‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Scores $318 Million Global Debut/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ “Jurassic World Rebirth” roared to a $318.3 million global opening despite mixed reviews, ruling the Fourth of July box office. The Universal Pictures film earned $147.3 million domestically and $171 million internationally, including $41.5 million from China. Universal anticipates strong summer legs for the dinosaur blockbuster starring Scarlett Johansson.
Quick Look
- Jurassic World Rebirth grossed $318.3 million globally in five days.
- Domestic opening: $147.3 million; International: $171 million.
- Mixed reviews but strong audience turnout fuels optimism.
‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Roars to $318 Million Global Debut
Deep Look
Moviegoers can’t seem to get enough of dinosaurs. Despite mixed reviews, “Jurassic World Rebirth” stomped its way to the top of the Fourth of July holiday box office, earning an impressive $318.3 million globally over its five-day opening, Universal Pictures reported Sunday.
Directed by Gareth Edwards, the newest installment in the blockbuster franchise opened Wednesday, hauling in $147.3 million in North America from 4,308 theaters. Over the traditional Friday-to-Sunday frame, the film accounted for an estimated $91.5 million.
International audiences flocked to the film as well, with ticket sales across 82 markets totaling $171 million. China alone contributed $41.5 million, where the film screened on 65,000 screens, including 760 IMAX locations. Universal touted it as China’s biggest MPA (Motion Picture Association) opening of the year so far.
“It’s just a tremendous result,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution. “‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ is exactly what audiences crave during the summer: a very big, fun, extraordinarily well-done adventure.”
Although “Jurassic World Rebirth” couldn’t claim IMAX screens in the U.S. (due to ongoing “F1” showings), it performed strongly on premium formats like Dolby Cinema, where it grossed nearly $8 million from just 167 screens in five days.
The film, starring Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey, marks the fourth entry in the “Jurassic World” series and the seventh film overall in the dinosaur saga that began with Steven Spielberg’s 1993 hit.
Critics have been lukewarm, giving the film a 51% score on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences assigned it a “B” CinemaScore. Yet Universal reported a diverse crowd ranging in age from 8 to 80 and said word-of-mouth has been “stellar,” which could indicate a solid run through the rest of summer.
“This should point to a very long run throughout the summer as well,” Orr noted.
Comparing “Rebirth” to its predecessors is tricky due to factors like inflation, post-pandemic moviegoing, and holiday timing. The original “Jurassic World” launched with $208 million domestically in 2015. Its sequels, “Fallen Kingdom” and “Dominion,” opened to $148 million and $145 million, respectively.
“Jurassic World Rebirth” introduces a new core cast and features a storyline about a hunt for dinosaur DNA—not to resurrect dinosaurs this time, but to find a cure for heart disease. David Koepp, who wrote the original “Jurassic Park,” returned to help craft the script. The film’s production reportedly cost around $180 million, excluding marketing expenses.
Universal launched a massive promotional blitz, including a global press tour, marketing across NBCUniversal’s platforms, and brand collaborations with companies like Jeep, 7-Eleven, and Johansson’s own skincare brand.
With “Rebirth” dominating, no other major studio dared to open a competing film. Last week’s box office champ, the Brad Pitt-led racing drama “F1,” slipped 54% in its second weekend, earning $26.1 million and pushing its North American total to $109.5 million. Globally, “F1” is nearing the $300 million mark, sitting at $293.6 million.
Universal’s live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” claimed third place with $11 million, bringing its domestic haul to $224 million after four weekends. Pixar’s “Elio” followed in fourth with $5.7 million, crossing the $96 million mark globally in its third weekend. Rounding out the top five was “28 Years Later,” earning $4.6 million.
One surprising addition to the top 10 was Rob Reiner’s cult classic “This is Spinal Tap,” which returned to theaters for its 41st anniversary and grossed nearly $1 million.
Despite fireworks and holiday distractions, analysts noted the weekend held steady.
“We had a solid Friday despite some pretty heavy competition from the fireworks,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.
And the summer movie season remains far from over, with Warner Bros.’ “Superman” arriving in theaters later this week.
“This is one of the most competitive summer movie seasons ever,” Dergarabedian said. “For moviegoers, it’s so much fun.”
Top 10 Movies at the Domestic Box Office
- “Jurassic World Rebirth,” $91.5 million
- “F1 The Movie,” $26.1 million
- “How to Train Your Dragon,” $11 million
- “Elio,” $5.7 million
- “28 Years Later,” $4.6 million
- “Lilo & Stitch,” $3.8 million
- “M3GAN 2.0,” $3.8 million
- “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” $2.7 million
- “Materialists,” $1.3 million
- “This is Spinal Tap” (41st Anniversary re-release), $931,737
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