Jurassic World Rebirth Roars Past $100M: Scarlett Johansson, Dinos, and a Viral Kiss

The franchise claws back into relevance with a monster box office, fan-favorite creatures, and Scarlett Johansson leading a sleek, horror-tinged reboot.

Sneha Kashyap 3 weeks agoLast Updated: July 5, 2025

146,633 3 minutes read

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Reviewed & Published by HH News Desk

Los Angeles, July 3: If you’ve heard a distant rumble this week, don’t worry—it’s not another climate disaster. It’s Jurassic World Rebirth, storming into theatres with over $104.6 million in global earnings in just two days, including a thumping Rs 9 crore in India on opening day. That makes it the franchise’s biggest bow in the country to date. Not bad for a series some fans had mentally filed under “nostalgic, but tired.”

Turns out, you just need a few terrifying new dinos, some decent direction, and Scarlett Johansson in a blood-splattered lab coat to get the pulse going again.

Yes, Dinosaurs Are Still a Thing

Look, we’ve been here before—CG raptors, collapsed fences, running in heels. But Gareth Edwards, who last brought us Rogue One, clearly wanted to shift gears. Rebirth is grittier, moodier, and maybe even a bit genre-fluid. Less theme park, more bio-horror.

The stars of the show? Not the humans (though we’ll get to them), but the brand-new monster mash: D-Rex, Mutadon, and the grotesquely hypnotic Dolores, who emerges from underwater like a creature straight out of Guillermo del Toro’s sketchbook. They’re genetically engineered, obviously. And terrifying, obviously. But also… kinda cool? Dolores already has fan art, merch bootlegs, and probably a Stan account.

It’s no wonder Indian audiences showed up in droves. IMAX screens in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore reported house-full status by afternoon. And when was the last time a Jurassic sequel got people out on a weekday?

Johansson Isn’t Just the Star—She’s the Sell

You don’t cast Scarlett Johansson unless you’re swinging for prestige-pop crossover. Here, she plays Dr. Lyra Quinn, a morally conflicted geneticist who’s part savior, part suspect. The performance is sharp, subdued, and kind of fun in a “you don’t know what she’s thinking, but she does” way.

Asked why she took the role, Scarlett told Times of India: “It scared me. That’s a good sign.” Bold, considering the last time she took a sci-fi risk, people were still arguing about Ghost in the Shell.

But here, it works. Maybe because the film gives her space. Maybe because she’s opposite Jonathan Bailey, who plays a field scientist that’s basically the Hot Smart Guy™. They have tension. Real tension. Enough that one red carpet kiss went viral faster than you can say “cinematic universe.”

Johansson brushed it off with, “It’s called acting, darling,” which only made it trend harder. Bailey, predictably, said nothing and looked good doing it.

The Reviews Are…Mixed, But Who Cares?

Critics? They’re split. Hindustan Times called it “gorgeous, but forgettable.” New York Post liked the creature work but said the plot was more “science fair” than science fiction. To be fair, they’re not wrong. The script gets a little chewy. There’s exposition. The usual “should we play god?” debates. You’ve seen versions of it before.

But does that matter when the VFX are this clean, the scares this well-timed, and the popcorn this buttery? Not really.

Sequel Talk, Streaming Speculation, and What’s Next

Universal isn’t even pretending this is the end. NBC reports director Edwards already baked in an open-ended finale. There’s sequel buzz. There’s even early talk of a Johansson-led trilogy—because of course there is.

As for where you’ll stream it? Decider says Prime Video and Netflix are both in play, with a likely drop by late August or early September depending on your region. Which is great news for people who love dinosaurs but not movie theatre air conditioning.

So, where does that leave Jurassic World Rebirth? It’s loud. It’s chaotic. It’s better than it has any right to be. It’s also, weirdly, kind of sexy? And it’s got just enough teeth to make us wonder: maybe this franchise isn’t extinct after all.

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Author Profile

Sneha Kashyap

Reporting Fellow at Hindustan Herald

Sneha Kashyap is a Reporting Fellow at Hindustan Herald, specializing in the vibrant world of entertainment and contemporary lifestyle trends. A student at GGSIPU, Delhi, Sneha brings a fresh perspective and a keen eye for cultural narratives to her daily reporting. She is dedicated to exploring the latest in film, music, fashion, and social phenomena, offering readers insightful and engaging content.