2ND UPDATE: Industry estimates show Universal/Amblins Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom stomping to the lower end of its projections with a $55 million Friday and a $135M opening weekend. Meanwhile, Disney/Pixars Incredibles 2 is looking at a $25M second Friday, with a second weekend in the vicinity of the low-$80M range. More updates coming soon.
PREVIOUS UPDATE: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom grossed $15.3M on Thursday night per Universal, a better start from what we were seeing last night. Pic was in play at 3,600 theaters with showtimes starting at 7 PM. The J.A. Bayona-directed sequel expands to 4,450 venues today.
At this level, Fallen Kingdom is just below the preview nights of Spider-Man: Homecoming ($15.4M, $50.7M Friday, and $117M weekend), Iron Man 3 ($15.6M, $68.8M opening day, $174.1M opening) and above Thor: Ragnarok ($14.5M Thursday, $46.4M opening day, $122.7M opening). As we mentioned last night, Jurassic World three years ago posted a Thursday night of $18.5M which repped 22.5% of its $81.95M first day (also off 7PM showtimes) and that translated into a $208.8M weekend, which for six months in 2015 was an all-time record.
Tracking had the low-end of Fallen Kingdom starting at $130M/$135M-plus earlier this week. Fallen Kingdom opens with a lower Rotten Tomatoes score than its 2015 edition (71% fresh) and hopefully that doesnt throw a roadblock in the sequels momentum this weekend. Considering the huge weekend that Jurassic World had in regards to its RT score, it was clearly critic-proof.
To date, after two weeks in release overseas, Fallen Kingdom has amassed $450M, which includes an estimated $170M from China. Sources tell Deadline that the production cost for Fallen Kingdom was $187M net before P&A.
Disney/Pixars Incredibles 2 in early figures this morning grossed $16.2M yesterday, -18% for a weeks take of $269.3M. To date thats the sixth highest grossing Pixar movie at the domestic B.O. (and growing), behind Finding Dory ($486.2M), Toy Story 3 ($415M), Inside Out ($356.4M), Finding Nemo ($339.7M) and Up ($293M). Through its first week, Incredibles 2 is running 26% ahead Finding Dory in its first week.
Ranking No. 2 on Thursday was Warner Bros./Village Roadshows Oceans 8 with $2M, -15%, $29.1M in its second week, and a running total of $88.7M.
New Lines Tag drew $1.4M, -15% from Wednesday for a weeks take of $22.1M. Further down in 7th place, theres last Wednesdays opener, Sonys Superfly which earned $525K yesterday, $9.7M for the week, and $11.9M over nine days.
PREVIOUS EXCLUSIVE: Universal and Amblin Entertainments Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is on a course to earn around $12M+ tonight, and potentially north of $13M.
West coast shows started at 7PM and the evening has a way to go. Eastern time zone showtimes also began at 7PM. This forecast comes from Deadline sources, not Universal as the studio doesnt report until tomorrow morning.
Should Fallen Kingdom remain at its current pace tonight, the J.A. Bayona-directed feature will file ahead of such previews as Fate of the Furious ($10.4M), Wonder Woman ($11M), and Guardians of the Galaxy ($11.2M). At 600 locations today, starting at 3:30PM local time, Jurassic World double features were held.
Jurassic World three years ago posted a Thursday night of $18.5M which repped 22.5% of its $81.95M first day (also off 7PM showtimes), which is the sixth highest Friday ever. The Colin Trevorrow-directed movie, which at the time was only expected to open to $110M-$140M, blew away those estimates for an unexpected, then all-time domestic record of $208.8M (before being unseated by Star Wars: Force Awakens six months later at $247.9M, which was then defeated by Avengers: Infinity Wars $257.7M two months ago). And note the Rotten Tomatoes score at the time wasnt super high for Jurassic World at 71% fresh, uncertified. Given the legacy appeal of the brand, audiences young and old flooded cinemas, giving Jurassic World an A, and moving the title at a 3x multiple for a final U.S./Canada haul of $652.2M. No one is expecting Fallen Kingdom to emulate Jurassic World since the previous installment arrived with an unprecedented amount of pent-up demand. That said, the low-end of opening projections for Fallen Kingdom start at $130M/$135M. Current Rotten Tomatoes is 53% Rotten.
Fallen Kingdom opens in 4,450 theaters tomorrow, including 3D, Imax and other premium large format screens.
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