From the World of John Wick: Ballerina has recently crossed one of its final box office milestones as it becomes available on VOD. The latest addition to the John Wick universe follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), on a quest for vengeance against an assassin cult responsible for her father’s death. While the movie had high expectations, it opened with only $24 million during its debut weekend. However, it has managed to reach important box office numbers steadily.
According to The Numbers, Ballerina has surpassed $130 million at the global box office. This total includes $57 million domestically and $73 million internationally. Unfortunately, despite this figure, it remains the second-lowest-grossing film in the John Wick franchise, just ahead of the original installment released in 2014.
Why Ballerina Is Not Exactly A Disappointment Despite Underwhelming Box Office
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While $130 million may seem impressive, it falls short of making Ballerina a success. The film reportedly had a production budget of around $90 million. To break even, a movie typically needs to earn roughly two and a half times its budget, meaning Ballerina likely won’t hit the approximately $200 million mark required for profitability.
Having been in theaters for over a month and with new releases continuously appearing, it seems unlikely that Ballerina will climb higher than No. 4 on the franchise’s highest-grossing charts, trailing behind Chapter 2, which earned $171 million.
|
John Wick Franchise Box Office |
|
|---|---|
|
Title |
Worldwide Box Office |
|
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (2025) |
$131.3M |
|
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) |
$447.3M |
|
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) |
$326.6M |
|
John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) |
$171.5M |
|
John Wick (2014) |
$86M |
Despite the disappointing box office numbers, Ballerina has found audiences through its VOD release, which began on July 1. The film has been performing well in home media sales, even outperforming titles like Thunderbolts and Karate Kid: Legends. This suggests a loyal audience exists, independent of box office figures.
A likely factor in its VOD success could be positive word of mouth. Despite having a critics’ score of 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, Ballerina‘s audience score sits at an impressive 92%, the highest in the franchise. Viewers have praised the film’s breathtaking action sequences and Ana de Armas’s remarkable ability to handle complex stunts.
Our Take On Ballerina’s Latest Box Office Milestone
There Is Some Hope Left For The John Wick Franchise
Ballerina has managed to reach box office levels comparable to the remaining films in the John Wick series, though this raises questions about what went wrong. It comes on the heels of The Continental receiving mixed reviews when it premiered on Peacock in 2023, raising concerns about the franchise’s future, especially with spinoffs like Donnie Yen’s Caine in development.
However, it’s worth noting that Ballerina isn’t isolated in facing box office challenges; many blockbusters, including Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, have struggled to meet expectations. This trend indicates a broader issue within the industry, where high-budget films often miss the mark at the box office.
Yet, given Ballerina‘s performance on VOD, there’s still hope for the franchise. A strategic reevaluation might be necessary for future projects, but a dedicated audience still craves more content from this beloved series. As streaming becomes the primary mode of viewing, both Ballerina and the franchise could find renewed success ahead.
Source: The Numbers