Jurassic World has smashed industry records, becoming the first film to gross more than $US500 million worldwide in its opening weekend and setting new highs for both the US and international debuts.
Universal’s dinopic raked in an unprecedented $208.8 million in the US, beating the record held by Marvel's The Avengers since 2012, and $315.3 million in 68 markets internationally, toppling Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
So the worldwide total is $524.1 million. In Australia, the action/adventure/horror film starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Jake Johnson, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D'Onofrio, Omar Sy and a lot of CGI monsters, rang up $16.06 million.
That’s the biggest opening weekend this year, overtaking The Avengers: Age of Ultron’s $15.7 million, and the market's third best ever behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 2 and The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
Just the second film directed by Colin Trevorrow, whose debut effort was Safety Not Guaranteed, Jurassic World was so dominant it accounted for 66% of the entire weekend’s receipts, which Rentrak estimated at $23.9 million.
Entourage clung to second spot despite tumbling by 63% to $1.2 million, which brings its 11-day tally to $5.9 million.
Disney staged sneaks of Pixar’s Inside Out ahead of its launch this Thursday, whistling up a fine $996,000.
Mad Max: Fury Road advanced to $20.2 million after banking $686,000 in its fifth weekend. Worldwide George Miller’s action adventure has amassed nearly $334 million- $138.6 million in the US and $195.1 million internationally.
The WB/Village Roadshow Pictures co-pro has overtaken Crocodile Dundee’s $327 million in 1986 (worth a whole lot more in today’s dollars) to become Australia’s second biggest money maker globally behind Baz's The Great Gatsby’s $351 million.
Hot Pursuit, the road comedy starring Reese Witherspoon as an uptight cop who has to protect a drug informant's strong-willed wife (Sofia Vergara), entered with a dire $630,000, no surprise after its US demise.
In the specialty market, The Mafia Kills Only In The Summer, a comedy drama from first-time director Pierfrancesco Diliberto, took an impressive $85,000 on 12 screens and $303,000 including festival screenings.
Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago, which follows six travellers traversing Spain’s famed pilgrim route Camino de Santiago, bowed with a dandy $58,000 at eight cinemas, and $82,000 with festival proceeds.
The Emperor’s New Clothes, Michael Winterbottom’s attack on the dishonesty and mediocrity of Britain’s corporate overlords featuring Russell Brand, did not resonate, fetching $19,000 on 14 screens, and $28,000 with previews.