UPDATE: Massive $36M on Saturday for ‘Rebirth.’ It might actually hit $150M domestic by Sunday evening.
Happy 4th of July weekend. Fireworks, barbecues, and, yes, Dinosaurs. The latter seems to be an unofficial American tradition.
Universal’s “Jurassic World: Rebirth” added another $25M on Friday, pushing its three-day domestic haul to $80M. A solid number, and one that puts it firmly in the $145M range for the extended holiday stretch. Its worldwide tally will be in the $320M range.
The nostalgia-fueled reboot is being sold as a return to the franchise’s roots. Gareth Edwards directs, with a script by “Jurassic Park” veteran David Koepp and Steven Spielberg back in the producer’s chair. So yes, the marketing can say “back to basics” with a straight face.
Scarlett Johansson leads the new cast — joined by Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, and Rupert Friend — in what’s essentially a big-budget monster movie with familiar DNA. It’s loud, it’s ridiculous, and audiences are showing up.
Audiences are mixed on the film, with that “B” on CinemaScore, 6.3/10 on IMDb, and 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet, when polled by PostTrak, over half of ticket buyers (86%) admitted they’d either be open to, or definitely show up for a ‘Rebirth’ sequel. Dinosaurs, man.
Meanwhile, “F1” continues to hang on as the adult-skewing alternative, earning $7M on Friday, it’ll hit $100M domestic by this evening. Meanwhile, Universal’s “How to Train Your Dragon” has quietly soared to $210 million domestic.
It’s starting to feel like summer again. The kind where movies somewhat figure in the cultural conversation.
The film arrives unrated, set to screen in 2,000+ theaters this weekend, but is already plagued by disastrous early reviews, amounting to a 29% score on Rotten Tomatoes.