Disney’s “The Jungle Book” roared to the top of Fandango’s weekend ticket sales, scoring 94 out of 100 Fanticipation points.
“Disney’s sensational retelling of the beloved classic will rule this weekend’s box office kingdom, appealing to a wide range of moviegoers,” says Fandango Managing Editor Erik Davis. “Like ‘Maleficent’ and ‘Cinderella’ before it, ‘The Jungle Book’ works beautifully as a live-action movie, thanks to the mind-blowing effects and latest digital technology.”
The Jon Favreau-directed version of “The Jungle Book” is based on Rudyard Kipling’s stories about Mowgli, an abandoned boy who gets raised by wolves and a black panther named Bagheera. While Disney released an animated version in 1967, the 2016 film stars Bill Murray as Baloo, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Scarlett Johansson as Kaa, Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha and newcomer Neel Sethi as Mowgli.
Analysts predict a $70 million to $80 million opening weekend for the remake, although the studio is being more conservative with a mid-to-high $60 million range.
Currently boasting a stellar score of 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, “The Jungle Book” is “beautifully rendered,” a “jaw-dropper,” and “a terrifically enjoyable piece of old-fashioned storytelling,” critics said.
In comparison, Disney’s “Zootopia” scored 93 points out of 100 on the day before its release in March. However, Warner Bros.’ “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” scored 98 points out of 100 when it debuted on March 25.