'Jurassic World Rebirth' Roars to $28M Wednesday, Eyes $128M 5-Day Opening

Universal Pictures’ Jurassic World Rebirth, the seventh installment in the iconic dinosaur franchise, is off to a strong start at the box office, grossing an estimated $28 million on its opening day, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in North America. This performance places it among the top 20 Wednesday grosses of all time and sets the stage for a projected five-day debut of approximately $127.5 million over the extended Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The film, directed by Gareth Edwards and featuring a fresh ensemble cast led by Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey, opened midweek to capitalize on the long holiday corridor. With no major competing releases, Rebirth is poised to dominate the box office, facing only holdovers like F1: The Movie and M3GAN 2.0. Globally, the film is expected to rake in over $260 million by Sunday, bolstered by simultaneous releases in more than 80 markets, including the UK, China, Germany, and others.

A New Chapter for the Franchise

Jurassic World Rebirth marks a soft reboot for the 32-year-old franchise, introducing a new storyline set five years after Jurassic World: Dominion. The plot follows a covert mission to extract DNA from three large prehistoric species for a potentially life-saving drug, with Johansson playing a skilled operative, Bailey as an archaeologist, and Ali in a guiding role. The film also stars Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, and others, with Steven Spielberg and Denis Stewart as executive producers.

Despite mixed critical reception, with a 54% Rotten Tomatoes score compared to Dominion’s 29%, the film has generated significant buzz, fueled by Universal’s robust social media campaign reaching 921 million followers—206% above genre norms. Early audience sentiment, as reflected on platforms like IMDb, averages a 6.6/10, suggesting moderate enthusiasm that could drive word-of-mouth.

Box Office Context and Expectations

The $28 million opening day ranks as the fourth-highest in the Jurassic franchise, trailing 2015’s Jurassic World ($81.9M), 2022’s Dominion ($59.5M), and 2018’s Fallen Kingdom ($58.5M). Notably, this is only the second Jurassic film to open on a Wednesday, following 2001’s Jurassic Park III ($19M). While Rebirth’s domestic five-day projection of $127.5 million falls short of the trilogy’s earlier three-day openings (ranging from $145M to $208M), its $180 million budget means it needs to gross around $450 million globally to be considered a financial success.

Universal’s strategic release on 4,308 theaters, including premium large-format (PLF) screens, has bolstered its performance, with strong appeal across demographics, particularly men and women under 25. However, some industry analysts note that the franchise has seen diminishing returns since 2015’s Jurassic World ($1.67B globally), with Fallen Kingdom ($1.31B) and Dominion ($1B) trending downward. Whether Rebirth can spark a new trilogy remains uncertain, hinging on sustained audience interest in subsequent weeks.

Competitive Landscape

The Fourth of July weekend provides a relatively clear runway for Rebirth, with F1: The Movie expected to hold strong in its second weekend after a $57 million debut, and M3GAN 2.0 struggling after a $10 million opening. Universal’s track record during this holiday stretch is impressive, with previous successes like F9 ($70M 3-day), Minions: The Rise of Gru ($123M 4-day), and Despicable Me 4 ($122.6M 5-day). Rebirth is well-positioned to continue this trend, though its long-term performance will depend on CinemaScore and word-of-mouth to counter its lukewarm critical response.

Looking Ahead

As Jurassic World Rebirth stomps into theaters, its early box office success signals a promising start, but questions linger about the franchise’s longevity. With a high-profile cast, a fresh narrative, and Universal’s marketing muscle, the film has the potential to reinvigorate the series. However, it must overcome the challenge of franchise fatigue and deliver an emotional hook to keep audiences returning, as the original Jurassic World did with its iconic velociraptor scenes. Whether Rebirth becomes a trilogy kickoff or a standalone hit will depend on its global performance in the coming weeks.

For now, Jurassic World Rebirth is set to rule the holiday box office, proving that dinosaurs still have a mighty roar at the multiplex.