Disney’s current ‘in theaters, but also on Disney+’ release strategy has been hotly debated across the board. Jungle Cruise, however, seems to be doing ok theatrically despite this controversy. We asked our resident entertainment attorney, Brandon Blake, to weigh in with the details.
Jungle Cruise opened with $2.7M in Thursday previews, no small takings for any release. Yet Jungle Cruise seems destined to be something a little more. It’s pretty clear it’s their best shot at a new franchise angle that isn’t the MCU. With both National Treasure and Pirates of the Caribbean old news at this point, it’s time to find something new to draw audiences in again. With Covid variables still heating up theaters, however, it’s tough to really tell what even counts as Box Office success.
For some context, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales walked off with $5.5M for Thursday previews, before booming with $77M over the Memorial Day long weekend. Recently, however, we saw Cruella take merely $1.4M, with a $26.5M Memorial Day spread. Keeping our sights solely on the Covid-era, we only really have Black Widow, F9, and A Quiet Place 2 to compare with. To make a meaningful comparison even more difficult, Warner Bros has removed advanced-night previews altogether, taking the scores for the current Conjuring installment, Space Jam 2, and Godzilla vs Kong, each strong performer this year, out of the comparison picture.
All the same, it’s a strong opening for the current period, especially with Disney’s press time somewhat flooded with the recent Black Widow controversy and very little buzz. Reviews have been mixed, but the film has solid brand value, a familiar IP, and some compelling star power to carry it.
While the jury is still out on the film’s overall potential, however, a strong opening weekend should at least provide some buoyancy for Disney at a time where their negative press coverage is outweighing the positive, and that’s a win for sure.
