‘Lilo & Stitch’ to Battle ‘Ballerina’ for Box Office Crown as ‘John Wick’ Spinoff Targets $30 Million Opening Weekend

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Is there a chance that viewers will still be captivated by the “John Wick” universe if it’s not centered around its primary character, John Wick (played by Keanu Reeves over four movies), as the main protagonist?

Over the upcoming weekend, it will be determined if “Ballerina” – a new spinoff featuring Ana de Armas as a ballet dancer with fighting skills – is a success as it hits cinemas on Friday. The movie is projected to make approximately $28 million to $30 million during its debut in 3,400 North American theatres. Internationally, “Ballerina” could potentially earn an additional $30 million from 82 different markets.

This movie is part of the main “John Wick” franchise, which has gained more and more fans since its first release in 2014 that grossed $14 million at the box office. Every subsequent film in the series has outperformed its predecessor, with the second installment earning $30.4 million in 2017, the third – “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” raking in $56.8 million in 2019, and the fourth chapter opening to a record-breaking $73.8 million in 2023.

Although Keanu Reeves appears in the film “Ballerina,” which falls between the events of the third and fourth “John Wick” films, the latest action thriller primarily revolves around the character played by Ana de Armas named Eve Macarro. She’s a dancer who transforms into an assassin to avenge her father’s death. Since it’s not a direct sequel, “Ballerina” is unlikely to achieve the same box office success as the main series. Interestingly, this spin-off shares the same production budget, approximately $90 million.

Regarding reviews, Lionsgate asked film critics to delay expressing “general public opinions” until June 4, which was two weeks after they were permitted to express “spoiler-free excitement” on X and other sites. The studio intends to continue growing the cinematic universe with “John Wick 5,” along with a spinoff focusing on Donnie Yen‘s character Caine, as well as an animated prequel movie.

The live-action version of “Ballerina” might not unseat Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” from the domestic box office rankings. Having held the top spot for two consecutive weekends, “Lilo & Stitch” is aiming to earn between $30 million and $35 million in its third week. With a staggering $280 million earned domestically and a massive $613 million globally since Memorial Day weekend, “Lilo & Stitch” is on track to become the first film of the year to reach a billion dollars in earnings.

In other box office rankings, “The Phoenician Scheme,” Wes Anderson’s spy story, aims to leverage its independent success for broader popularity. Featuring stars like Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, and Benedict Cumberbatch, the film debuted in limited release last weekend. As it expands to approximately 1,500 North American theaters from Friday onwards, we can expect its earnings to remain within the single digits.

This summer’s box office has seen a significant surge, with total earnings increasing by 25% compared to the same period last year, as reported by Comscore. Nevertheless, ticket sales are still lagging behind 2019 levels by 27%, a comparison complicated due to the extraordinary success of “Captain Marvel” and “Avengers: Endgame,” which had already grossed over $1 billion each at this point in time. Cinema operators are pinning their hopes on upcoming movies like “Jurassic World Rebirth,” Brad Pitt’s “F1,” Marvel’s “Fantastic Four: The First Steps,” and “Superman” to drive attendance towards levels more akin to pre-pandemic times.

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2025-06-04 16:46