Dinosaurs are anything but extinct at the box office.

Jurassic World, the fourth film in the series that began with Jurassic Park more than 20 years ago, became the highest global opener of all time with a staggering $511.8 million US in its first days in theatres.

It also devoured a number of U.S. box office records with a $204.6 million take, according to Rentrak estimated on Sunday. Rentrak is a film and entertainment analytics company.

In addition to setting a record for 2015, Jurassic World is now the second-highest U.S. opening of all time, right behind Marvel's The Avengers which took in $207.4 million in 2012. By the time Monday actuals roll in, there is a chance the film could dethrone Avengers.

It's been 14 years since there has been a new Jurassic film in theatres, and the combination of cinematic grandeur, nostalgia and awareness helped Jurassic World far surpass analyst predictions going into the weekend, which had the film on track for a $125-million opening.

"This over-performed in a way that I've never seen," Rentrak's Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian said. "It broke the box office sound barrier."

He's like Jimmy Stewart with a leather vest and muscles. He's a great modern-day action hero. - Industry analyst, describing Jurassic World star Chris Pratt

Universal Pictures and Legendary co-financed the $150 million, PG-13 rated film. Audiences in every quadrant turned out to see the film in theaters. According to exit polls, 39 per cent were under the age of 25, signifying the massive interest of both a new generation and the continued enthusiasm of those who saw Jurassic Park in 1993.

Also, audiences shelled out the extra money to see the film in the biggest format possible. Approximately 48 per cent of U.S. audiences opted for 3D.

"It is extraordinary. The film has resonated with audiences around the world," said Nick Carpou, Universal's President of Domestic Distribution.

Pratt hailed as modern-day action hero

Directed by Colin Trevorrow and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Jurassic World is the third in a series of blockbusters for star Chris Pratt, who also starred in the 2014 box office hits Guardians of the Galaxy and The Lego Movie.

"He's like Jimmy Stewart with a leather vest and muscles," Dergarbedian said. "He's a great modern-day action hero."

This is also likely not the last Jurassic film audiences will see. Pratt has stated in interviews that he has signed on for future installments, but right now, Universal is focusing on what's in theatres.

Jurassic World is just the latest hit for Universal in 2015, following Fifty Shades of Grey and Furious 7.

No studio even tried to compete with the unbeatable dinosaurs this weekend, and thus holdovers populated the rest of the top five. Melissa McCarthy's Spy earned $16 million in its second weekend in theaters, bringing its domestic total to $56.9 million. San Andreas added another $11 million, and Insidious Chapter 3 and Pitch Perfect 2 took the fourth and fifth spots, with $7.3 million and $6 million, respectively.

The dino-sized debut of Jurassic World is of utmost importance to the industry, too, which has seen three consecutive down weekends in what was supposed to be a record-setting summer.

"We got the wind back in the summer sails," said Dergarabedian citing upcoming films like Inside Out, Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation, and Ted 2 as some of the big films on the way. "This gets the summer back on track."