The Dwayne Johnson–Emily Blunt action-adventure picture Jungle Cruise left the competition in its wake this weekend, with a $34.2 million domestic gross, according to Variety. Additionally, it scored $30 million from Disney+’s Premiere Access option, in which subscribers already paying a monthly (or reduced annual) fee can get unlimited access to the movie for an additional 30 bucks.
Internationally, the film brought in $27.6 million, which the trade outlet referred to as “lackluster.” (I would personally kill for that kind of lacklusterness, but I guess I am not an effects-driven summer spectacle based on a theme park ride.)
In light of the pandemic, the Jaume Collet-Serra-directed picture’s total haul is “almost respectable,” but will fall below the break-even point, considering its high budget.
It also represents the last scheduled title in Disney’s pandemic-instigated Premiere Access program, which has become increasingly controversial following Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against the Hollywood studio. Her case alleges that Disney’s desire to boost the subscriber base to their new streaming service came at the cost of box office revenue from the theatrical release of Black Widow. Her lawyers claim that the move “potentially cost the actress $50 million in backend compensation.” The studio responded that they had “fully complied with Ms. Johansson’s contract and furthermore, the release of Black Widow on Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation.”
As it currently stands, Disney’s next two mainstream releases, Free Guy and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, will be shown in theaters only.
It’s a photo finish for second place at the domestic box office this weekend between M. Night Shyamalan’s Old, currently in its second week, and David Lowrey’s adaptation of the tale of Sir Gawain, The Green Knight. The hallucinatory medieval film did quite well with critics, scoring 89 percent at Rotten Tomatoes, but got a less-than-stellar C+ from CinemaScore, which polls exiting ticket buyers.
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