The John Wick universe welcomed its latest chapter, ‘Ballerina — From the World of John Wick’, this past weekend, and it pulled in a solid but not quite show-stopping $25 million to $27 million at the domestic box office. Starring Ana de Armas as a fierce ballerina-turned-assassin, the spinoff landed in second place, trailing behind Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, which danced away with $32.5 million in its third week. For fans of the Wick franchise, Ballerina delivers the slick action and gritty vibe they love, but its opening is one of the softer debuts in the series, sparking chatter about whether spinoffs can pack the same punch without Keanu Reeves stealing the show.
Directed by Len Wiseman, Ballerina takes place between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4. It follows Eve Macarro (de Armas), a dancer trained by the Ruska Roma who dives into a bloody quest for revenge after her father’s murder. The movie brings back familiar faces like Anjelica Huston as the Director, Ian McShane as Winston, and Lance Reddick as Charon in his final role, with new players like Gabriel Byrne and Norman Reedus joining the fray. Oh, and yes, Keanu pops in for a quick John Wick cameo to remind everyone this is still his world.
Going into the weekend, expectations were higher, with early estimates pegging Ballerina for a $35 million to $40 million debut. But after a $3.75 million Thursday preview and a $10.6 million opening day, it became clear the film wasn’t going to hit those marks. Overseas, it added $26 million from 82 markets, pushing its global opening to around $51 million. That’s not bad, but it’s a far cry from John Wick: Chapter 4’s massive $73.8 million domestic start and $440 million global run. With a $90 million budget—partly covered by foreign pre-sales—and a $45 million marketing push, Lionsgate’s hoping Ballerina can keep drawing crowds to hit an $80 million to $90 million domestic total.
So why the softer landing? For one, June’s box office is a battlefield. Lilo & Stitch is still crushing it, nearing $800 million worldwide, while Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning ($15 million) and Karate Kid: Legends ($8.7 million) are pulling audiences too. Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme also expanded, adding to the competition. Some folks think Ballerina might’ve shined brighter in a quieter release window, but Keanu’s schedule for the press tour likely locked in the date.
Still, the movie’s got a lot going for it. Fans are raving, giving it an A- CinemaScore (right up there with Chapter 4’s A), and it’s sitting at a 75% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics and viewers alike are all about de Armas’ badass performance and the film’s wild action scenes—think balletic moves mixed with grenades and flamethrowers. Sure, some fans on platforms like IMDb have pointed out that Eve looks a bit too pristine after taking on armies of bad guys, but that’s a small gripe in a movie that’s all about style and chaos.
Lionsgate’s not sweating it too much—they’ve got big plans for the Wickiverse, including John Wick 5, a Donnie Yen spinoff about Caine, and even an animated prequel in the works. Ballerina’s strong word-of-mouth could keep it kicking in theaters, especially with diehard Wick fans showing up for the gun-fu and de Armas’ star power. It may not be breaking records, but Ballerina proves there’s still life in this world of assassins, even if it’s not quite Baba Yaga-level box office magic. Here’s hoping Eve’s dance of vengeance keeps drawing crowds—and sets the stage for more.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter