Jungle Cruise” sailed to a better-than-expected opening of $34.2 million at the domestic box office, despite growing concerns that a surge in coronavirus cases could keep families at home.
With an additional $27.6 million in ticket sales internationally, the film secured $61.8 million globally during its first three days in cinemas.
In pre-pandemic times, the film’s box office opening would be considered a troubled start. After all, “Jungle Cruise” had a $200 million budget. During the coronavirus pandemic, however, this debut is on par with previous blockbuster releases.
Over the weekend, around 85% of North American theaters were open to the public, according to data from Comscore — the most since March 2020. Globally, some markets continue to experience capacity limits, and surging Covid cases have kept many away from crowded movie theaters.
The film, starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson, also debuted on Disney’s streaming service Disney+ for a $30 fee, tallying $30 million in global sales over the course of the weekend. “Jungle Cruise” is expected to be the last of Disney’s slate to be released using this method.
