Dinosaurs are once again making a significant impact at the box office, as “Jurassic World Rebirth,” the seventh installment in Universal’s beloved prehistoric franchise, has opened with a remarkable $147.3 million in its first five days across 4,308 North American theaters. This impressive figure not only leads the domestic charts during the star-studded Fourth of July holiday weekend but also positions “Jurassic World Rebirth” as one of the most promising hits of the summer.
Despite the strong opening, initial returns for “Jurassic World Rebirth” show a notable decline compared to its recent predecessors. The film garnered $91.5 million during the traditional weekend, having launched on a Wednesday to take advantage of the extended Independence Day holiday. For perspective, the previous entries in the series achieved significantly higher opening numbers: 2015's “Jurassic World” debuted with a staggering $208 million, while its sequels, 2018’s “Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom” and 2022’s “Jurassic World Dominion,” opened with $148 million and $145 million, respectively.
In terms of five-day totals, “Jurassic World” reached $258 million, with “Fallen Kingdom” and “Dominion” not far behind at $181 million and $172 million, respectively. This downward trend raises concerns about the franchise’s longevity, which first captivated audiences with 1994’s “Jurassic Park.” The franchise has expanded beyond films to include several theme park attractions, but it appears to be showing signs of wear.
As with any long-standing series, a decline in box office returns is not unusual. Universal has responded to this trend by being strategic with “Jurassic World Rebirth,” which features a fresh lineup including Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali. The film had a production budget of $180 million, not including a considerable marketing budget, significantly lower than the $250 million spent on previous installments of the franchise. While “Rebirth” does not need to reach the billion-dollar mark to be deemed a commercial success, achieving this benchmark has been a standard for the prior trilogy, and Universal is eager for “Rebirth” to launch a new series of films.
Internationally, “Jurassic World Rebirth” has roared to life, raking in an impressive $171 million from 82 markets, leading to a global total of $318 million in its opening weekend. According to David A. Gross, who heads the FranchiseRe movie consulting firm, the franchise has thrived overseas. “Dinosaur action is understood in all languages and across all cultures,” he notes.
Critics and audiences have responded more favorably to “Jurassic World Rebirth” than to earlier installments featuring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. However, reviews have never been a definitive factor for the box office performance of “Jurassic” sequels. Directed by Gareth Edwards (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Godzilla”) and written by original “Jurassic Park” screenwriter David Koepp, the film centers on a covert mission to locate dinosaurs whose DNA holds the secret to a groundbreaking drug. Universal’s president of domestic distribution, Jim Orr, remarked, “Jurassic World Rebirth is exactly what audiences want to see in a summer blockbuster: a great cast, great direction, and great visuals.” He also highlighted that word of mouth has been incredibly positive, suggesting a strong performance through the summer.
“Jurassic World Rebirth” faced minimal competition during its opening weekend, with its primary rivals being holdover titles like Brad Pitt’s racing thriller “F1” and Universal’s live-action remake of “How to Train Your Dragon.” “F1” secured the second position, adding $26.1 million in its second weekend, reflecting a 54% drop from its debut. The Apple film has thus far accrued $109 million in North America and $293.6 million worldwide after ten days in theaters. Despite this success, “F1” had a hefty production cost of approximately $250 million, necessitating substantial ongoing earnings to break even.
In third place, “How to Train Your Dragon” generated $9.7 million in its fourth weekend, totaling $224 million domestically and $516 million globally. Disney and Pixar’s “Elio” claimed the fourth spot with $4.9 million, bringing its North American total to $54 million and global earnings to $96 million; however, it is on track to become one of Pixar's lowest-grossing films despite favorable reviews. Rounding out the top five, “28 Years Later” earned $4.6 million, amassing $59 million domestically and $125.8 million globally against a $60 million budget.
Additionally, Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” remake has grossed $972 million globally, including $408 million in North America, and is on the verge of becoming the year’s first billion-dollar blockbuster. As a result, a live-action sequel is already in development. Following the successful holiday weekend, overall box office returns are currently 14% ahead of the same point in 2024, although still trailing by more than 25% compared to 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, according to Comscore.
Looking ahead, July has several potential blockbusters on the horizon, including “Superman” and “Fantastic Four: The First Steps,” set to release in the upcoming weeks. Senior Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian remarked, “With the Fourth of July holiday floating around the calendar, apples-to-apples comparisons become a bit difficult, but this will be one of the better Independence Day frames for cinemas. The combination of films in this theatrical marketplace is impressive.”
