The dinosaurs are back—and so are the debates. Jurassic World: Rebirth stomped into theaters with a $25.3 million Thursday haul and is projected to hit $137.5 million over the 5-day Fourth of July weekend. But the real question fans and critics are asking: is this the revival the franchise needed, or just another fossilized retread?
Early audience reactions are mixed to positive. The Rotten Tomatoes audience score currently sits at 72%, putting it slightly behind Jurassic World (78%) and Dominion (77%), but leagues above the widely panned Fallen Kingdom (48%). Many fans on social media are praising the visual effects and nostalgic callbacks, while others say the plot feels recycled—more “dino déjà vu” than groundbreaking adventure.
Photo: Image Credits: Universal Studios
Directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One), the film leans heavily on spectacle, with massive set pieces and a fresh ensemble cast including Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Orlando Bloom and Mahershala Ali. But some longtime fans are lamenting the lack of character depth and originality. One Reddit user wrote, "I really didn't care for the mutadons. I don't hate the design, but I whole time I was watching, I was thinking, "I wish these were just Velociraptors instead."
And don't bring up the raft. That really gets them going.
Still, with summer moviegoers packing theaters and families looking for action-packed fun, Rebirth might be just enough to keep the franchise alive—at least for now.
Whether you’re team T-Rex or team “let it end,” there’s no denying the Jurassic brand still has bite. Just maybe not as sharp as it once did.
Get the full box office breakdown with Heather Brooker's weekly entertainment report on Gary and Shannon!