What a weekend at the box office! Universal Pictures has released the biggest movie of the studio’s 103-year existence with Jurassic World, the relaunch of a franchise that had been absent from theaters for 14 years.
Directed by Colin Trevorrow and starring Chris Pratt–who is clearly A-List after starring in two of the biggest movies of 2014–Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Jake Johnson, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan and Vincent D’Onofrio, the return of the franchise based on Michael Crichton’s novels became Universal’s third blockbuster hit of the year with the animated spin-off Minions still to come.
As of Sunday morning, Universal Pictures has reported an estimated opening weekend of $204.6 million in 4,274 theaters, which would make it the second-biggest opening for a domestic release, besting the recent $191.3 million opening of Avengers: Age of Ultron. Not only did Jurassic World receive the widest release for a Universal Pictures film, it also achieved the studio’s biggest opening weekend, besting the recent benchmark set by Furious 7 just two months ago. Its per-theater average of $47,870 (based on estimates) is also the biggest per-theater average for a wide release, passing the previous record set by Marvel’s The Avengers in 2012.
Jurassic World‘s astounding opening weekend began on Thursday night with previews in 3,229 theaters where it brought in $18.5 million, which was already more than Iron Man 3‘s $15.6 million Thursday previews in 2013. At that point, it was already clearly gunning for Man of Steel‘s June opening record. Yesterday, it was reported that the dino franchise had scored almost $83 million in its opening day (including those previews) to become the third-biggest opening and single day ever. Universal then estimated another $66 to 67 million for Saturday, which was down nearly 20% from Friday but was still more than Age of Ultron‘s first Saturday take of $56.5 million, though just behind its 2012 predecessor’s $69.6 million Saturday. Universal is projecting roughly $54 million for Sunday which would also be behind Marvel’s The Avengers, but it really only needs $42 million or so to retain its second place opening.
Considering that Marvel’s The Avengers went on to gross $623 million domestic and $1.5 million globally, it’s a good bet that Jurassic World could be aiming for the coveted Top 10 domestic if it’s able to hold up that business during the busy summer ahead. Its “A” CinemaScore is a good indication that the movie will have legs.
Jurassic World grossed an additional $307.2 million overseas with China accounting for $100.8 million of that amount in just four days. Add it all up and you end up with an astounding $511.8 million global total for Jurassic World in just four days.
It’s being reported by Real D that 48% of the amount grossed this weekend was made from 3D showings. Jurassic World also set a new global record for the IMAX as it grossed $44.1 million on 806 IMAX screens worldwide, besting Iron Man 3‘s previous record of $28.8 million. $20.6 million of Jurassic World‘s domestic opening came from 443 domestic IMAX locations.
The rest of the weekend box office doesn’t seem like much compared to those numbers, as Paul Feig’s action-comedy Spy (20th Century Fox), starring Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jude Law and Jason Statham, dropped to a distant second place with $16 million (down 45%) bringing its domestic gross to $56.9 million.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s disaster flick San Andreas (New Line/WB) took third place with $11 million, down 57% from last weekend with $119.3 million grossed since opening three weekends back.
Gramercy Pictures’ horror threequel Insidious: Chapter 3 took a massive plunge in its second weekend, dropping 68% to fourth place with $7.3 million and $37.4 million in ten days, which is less than the previous installment made its opening weekend.
Universal Pictures’ other big summer blockbuster Pitch Perfect 2 held up better than the other movies in the Top 10 with a minuscule 21% drop-off in its fifth weekend to add another $6 million for fifth place, bringing its domestic total to $170.7 million. It’s currently the fifth-highest grossing movie of the year after Jurassic World, which is #3.
The revival of the HBO show Entourage (New Line/WB), starring Jeremy Piven, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Haley Joel Osment and Billy Bob Thornton, lost 58% of its business, dropping to sixth place with $4.3 million and $26 million grossed domestically.
George Miller’s apocalyptic action flick Mad Max: Fury Road followed close behind with $4.1 million, which brought its domestic total to $138.6 million.
Brad Bird’s sci-fi adventure Tomorrowland (Disney) fell behind Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Age of Ultron (Disney) as the latter took eighth place with $3.6 million to Tomorrowland‘s $3.4 million. Age of Ultron has grossed $444.7 million domestically and another $917 million overseas, although its current position as the top grossing movie of the year may now be in jeopardy with the stunning opening for Jurassic World.
The 10 was rounded out by Bill Pohlad’s Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy (Roadside Attractions), starring Paul Dano, John Cusack, Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti, which expanded into 573 theaters on Friday and is projected to end up with somewhere around $1.8 million for the weekend and $4.8 million grossed to date.
The Top 10 grossed an estimated $262 million, which is $85 million more than the same weekend last year when two sequels battled for the top spot, but 22 Jump Street bested How to Train Your Dragon 2 $57 million to $49 million.
The most significant limited release of the weekend was the Sundance Film Festival award-winning Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Fox Searchlight), starring Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke, RJ Cyler, Molly Shannon, Nick Offerman and Connie Britten, which scored $210,000 in its opening weekend in 15 theaters in select cities of $14,000 per theater.
