The force is stronger with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle after it knocked down Star Wars: The Last Jedi from its top spot at the domestic box office on its third week.
Rian Johnson's sequel to Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been dominating the box office since its opening in mid-December, but it has since faced tough competition following the debut of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Now on its third weekend, the Columbia Pictures' film grossed an estimated $36 million, taking the top spot at the domestic box office from Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
$35.96M Weekend (Est.)
3,801 Screens / $9,460 Avg.
Weekend 3 / -28% Change... https://t.co/MDlCsW61z3— BoxOffice (@BoxOffice) January 7, 2018
This puts the Sony film's domestic total to $244.4 million only after 19 days since its release on Dec. 20 and with 3,800 theaters showing the film, contrary to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which was played on over 4,200 screens. The movie already earned back its reported production cost of $90 million.
Aside from its earnings at the domestic box office, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle hauled in $70 million internationally, bringing its overseas total to $275 million and global earnings to $519.4 million. The film's dominant position at the domestic box office is no surprise. It already surged to the top spot during New Year's weekend with $66.5 million, which upped the domestic ticket sales to $185.8 million only in four days.
Expectations are high for the numbers to increase and even possibly surpass the $550 million that the Disney film made at the domestic box office since it is still being shown on several screens as it possibly could. Likewise, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle has yet to open in China next week and in Japan in early April, so chances are high that it could surpass the $1 billion that Star Wars: The Last Jedi earned worldwide.
The domestic total marks the highest-grossing live action movie for Kevin Hart, who plays Franklin "Mouse" Finbar. It ranks third for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who plays Dr. Smolder Bravestone (behind Moana at $248.7 million and Furious 7 at $353 million). Other cast include Karen Gillan as Ruby, Jack Black as Professor Sheldon, and Nick Jonas as Jefferson.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was already on the second spot at the domestic box office before the end of 2017. It was only a matter of time before it eventually takes over the throne from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which now ranks third after Insidious: The Last Key finished second with $29.2 million.
