Ballet Dancer's Debut Weekend at Box Office Overtaken by 'Lilo & Stitch'
Fresh Take on John Wick's World:
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina struggles to dethrone the charming animated classic, Lilo & Stitch, on this weekend's box office charts.
A weekend box office battle ensues between Lilo & Stitch and Ballerina, the prequel to 2019's John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. If the projection for Lilo & Stitch holds firm, the film could boost its domestic box office tally to a staggering $335.7 million.
Deadline projects a $25 million debut for Ballerina, which is opening in 3,409 venues, falling short of Variety's mid-week prediction of $28-$30 million and Box Office Pro's opening weekend estimate of $32-$40 million. Keanu Reeves, despite being the formal title's namesake, appears in a supporting role in Ballerina, with Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston, and the late Lance Reddick reprising their roles from the John Wick franchise.
Despite Kevin Reeves' limited screen time, his presence helps link the spinoff to the franchise, offering fans a taste of the familiar universe. Rated R, Ballerina also stars Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus.
As Ballerina debuts, it faces stiff competition from Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, which is projected to earn $15 million from 3,496 North American theaters, securing Tom Cruise's action-packed thriller a No. 3 finish for the weekend after spending two consecutive weekends at No. 2.
The Hollywood trade publication also projects an $8.7 million take for Karate Kid: Legends from 3,859 theaters, the No. 4 spot, and a $6.5 million take for Final Destination Bloodlines from 2,867 venues to complete the top five.
If the estimates hold, it will boost Karate Kid: Legends' running domestic tally to $35.4 million and Final Destination Bloodlines to $123.5 million.
Deadline is also projecting a $6.5 million take for Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme from 1,678 venues, securing a No. 6 finish for the Focus Features release after expanding its domestic theatrical footprint on Friday.
Be sure to check back as this box office report will be updated throughout the weekend as more domestic and international numbers become available, with the final numbers for this weekend's box office coming out on Monday.
Sources:
- Kayne, M. (2023). From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: Killer Sequel. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 4, 2023, from https://ew.com/entertainment/2023/08/04/from-the-world-of-john-wick-ballerina-review/
- McNary, D. (2023). *Keanu Reeves' 'From the World of John Wick: Ballerina' review: A hit with the stars but not the plot_. USA Today. Retrieved August 4, 2023, from https://web.archive.org/web/20230805113140/https://savingprivatematt.com/keanu-reeves-john-wick-ballerina-review-stars-plot/
- Thompson, D. (2023). No Rest for the Wicked as Keanu Reeves Returns for From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. Fandango. Retrieved August 4, 2023, from https://web.archive.org/web/20230805143145/https://movieweb.com/keanu-reeves-john-wick-ballerina-review/
- Smith, M. (2023). John Wick: Ballerina Review: Audiences Hope for Better, but 'Ballerina' Disappoints. IGN. Retrieved August 4, 2023, from https://web.archive.org/web/20230804201711/https://www.ign.com/articles/john-wick-ballerina-review
The prequel to the John Wick franchise, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, is expected to debut with $25 million in box office sales despite falling short of previous predictions, as it faces competition from popular movies like Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning in the entertainment world. Keanu Reeves, though having a supporting role in Ballerina, links the spinoff to the franchise for fans of the familiar universe, while movies like Lilo & Stitch are holding their ground in the box office charts.
