Despite a worrying opening,From the World of John Wick: Ballerinacontinues to climb Lionsgate’s charts. The fifth movie intheJohn Wickfranchisefollows ballerina Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) as she attempts to avenge her late father. Alongside de Armas, Keanu Reeves reprises his role as John Wick and helps Eve fight against the villainous Cult.
Ballerinais not the first spin-off in franchise history, coming after the TV showThe Continental, but it is the first to reach theaters. As Lionsgate hopes to expand the franchise without involving Wick in every project,Ballerinagives a taste of the expanded assassin’s world and consequences.
According to a report byDeadline, the movie is expected to earn $2 million in its fourth weekend at the domestic box office. That represents a 55% drop from last week, but it also means thatit will cross the $55 million markby the end of this weekend. With that total, it would be the 44th highest-grossing film in Lionsgate’s history at the domestic box office.
What This Milestone Means For Ballerina
It Will Still Not Be Profitable
This milestone is a positive sign for the movie, but it does not mean that it will achieve raw profitability. Lionsgate generally earns a significant amount of profit by licensing international distribution, butBallerina’s $90 million budgetmeans thatthe movie is unlikely to achieve a profit otherwise.
Lionsgate delayedBallerinaby one year, as it was originally designated for a 2024 release.
IfBallerinawas an experiment at seeing how successful theJohn Wickfranchise could be without Reeves, it would likely be a disappointment. Reeves’s best roles draw crowds to theaters, and his relatively minor role in this movie was not enough to bring in those viewers. It is a worrying sign, as the star has been giving mixed messagesabout a possibleJohn Wick 5.
Despite theJohn Wickconcerns,Ballerinacontinues to climb Lionsgate’s domestic charts. It has already passedMadea’s Big Happy Family(2011),3:10 to Yuma(2007), andKick-Ass(2010), and it would push pastSaw(2004) andSaw V(2008) next week. The spinoff movie may have disappointed, butit still reached major milestones.
Our Take On Ballerina’s Box Office Milestone
It Deserves Even More
The unfortunate reality is thatBallerinadoes not necessarily match the expectations set by Reeves' iconic franchise. While it is an action-packed release,ScreenRant’s Rachel Labontefound that it lacks “the polish” but has"the same exhilarating feeling as the main John Wick movies". In that respect, it deserved to succeed because it matches that constant sense of energy.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerinacould still find success via streaming, and word of mouth can certainly help its chances. There are rumors that it will be released on streaming on July 1, though Lionsgate has offered no confirmation. If so, it will cut its run even shorter, leaving a mixed legacy for an enjoyable film.
