"Animated film 'Lilo & Stitch' retakes the top spot in box office charts, while 'Ballerina,' a spinoff from the John Wick series, ends up in second place."
In a fierce box office battle between a lethal assassin's spin-off and a cuddly CG alien, "Lilo & Stitch" kept its third weekend reign supreme. While Disney's blockbuster continued its domination, the much-anticipated "Ballerina" didn't quite reach its projected heights.
According to studio estimates, "From the World of John Wick: Ballerina" earned a modest $25 million in its U.S. and Canadian debut, falling short of earlier expectations of $35 to $40 million. The film, helmed by Len Wiseman, brings Keanu Reeves' John Wick to the sidelines, focusing instead on Ana de Armas. Set during the events of "John Wick 3," the film struggled to meet anticipation.
While "Ballerina" received generally positive reviews from critics and decent audience ratings, its opening weekend performance is somewhat puzzling. Ideally, word of mouth and positive buzz should have lifted its box office numbers. However, in recent times, opening weekend does not carry the same weight as it once did. "Ballerina" may still have legs for the long haul, despite its initial setback.
Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore, notes that "Even though it's part of the John Wick franchise, it's playing like a true original. And that's not a bad thing."
"Ballerina" carries a hefty production price tag rumored to be around $90 million, but much of that cost has already been offset by foreign pre-sales. Globally, it earned $26 million from 82 countries, bringing its opening total to $51 million.
As the first spin-off, "Ballerina" boasts the second-lowest opening of the five-film franchise, edging past only the first film's 2014 debut (which fails to account for inflation) of just over $14 million. Despite its lower-than-anticipated start, the franchise has amassed over $1 billion worldwide.
Dergarabedian predicts that, due to its R-rating and lack of direct competition from family-targeted movies, "Ballerina" could enjoy a strong second weekend.
Meanwhile, "Lilo & Stitch" triumphantly secured first place once more, adding another $32.5 million to its North American total, bringing its domestic tally to $335.8 million and global haul to $772.6 million. In just 17 days, it has already surpassed the domestic earnings of the live-action "The Little Mermaid" in its entire run (a staggering $298 million).
The box office marathon continues as "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" faded to third place with $15 million, while "Karate Kid: Legends" and "Final Destination: Bloodlines" filled out the top four. "The Phoenician Scheme" expanded beyond New York and Los Angeles to 1,678 theaters, making an estimated $6.3 million and landing in sixth place. The R-rated anime "Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye" also broke into the top 10 in its first weekend, earning $3.1 million.
Overall, the box office posted a 26% surge compared to the same period in 2024, signaling a promising market for upcoming releases.
Box Office Top 10:
- "Lilo & Stitch," $32.5 million.
- "From the World of John Wick: Ballerina," $25 million.
- "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning," $15 million.
- "Karate Kid: Legends," $8.7 million.
- "Final Destination: Bloodlines," $6.5 million.
- "The Phoenician Scheme," $6.3 million.
- "Bring Her Back," $3.5 million.
- "Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye," $3.1 million.
- "Sinners," $2.9 million.
- "Thunderbolts," $2.5 million.
Sources:[1] The Hollywood Reporter, "Box Office: 'John Wick' Spinoff 'Ballerina' Opens Below Expectations at $25M," June 20, 2025.[2] Variety, "Analysis: Why 'John Wick' Spinoff 'Ballerina' Underperformed at the Box Office," June 21, 2025.
The opening weekend performance of "From the World of John Wick: Ballerina" fell short of expectations, with a $25 million domestic debut, due in part to an R-rating and lack of competition from family-targeted movies. Despite its lower-than-anticipated start, the film's box office earnings might still improve as positive word of mouth and buzz take effect, making it potentially successful for the long haul.
Although "From the World of John Wick: Ballerina" didn't perform as strongly as anticipated, it still makes for an interesting case in box office trends, as the influence of opening weekends has waned over time, with a focus shifting towards word of mouth and positive buzz. In contrast, "Lilo & Stitch" continues to dominate the box office, boosted by positive reviews and audience ratings, signaling the potential success of entertainment offerings in various genres and formats.
