There was once a time when former pro wrestler Dwayne Johnson’s box-office beast Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle outperformed Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
The ambitious and uber-inspiring Dwayne Johnson is no stranger to delivering box-office hits. 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is one of the prime examples of this phenomenon. The endeavor, which featured esteemed Hollywood talents alongside the former wrestler, achieved a victory that likely filled Johnson with immense joy.
Commercial behemoths fiercely competed with the 1995 Robin Williams classic’s standalone sequel when it was released in December 2017. Star Wars: The Last Jedi proved to be the endeavor’s most cut-throat competitor. The Rian Johnson-helmed project became the highest-grossing film of that year. But on New Year’s Day 2018, Johnson’s fantasy comedy eclipsed the profitable titan of Lucasfilm at the domestic box office.
Being a Star Wars fan helped make this achievement even more special for the Black Adam star.
The Time Dwayne Johnson’s Jumanji Surpassed Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
According to Time, Jumanji, starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, and others, surpassed the second installment in the Star Wars sequel trilogy to become the highest-grossing movie in theaters during the first week of 2018. Variety even reported that New Year’s Day marked the first instance of the Jake Kasdan-helmed pursuit outpacing Rian Johnson’s project.
If we look at the data presented, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle raked in $16.2 million on January 1, 2018, while The Last Jedi amassed $14.5 million.
Overall data, however, indicates that the Mark Hamill-led project out-reigned Johnson’s endeavor. At the worldwide box office, Star Wars: The Last Jedi garnered around $1.334 billion against a budget of $300 million. On the other hand, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle grossed around $995.3 million worldwide against a budget of $90 million.
Given the influence a multi-media franchise such as Star Wars carries, Dwayne Johnson must have been pleased with Jumanji’s capacity to establish itself as a formidable foe. In addition to celebrating the achievement of surpassing The Last Jedi, the actor took to Twitter in 2018 to talk about a sweet exchange he had with Mark Hamill.
Dwayne Johnson’s Fan-Boy Moment Over Mark Hamill
Dwayne Johnson’s sweet exchange with Mark HamillTaking to Twitter in 2018, Dwayne Johnson, who has voiced his appreciation for the Star Wars franchise before, reacted to the news of Jumanji‘s first-time victory over The Last Jedi. The Fast X star also revealed his exciting interaction with Mark Hamill. Following is the tweet that Johnson made:
Landed this am in China to this cool news. About a month ago my Jedi hero @HamillHimself said “the Jumanji force is strong”. Nice win for the Jumanji team and win for me because I actually had a Twitter exchange with Luke-f*cking-Skywalker. #Hero https://t.co/OG2pXumkjF
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 3, 2018
Calling Hamill his hero, Johnson emphasized his joy over the exchange he shared with the former.
The two movies’ critical reception also underlined their popularity amongst viewers in 2017-2018. On Rotten Tomatoes, Johnson’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle boasts an approval rating of 76%. The audience score sits slightly higher at 87%. The majority agreed that the movie’s charming cast and action-packed comedy make it worth the watch.
Meanwhile, The Last Jedi enjoys a 91% critics’ rating on the website, with the consensus deeming its “emotion-rich action” a treat for the fans.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi can be watched on Disney+, whereas Dwayne Johnson’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is available on Hulu.
