Dinosaurs and racecars are at the top of the box office, so it’s safe to say summer movie season is in full swing.
Universal’s “Jurassic World Rebirth,” the seventh in the historic franchise, took a T-Rex sized bite out of the box office with $26 million domestically from 6,105 venues on the Fourth of July. The Friday numbers were bolstered by an already solid performance since its initial release on July 2, earning $55.8 million before the weekend even began. Projections have “Rebirth” earning north of $140 million by Sunday, which would slot it as the seventh-highest domestic earner of 2025. The Universal camp needs the holiday momentum to continue through the coming weeks, considering the film’s production budget hovers around $250 million. Domestic gross over the traditional three-day frame is projected at $85 million.
While “Rebirth” is king of the box office this week, it actually had the lowest opening of any of the “Jurassic World” installments. The original 2015 “Jurassic World” launched with a massive $208 million in its opening weekend. Its follow-up, “Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom,” opened with $148 million, and franchise threequel, “Jurassic World Dominion,” bowed to $145 million. Important to note that those films posted their numbers through a typical three-day frame rather than a five-day holiday window.
Gareth Edwards directs with a script from the original “Jurassic Park” screenwriter David Koepp. The film stars Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey as they traverse a deadly jungle landscape hunting for dino DNA that could be used to cure all heart-related diseases. Audiences have been kind to the franchise reboot, with pollster CinemaScore delivering a solid “B” grade. Critics have been less so, and the film sits at 51% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
Trailing in P2 on Friday was Brad Pitt’s international racing drama “F1,” which earned an estimated $6.9 million, projecting a hefty 72% drop from its debut. A darling for premium formats like Imax and Dolby, the Joseph Kosinski title represents the first blockbuster win for Apple Studios after commercial misfires like “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Argylle.” Damson Idris stars as a young up-and-comer headlining an underperforming team opposite Pitt as his grizzled mentor/teammate with nothing to lose. The film is projected to speed past $107 million over the weekend.
In third is “Universal How to Train Your Dragon,” which grossed $2.8 million on Friday. It projects a 50% for a fourth weekend gross of $9.7 million. The film has soared over “Captain America: Brave New World” to become the fourth highest-grossing film of 2025. Dean DeBlois, who directed the 2014 original, returned to direct the live-action remake. He will also direct the recently announced sequel, which is set to hit theaters in Summer 2027.
In fourth place was Disney’s “Elio,” which wears the heavy crown of the lowest Pixar opening ever. The film grossed $1.5 million on Friday, representing about a 53% drop. The family film about a lonely boy obsessed with aliens should reach $50 million by the end of the weekend
Rounding out the top five is Sony’s “28 Years Later,” the first installment in Danny Boyle’s rebooted zombie saga. It grossed $1.15 million on Friday and domestic total should reach $60 million by the end of its third frame. A follow-up, Nia DaCosta’s “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” is already in the can and set for a January release. The trilogy will be completed if box office numbers are good or if Boyle puts up the money himself, an option he’s discussed openly.
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