Following its opening weekend, Jurassic World Rebirth has officially surpassed the total gross of a Steven Spielberg sci-fi classic. Directed by Gareth Edwards, this latest entry in the Jurassic Park franchise features Scarlett Johansson in the role of Zora Bennett, who leads an expedition into a perilous equatorial region to recover dinosaur DNA for a groundbreaking medical discovery.
Johansson’s on-screen team includes Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, and Mahershala Ali among others. The screenplay is penned by none other than David Koepp, the original writer behind the first Jurassic Park film. Spielberg, who breathed life into the franchise with his iconic 1993 blockbuster, serves as an executive producer for this new venture.
As per Box Office Mojo, Jurassic World Rebirth‘s worldwide box office tally after its inaugural weekend stands at a remarkable $318 million. This impressive figure not only eclipses that of Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1997), which grossed $306 million, but it also showcases a promising start for the film.
Rebirth’s five-day holiday weekend gross is composed of $147 million domestically and $171 million internationally, while Close Encounters achieved $135 million and $171 million respectively. The comparison is striking; however, it’s essential to note that Close Encounters’ figures have not been adjusted for inflation.
What This Means For Jurassic World Rebirth
How Much Does The Film Need To Break Even?
If we consider inflation, Close Encounters would maintain a substantial lead. Nonetheless, box office stats are typically presented in the context they were collected. Currently, Rebirth is off to a robust financial start, edging closer to its projected production budget of $180 million.
Using industry benchmarks, Rebirth might be aiming for a break-even point around $450 million, a milestone it is expected to reach in the coming weeks. However, whether it will achieve the heights of its predecessors remains an open question.
The first three Jurassic World movies each topped $1 billion globally, with the 2015 reboot leading at a staggering $1.670 billion. For comparative context, Jurassic World opened with $208 million domestically, outshining Rebirth. The $147 million opening figure for Rebirth also includes the full five-day holiday weekend, which should be factored into comparisons.
Despite mixed reviews from critics, audience reception has been somewhat tepid. The film currently holds a 72% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, which trails behind Dominion’s moderately better 77% score despite the latter’s significant success. This disparity in ratings may not strongly predict future box office performance.
Our Take On Rebirth’s Latest Box Office Milestone
The Jurassic Franchise Shows Great Resiliency
One undeniable fact is that the three previous Jurassic World films have demonstrated a remarkable consumer appetite for the franchise’s dinosaur-filled escapades. While most sequels have faced challenges in critical reception, the box office success of each installment—except for the third film—has driven demand for new releases.
As long as Rebirth doesn’t experience a drastic decline in box office numbers in the coming weeks, it’s on track to be viewed as a modest success at the very least. Consequently, a sequel seems likely. Even if Jurassic World Rebirth fails to recapture the essence of Spielberg’s original vision, this franchise is far from extinction.
Source: Box Office Mojo