There's been a lot of discussion online over the past week surrounding Disney's decision to simultaneously release Black Widow theatrically and on Disney+'s Premier Access service. The studio and star Scarlett Johansson have issued conflicting statements about the latter's financial compensation for a dual release, and we've since heard that Emma Stone is also considering legal action following Cruella's similar debut back in May.
Despite that, Jungle Cruise dropped on the streaming service for $29.99 this weekend, and Disney has now announced that the movie debuted #1 at the box office. It opened to an estimated total of more than $90M globally, including $34.2M in domestic box office, $27.6M in international box office, and over $30M in Disney+ Premier Access consumer spend globally.
Whether talent like it or not, it's clear this type of release strategy is paying off for Disney.
"Jungle Cruise is the perfect summer adventure film, bringing a beloved theme park attraction to both the big screen and living rooms in a way that only Disney can," Disney said in a statement. "We remain focused on offering consumer choice during these unprecedented times, and it is clear that fans and families value the ability to make decisions on how they prefer to enjoy Disney’s best-in-class storytelling."
In our review of Jungle Cruise, we concluded by saying: "Jungle Cruise is a ride you won’t want to get off; with its charming three leads and a standout villain in Jesse Plemons, you’ll be all aboard (sorry) for a fun family blockbuster that reminds us why we love going to the movies."
If you watched Jungle Cruise this weekend, was it on the big screen or a small one at home?
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