SUNDAY VERY EARLY AM: Name a franchise that has swapped out its characters and cast, and yet continues to be a box office success. Jurassic World Rebirth is that unicorn, upholding the meaty grosses this Universal–Amblin dinosaur franchise has a long history with. The Gareth Edwards directed, Scarlett Johansson starring movie posted its biggest day since opening Wednesday with a $35.6M Saturday, +35% from Friday, with a revised 3-day that’s close to $90M and 5-day that’s at $145.3M. Some even see the movie higher with $147M over its Wednesday through Sunday run.
The net $180M production, which was shot in Thailand, Malta and at Sky Studios United Kingdom received $150M in media value from promo partners that included Jeep, Dr. Pepper (11 custom Jurassic-themed cans), Quaker, M&Ms (Jurassic mega-packs), 7-11 (which transformed three stores into Jurassic World Rebirth experiences featuring décor, photo ops and special merchandise) and Johansson’s skincare brand, The Outset.
If there’s no change in the overseas box office, then global start ascends to $316.6M, which is the second best global debut for a Jurassic movie after the original Jurassic World‘s $525.5M. 2022’s Jurassic World: Dominion opened in 15 markets ahead of domestic and the rest of the world, earning $55M in its first frame. The second weekend of Dominion launched in 57 more markets with North America and the reached a running global cume through its second Sunday of $386M including all the early openers in their second weekend.
Apple Original Films’ F1 via Warner Bros posted a second Saturday around $10.6M per estimates, +54% from Friday, for a 3-day around $26M, -54%, for a ten-day total of $109.4M.
SATURDAY AM UPDATE: Barbeques, swimming pools and fireworks couldn’t keep these dinosaurs away as Universal & Amblin’s Jurassic World Rebirth stomped to a July 4th Friday of $26.3M, +4% from Thursday. Yesterday was also the movie’s second-highest grossing day after its $30.5M opening (which I hear had showtimes that began at 12:01 AM).
The 5-day for the Gareth Edwards directed movie is now $141.2M, while the Friday-Sunday take is $85.4M. The global opening, and Nancy has more, is $312.5M from 82 markets. By the way, that’s higher than Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom‘s global start of $298.9M (unadjusted for currency swings and inflation). Jurassic World is the grand T-Rex in the franchise holding the series record global debut of $525.5M, the 6th highest worldwide opening record ever in the books.
Independence Day distractions were a concern in terms of the longevity of Jurassic World Rebirth throughout this weekend, and well, they couldn’t stand up to this movie’s feet. In fact, maybe it’s better if July 4th falls on a Friday. Jurassic World Rebirth posted the best July 4th haul for a No. 1 movie post Covid outranking last year’s Despicable Me 4 ($20.3M July 4th on a Thursday), 2022’s Rise of Gru ($16M, the holiday on a Monday), 2023’s Sound of Freedom ($14.2M, holiday on a Tuesday) and 2021’s F9 ($5.2M, July 4th on a Sunday). We stand corrected: back in 2014, the last time July 4th fell on a Friday with Transformers: Age of Extinction, business on the holiday went up +10% over Thursday (not down) with a daily take of $10.6M.
Diagnostics on these Dinos shows that the audience is getting older with only 36% under 25 to Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom‘s 56% and Dominion‘s under 25 set at 41%. The 18-34 bunch was a bit wider at 51% on Rebirth to Dominion‘s 46%. Slightly higher definite recommend on PostTrak for Rebirth than Dominion, 60% to 57%, which is the golden indicator of want-to-see as far as audience exits go. Somewhat similar diversity make-up here versus Dominion (in parenthesis) with Caucasians at 45% (41%), Latino and Hispanic at 26% (25%), Black at 13% (16%), and Asian American at 9% (15%). Sixty-one percent male skewing with the biggest demo being 25-34 at 29%.
Jurassics are family movies and this one is pulling in parents and kids at a combined 41% per PostTrak. Those with friends (anywhere from one to five people) repped 32% of the crowd. Dinos aren’t really a date night movie with 7% on a date, and those with a spouse/partner at 21%.
Business for the Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey movie is even across the country, though best in the South and South Central. South Central was also big for Dominion. Top grossing cinema in the country is AMC’s Disney Springs in Orlando with $230K so far. No Imax screens, but PLFs are the top choice driving 29% of ticket sales and 3D alone accounting for 18%. Imax and PLFs on Dominion accounted for 35% of its 3-day opening weekend of $145M.
Rebirth has the same walk-up business as Dominion with 58% of moviegoers buying their tickets same-day, however, the reboot’s presales were better with 30% snapping up tickets in the last week (versus 14% on Dominion).
Reasons why people bought tickets: 51% said it’s part of a franchise they love (duh, but higher than Dominion‘s 43%). Twenty-two percent came for the new cast of Johansson, Ali, and Bailey, while 25% came for Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard last time.
The in-theater trailer remained the most influential piece of marketing for moviegoers at 17% per PostTrak (studios execs are fearful that in a reserved seating world, ticket buyers are becoming extinct when it comes to watching fewer in-theater trailers due to longer preshows at the top four circuits). Uni’s social media push (14%), buzz from friends and family (12%) and the online trailer were also very persuasive for moviegoers when it came to buying tickets to Rebirth.
Fifty-three percent told PostTrak, they’ll see a sequel to Rebirth while 33% were open to one, it just depends if it grabs their interest.
Apple Original Films via Warner Bros.’ second Friday of F1 did $6.9M yesterday, on its way to a 3-day of $24M-$25M (-55%), which will get the Brad Pitt starring, Joseph Kosinski starring movie to a running cume by Sunday of $108.9M on the high-end.
Saturday’s numbers:
Jurassic World Rebirth (Uni) 4,308 theaters, Fri $26.3M, 3-day $85.4M, 5-day $141.2M/Wk 1
2. F1 (Apple/WB) 3,732 (+71) theaters, Fri $6.9M (-72%), 3-day $24M-$25M (-55%), Total $108.9M/Wk 2
3. How to Train Your Dragon (Uni) 3,714 (-413) theaters, Fri $2.8M (-50%), 3-day $9.7M (-50%), Total $222.7M/Wk 4
4. Elio (Dis) 3,235 (-515) theaters, Fri $1.5M (-53%) 3-day $4.9M (-53%), Total $54.2M/Wk 3
5. 28 Years Later (Sony) 2,917 (-527) theaters, Fri $1.15M (-63%) 3-day $4.3M (-56%), Total $60M/Wk 3
6. Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning (Par) 1,545 (-612) theaters Fri $850K (-25%), 3-day $3M (-28%), Total $191.4M/Wk 7
6.Lilo & Stitch (Dis) 2,560 (-340) theaters, Fri $1M (-52%) 3-day $3M (-56%), Total $407.7M/Wk 7
8. M3GAN 2.0 (Uni) 3,133 (+21) theaters, Fri $910K (-80%), 3-day $2.95M (-71%), Total $17.7M/Wk 2
9. Materialists (A24) 1,027 (-904) theaters, Fri $354K (-63%) 3-day $1.1M (-62%), Total $33.3M/Wk 4
10. Sardaar Ji 3 (WHS) 125 (-19) theaters, $220K, 3-day $860K (-17%), Total $2.9M/Wk 2
