'Jumanji: The Next Level': Can Sony Make Box Office Lightning Strike Twice?

Sony

Two years after “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” became a surprise box office hit, Sony is hoping to strike box office fortune again with the sequel, “The Next Level” — even though the Dwayne Johnson-Kevin Hart comedy adventure film is opening one week before Disney’s eagerly awaited saga finale “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.”

Analysts don’t expect “The Next Level” to match the unexpected success of 2017’s “Welcome to the Jungle,” but also note that the film can still be a hit for Sony. The film has already grossed $53 million overseas and is projected to earn a domestic opening in the low $50 million range, similar to the $55 million 4-day Christmas opening that “Welcome to the Jungle” earned. Sony is projecting a $35 million launch.

“Welcome to the Jungle,” a sequel to the 1995 Robin Williams adventure film that turned the original film’s magical board game into a video game that sucks whoever plays it into a magical world, was a late December release that proved that other films could thrive alongside “Star Wars” in theaters. Both Sony’s film and Fox’s “The Greatest Showman” had box office legs that carried them well into January.

Also Read: 'Jumanji' Surprise: How The Rock's Hit Did the Opposite of What Most Blockbusters Do

While 2017’s “The Last Jedi” grossed $1.33 billion worldwide, “Welcome to the Jungle” grossed an impressive $962 million, becoming one of Sony’s top 3 highest grossing releases ever and setting new personal domestic records for the film’s entire main cast. That includes box office titan Dwayne Johnson, who has been a part of higher grossing films globally (the “Fast & Furious” series) but broke the $400 million domestic milestone for the first time with “Jumanji.”

The breakout success of “Welcome to the Jungle” came as a much needed win for Sony, preventing it from finishing with an annual total below $1 billion for a third straight year. Sony has already passed that mark in 2019 thanks to the success of last summer’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” That takes some of the pressure off “The Next Level,” which would be considered a success even if it has a much lower global run of around $500 million.

Also Read: Knives In: Lionsgate Bounces Back in 2019 After Worst Box Office Year in Over a Decade

“We won’t really be able to judge whether or not ‘The Next Level’ is going to be a success until around New Year’s Day,” Boxoffice.com analyst Shawn Robbins told TheWrap. “It will have a pretty decent opening weekend and then probably see a big drop because of ‘Star Wars.’ But ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ did so well because it grabbed the interest of audiences, especially families, who wanted something else to see during Christmastime after seeing ‘The Last Jedi.’ If ‘Jumanji’ becomes that again this year, it could really last in theaters for a long time.”

In addition to Johnson and Hart, “Jumanji: The Next Level” stars Jack Black, Karen Gillan and Nick Jonas as the avatars of the “Jumanji” video game that four teens got sucked into and had to escape in “Welcome to the Jungle.” While the game was destroyed at the end of the last film, Spencer (Alex Wolff), one of the teens who survived, decides to put it back together and go back inside. The film also features newcomers like Danny DeVito, Danny Glover and Awkwafina. Jake Kasdan directs from a script he co-wrote with Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg. Critics have been positive so far with an 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Also Read: Disney Becomes First Ever Studio With $10 Billion at Global Box Office

Also releasing wide this weekend is Warner Bros.’ “Richard Jewell,” Clint Eastwood’s latest film starring Paul Walter Hauser in the true story of the security guard who was falsely accused of being involved in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing. The film comes a year after Eastwood released another box office hit at the age of 88 with “The Mule,” which opened to $17 million and grossed $174 million worldwide against a $50 million budget. “Richard Jewell,” meanwhile, is projected for an opening weekend in the $10-11 million range.

That success can be attributable to the fact that Eastwood has a very devout fan base among older, male moviegoers, particularly in more conservative communities. But unlike in “The Mule,” Eastwood is not also appearing on screen.

To get around this, Warner Bros. has made TV spots and online featurettes in which Eastwood personally introduces the film and explains why telling its story of justice, mob mentality and media hysteria was so important to him. The studio took a similar approach to Eastwood’s 2014 blockbuster “American Sniper,” which exploded to a $350 million domestic run.

Also Read: 'Richard Jewell' Film Review: Clint Eastwood's Wrong-Man Docudrama Muddles Harrowing True Story

“Richard Jewell” was written by Billy Ray and also stars Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, and Kathy Bates, the latter of whom received a Golden Globe nomination on Monday for her performance in this film. Critics have been generally positive, with an 86% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Finally, Universal will release the seasonal horror film “Black Christmas,” a remake of the 1974 cult film about a serial killer who attacks a sorority during the holidays. It’s a Blumhouse horror film, which means that its projected $10-12 million opening will be enough to ensure a profit. Sophia Takal, who co-wrote the screenplay with April Wolfe, is the first female director of a Blumhouse horror film.

In her updated take on “Black Christmas,” the sorority sisters become a quartet of fighters ready to battle to their would-be murderer to the death. Imogen Poots, Aleyse Shannon, Lily Donoghue, and Brittany O’Grady star with Cary Elwes, and the film does not currently have a Rotten Tomatoes score.

19 Golden Globes Nominations Snubs and Surprises, From 'When They See Us' to Cate Blanchett (Photos)

Who was a surprise, and who was left out in the Golden Globe Award nominations on Dec. 9?
Snub: Robert De Niro

“The Irishman” got a lot of love at the Globes, including nods for both of his co-stars Al Pacino and Joe Pesci in the Supporting Actor category, but De Niro himself came away empty-handed.
Netflix
Surprise: Cate Blanchett for "Where'd You Go Bernadette?"

Cate Blanchett’s performance in Richard Linklater’s “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” was fairly forgotten, as the movie was a late summer release that didn’t play the festival circuit, and the film was a critical and box office disappointment considering its pedigree. It’s a good thing the HFPA remembered though, because she’s phenomenal in a light-hearted, but complex role.
Annapurna
Snub: "Game of Thrones"

"Game of Thrones," one of the most critically acclaimed shows ever, received no love on Monday except for lead actor Kit Harington. At the Emmys this year, the show swooped five awards, out of its 10 nominations.
HBO
Surprise: Ana de Armas for "Knives Out"

Ana de Armas was great in "Knives Out," but her nomination came as a bit of a surprise to some, especially because "Hustlers'" Constance Wu was shut out.
Snub: "The Handmaid's Tale"

The Hulu show has seen major wins in previous year for "The Handmaid's Tale," but this year, the Elisabeth Moss-fronted show couldn't even score a nomination.
Hulu
Surprise: Annette Bening for "The Report"

Annette Bening plays Sen. Dianne Feinstein in Scott Z. Burns’ dense but scathing drama about how the CIA aimed to cover up its use of torture and “enhanced interrogation techniques” following 9/11. Her co-star Adam Driver as investigator Daniel J. Jones is deserving as well, but he got nominated for his work in “Marriage Story”
Amazon
Snub: "When They See Us"

Niecy Nash and Jharrel Jerome were predicted nominees, and the show was expected to get a Best TV Limited Series nod, at least -- but it got absolutely nothing. Shocking, especially because it received the most love at the Critics Choice Awards just the day before, and Jerome won the Emmy.
Netflix
Surprise: "Catch-22"

The underrated Hulu wartime drama “Catch-22” scored some surprise nominations in the Limited Series category and for star Christopher Abbott. And this will give the HFPA an opportunity to invite George Clooney to the ceremony.
Hulu
Snub: Noah Baumbach for Best Director

Baumbach was left out of the Best Director nominations for his film "Marriage Story," in a category that included Bong Joon Ho ("Parasite"), Sam Mendes ("1917"), Todd Phillips ("Joker"), Martin Scorsese ("The Irishman") and Quentin Tarantino ("Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood"). Stiff competition, but still a surprise.
Netflix
Surprise: "Two Popes" in Best Drama and Jonathan Pryce in Best Actor

“The Two Popes” is a delightful movie, but it might be the lightest among the other very serious drama nominees. And Jonathan Pryce as Pope Francis, though he bears a splitting resemblance to the pontiff, is a surprise for having beaten out guys like Robert De Niro in “The Irishman.”

Netflix
Snub: Lupita Nyong'o for "Us"

After Nyong'o won the New York Film Critics Circle award for Best Actress for her role in Jordan Peele's "Us," we thought the HFPA might do the same. However, the actress got no love on Monday.
Universal
Surprise: Reese Witherspoon for "Morning Show"

Those Apple TV+ subscriptions must be fresh for voters, because they didn’t just nominate Jennifer Aniston for her work on “The Morning Show,” they also nominated Reese Witherspoon to give the show two Lead Actress nominations in the same category.
Apple TV +
Snub: "Uncut Gems"

There was no love at all for Adam Sandler's "Uncut Gems," although the National Board of Review just named it one of the 10 best films of the year, and Sandler even won Best Actor. The New York Film Critics Circle gave the Best Director Award to the Safdie Brothers for the film.
A24
Surprise: Christina Applegate

Applegate was wonderful in "Dead To Me" and definitely deserves recognition, but the could be deemed a surprise given the other heavy hitters that could've received a nomination. For example, Julia Louis-Dreyfus was left out for "Veep."
Netflix
Snub: "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie"

What's the opposite of "Yeah, bitch!"? Oh, right: No, bitch!

We waited six years to find out what happened to Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) and actually got a very good movie along with that answer -- and yet no Golden Globe nomination?!? Even Aaron himself was left out in the cold -- and we're not talking about where he ends up. C'mon, dog.

Netflix
Surprise: Ramy Youssef

Youssef was nominated in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy category, alongside Ben Platt, Bill Hader, Michael Douglas and Paul Rudd. Ted Danson ("The Good Place") was shut out.

Hulu
Snub: Jeremy Strong

The amount of crap that Kendall Roy (Strong) had to suffer this season on "Succession" and not even a lousy Golden Globe nomination? OK, so there's nothing "lousy" about a Globes nod, but this snub sure is. Don't get us wrong, Brian Cox is very deserving and likely split the vote in a Christian Bale-Matt Damon "Ford v. Ferrari" scenario, but Jeremy was just as deserving as his small-screen big poppa. That rap alone!

Happy to see (TV) lil' bro Roman (Kieran Culkin, the actual lil' bro of Macauley Culkin) recognized in his own category.
HBO
Snub: Female Directors

Once again, not one woman was nominated in the Best Director category, although this year was stacked with critically-acclaimed films directed by women. Lulu Wang ("The Farewell"), Melisa Matsoukas ("Queen & Slim"), Marielle Heller ("A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood") and Greta Gerwig ("Little Women"), for example, were left out.
Sony
Snub: "Honey Boy"

Alma Har'el's film was completely shut out as well -- not even Shia LaBeouf received a nod for portraying his own father in the film based on his own life.