After months of only being available for a fee on Disney+, Jungle Cruise will be made free for all subscribers in November. Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson's adventure flick was originally slated to premiere in summer 2020, but it eventually became one of the many movies pushed back amid the coronavirus pandemic. It was the pandemic that also later altered its release plans further when Disney opted to give Jungle Cruise the same Premier Access streaming release Mulan had pioneered last fall. Jungle Cruise rode into theaters and Disney+ in late July, just as there were renewed concerns over the state of moviegoing.
Against all odds, though, Jungle Cruise managed to become a success. After earning a better than expected opening weekend haul of $35 million at the box office and an additional $30 million on Disney+, the Jaume Collet-Serra directed movie went on to become one of the few 2021 movies to cross $100 million domestically. It now stands at $204.5 million worldwide. Spurred by this success, Disney has greenlit a Jungle Cruise sequel, with both Blunt and Johnson expected to return.
Since its July debut, Jungle Cruise has cost $30 on Disney+. That will finally change in two months, Disney+ announced Tuesday. Jungle Cruise will be available for free starting on November 12, also known as Disney+ Day this year. The service is planning a full day of exciting content for fans, including the streaming premiere of Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Jungle Cruise stars Blunt as Dr. Lily Houghton, a headstrong botanist searching for a mythical tree that possesses incredible healing abilities. She enlists Johnson's skipper Frank Wolff to ferry her and her brother (Jack Whitehall) through the Amazon, leading them all on an epic adventure involving cursed conquistadors and a scheming German prince (Jesse Plemons). Overall, Jungle Cruise earned positive reviews from audiences and critics; favorable word of mouth likely contributed to its breakout success, which might only increase once it is available for free.
Disney+'s Premier Access practices have been somewhat controversial since they were first introduced with Mulan. However, while Marvel's Black Widow got Disney a lawsuit from star Scarlett Johansson, Jungle Cruise seemingly avoided choppy waters. Johnson shared his enthusiasm for the streaming release time and time again, and its availability on Disney+ seems to have helped the movie reach even an bigger audience. Though Disney won't release any additional streaming figures, one can assume it will see some solid numbers in November when all audiences can watch it. If you haven't taken a trip on the Jungle Cruise just yet, your time is coming.
Source: Disney+