Title: Jungle Cruise
Directed By: Jaume Collet-Serra
Written By: Michael Green, Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Release Date: July 30, 2021
Domestic Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramirez
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Adventure 

Box Office Information

• Budget: $200,000,000
• Financed by: Seven Bucks Productions, Davis Entertainment, Flynn Picture Company, Walt Disney Pictures
• Domestic Box Office Gross: $116,987,516
• International box office : $93,396,628

Official Trailer

Synopsis

What could possibly happen during a sedate cruise down the Amazon river in Brazil. A piece of cake, right?

Well – surprise, surprise! There are deadly indigineous tribes with poison darts. Crocodiles the size of Rhode Island. Piranha so fiendishly hungry they’ll even eat your mother-in-law’s casserole. German spies. Spanish ghouls and zombies. Snakes and bugs everywhere. The kind that suck your brains out if given half a chance, or bite you where the sun don’t shine. Not to mention a very buff river boat guide who happens to be nearly immortal. 

And so a troop of adventurers out on a lark down the murky stream run into all sorts of danger and adventures. And it’s all based on a theme park ride. That persistent howl of anguish you hear throughout the movie are not damned souls, but the script writers trying to wring any kind of narrative from a theme park ride.

The Two Faces of Disney.

The Disney company has taken many strange turns since founder Walt passed away, in their pursuit of the almighty gelt while trying to keep the Disney heritage alive and kicking.

Disney and Disney characters in particular have had a significant influence on the global spread of cultures. That influence is, to say the least, schizophrenic. The reason audiences are staying away in droves from most Disney films is that dichotomy – they can’t make up their minds whether to love or loathe Disney. Here’s how the dialogue goes in the head of most adult audience members.

Disney has helped animated films become more and more popular. On the other hand, their early experiments have solidified into a homogenized monotony that deadens true creativity.

Walt Disney Animation Studios has developed a new type of family entertainment over the years using motion picture films. But then, their monopoly on family entertainment has left other entertainment enterprises out in the cold, forcing them to turn to more adult themes.

Assistance to Local Economies?

Many local economies have grown thanks to Disney’s support. Oh yeah, name one town! When Disney moves in, other entertainment venues are forced out of business.

It has increased the use of regional goods and services and brought about job opportunities. Yeah, well, ticket takers and popcorn sellers wind up on welfare more often than not.

Additionally, it makes a sizable contribution to tax revenue. But then, so does the tobacco industry and the liquor interests.

Characters like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and others are very important in raising money for charity. And are good role models for children. Phooey; children who run around talking in high squeaky voices are just a plain nuisance!

And so it goes. Children, of course, will continue to drag their parents to Disney films and theme parks, and stay glued to the Disney channel. But their parents are beginning at long last to balk as the Disney-fication of America. Even their cruise line is beginning to sink. The box office for Disney films has been very soft for the past several years. That’s one reason they’ve branched out, to find other ways to replace the lost shekels. 

The survival of Disney has always depended on brainwashing the rising generation. But the numbers show that the wholesome propaganda is beginning to pall. It’s enough to make Snow White’s Grumpy a little grumpier.

Box Office Numbers

With a production budget of $200 Million, a worldwide box office percent 55.6% for the production budget, Jungle Cruise took $116,987,516 domestically and grossed 93,396,628 overseas at the box office.

Jungle Cruise played to 4310 theaters and took 35,018,731 (29.9%of total gross) in its opening weekend.

The film played to a total of 4310 theaters domestically and took a domestic share of some 55.6%.

Having ranked Number 1 in its opening weekend, Jungle Cruise held close to it at 2nd in its second weekend – running for a total of 17 weeks, with an average weekend domestic gross of $3,116 based on a 6 weeks average run per theater.

Jungle Cruise  was released to a total of 40 countries internationally, with the main markets being the United Kingdom with a lifetime gross of $17.361.566, Russia (CIS), with a lifetime gross of $10,068,882, and Japan, lifetime gross of $7,744,941.