Summer may be long gone, but there are still some blockbusters on the horizon with the potential to make some serious money before the end of the year. We saw this happen last weekend when Star Wars: The Last Jedi made its debut in theaters, and now it looks like it's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle's turn to step into the spotlight. The loose sequel/reboot/update finally debuted in theaters this Wednesday, and its opening night figures have been promising.
The numbers have started to flow in, and it looks like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is off to a solid start during its early days at the box office. Specifically, it seems that the film raked in $7.5 million on its opening night, and is expected to continue earning well through the holiday weekend. As of right now, Jumanj: Welcome to the Jungle estimates indicate the flick may earn a weekend gross in the $50 million (give or take) range during this holiday weekend.
There are several factors that will likely work in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle's favor as it pushes through its opening weekend. For starters, it is an update of a classic property, which means die-hard fans of the original Robin Williams-fronted Jumanji may turn out to see how director Jake Kasdan updates the property. Beyond that, the film features a star-studded cast of performers that includes the perpetually busy Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Guardians of the Galaxy's Karen Gillan.
Reviews may also play a significant role in the financial performance of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Critical responses to the adventure film reboot began to hit the web earlier this week (including CinemaBlend's own review of the film), and the general consensus seems to be that it is a fun blockbuster that's safe for someone to bring the whole family to on a holiday weekend. We have spoken at length about the importance of the PG-13 rating when it comes to box office success, and Jumanji seems to prove once again that you should never underestimate the power of a movie that an entire family can enjoy together.
However, as noted by this Deadline box office report, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle took a clear second place to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which has quickly closed in on a $300 million domestic total (so far). Even in the face of some divisive fan responses to the film, The Last Jedi has become a bonafide box-office sensation and will likely continue to own the top December spot as 2017 draws to a close -- unless word of mouth can give Jumanji the jolt that it needs to sprint to the Number One spot.
We are only at the very beginning of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle's theatrical run, so we will bring you more updates related to the film's box office progress as further details become available to us. If you plan on seeing the film, then make sure to take a look at our To 3D guide to figure out which ticket is worth your money!
