A movie grossing less than $2 million isn’t going to light up Hollywood’s radar or anything, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. Universal gets a little bit of money, and movie theaters got to put some extra meat in seats thanks to a tried-and-true classic. More than anything, it’s a reminder that audiences truly still do love this movie, suggesting that, for many, it stands the test of time even against modern scrutiny. Given that I personally count it as my favorite movie of all time, I’ll refrain from much commentary here, but this does my heart good, that’s for sure.
In the three decades since “Jurassic Park” was released, Universal has turned it into a massively successful franchise that has generated more than $6 billion at the global box office across six films. 2015’s “Jurassic World” ($1.67 billion worldwide) remains one of the highest-grossing movies ever released. Even last year’s “Jurassic World Dominion,” which was not nearly as well received by audiences or critics, managed to top $1 billion globally. People love this world, and that all starts with Spielberg’s groundbreaking interpretation of Michael Crichton’s novel.
As for the future? Producer Frank Marshall indicated to /Film last year that “Dominion” wasn’t going to be the end of the franchise, merely the end of that trilogy. That said, as of right now, Universal hasn’t announced anything officially. But this past weekend’s box office will probably suggest to the brass at the studio that trying to milk this cash cow further is worth doing. Life finds a way, as it were.