Jurassic World Dominion” in 2022. Previous entries collected much higher amounts after their first five days, indicating that audience enthusiasm for the franchise may be waning.
In an industry characteristic of diminishing returns, Universal has taken a more cautious approach with “Jurassic World Rebirth,” which introduces a new cast featuring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali. With a production budget of $180 million, significantly lower than previous films in the series, the studio aims to reignite interest without the same hefty financial burden. While the film does not need to reach billion-dollar box office heights to be considered successful, achieving that benchmark has been a hallmark of its predecessors, which is vital for Universal as they hope to launch a new trilogy.
The film also found a warm reception internationally, pulling in $171 million from 82 overseas markets, leading to a worldwide total of $318 million during its initial release. David A. Gross, an industry analyst, noted that the appeal of dinosaur-themed action is universal, resonating across various cultures and languages.
Critics have responded more favorably to “Jurassic World Rebirth” than to the previous entries featuring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. Directed by Gareth Edwards and written by David Koepp, who contributed to the original “Jurassic Park,” the latest film follows a secret mission to locate dinosaurs whose DNA is key to a groundbreaking drug, merging thrilling visuals with a compelling narrative.
Universal’s domestic distribution president Jim Orr emphasized the film’s appeal, stating it encompasses all elements of a summer blockbuster. With strong word-of-mouth recommendations, the studio is optimistic about the film’s performance through the summer months.
“Jurassic World Rebirth” dominated the box office as the only major new release over the weekend, with its nearest competitor, the racing thriller “F1,” claiming second place with $26.1 million. After ten days, “F1” has grossed $109 million domestically and $293.6 million worldwide, surpassing Apple’s earlier release “Napoleon” as its highest-grossing film.
In third place, the remake of “How to Train Your Dragon” earned $9.7 million, bringing its domestic total to $224 million and its global earnings to $516 million. Disney and Pixar’s “Elio” followed in fourth with $4.9 million, accumulating only $54 million domestically despite favorable reviews. Finally, “28 Years Later” rounded out the top five, gathering $4.6 million, but experiencing a significant drop in its earnings.
Overall, the holiday weekend has positioned box office returns 14% ahead of last year’s figures, while still trailing behind 2019’s pre-pandemic totals by over 25%. The month of July promises more competition with anticipated releases like “Superman” and “Fantastic Four: The First Steps,” hinting at potential shifts in theater-goer preferences.
Industry analysts note that the impressive combination of films available during this holiday period may contribute to a profitable July, redefining the landscape of summer cinema amid evolving audience appetites.