From the World of John Wick: Ballerina has become a notable entry in the box office reports, crossing a significant milestone that places it among Lionsgate’s top-grossing films. Centering on the character Eve Macarro, portrayed by the talented Ana de Armas, the film follows her quest for vengeance against those responsible for her father’s death. Despite high expectations, the John Wick spinoff opened with just $24 million during its debut weekend, falling short of initial projections.
As reported by The Numbers, Ballerina has now surpassed $105 million globally after approximately three weeks in theaters, with $52.3 million from domestic audiences and $53 million from international markets. This achievement has solidified its spot at number 48 on Lionsgate’s list of highest-grossing titles, outpacing films such as My Bloody Valentine and several installments of the Saw franchise.
Why Is Ballerina Struggling at the Box Office Despite Hitting a Global Milestone?
Ballerina Just Recently Surpassed Its Production Budget
Despite its placement among Lionsgate’s top-grossing films, Ballerina has not fared well in terms of overall box office success. The film’s underwhelming opening weekend performance forced it to claw its way back, finally reaching the $100 million mark in its third weekend. However, even this milestone falls short of necessary financial benchmarks; Ballerina had a reported production budget of $90 million, meaning it would need to gross around $200 million to break even.
John Wick Franchise Box Office | |
|---|---|
Title | Worldwide Box Office |
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (2025) | $105.7M |
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 |
Unfortunately, the film’s box office momentum seems to be dwindling as it approaches its fourth weekend, coinciding with the upcoming releases of F1 the Movie and M3GAN 2.0. Several factors contribute to Ballerina‘s disappointing performance, with the most prominent being its delay in release. Initially slated for a summer 2024 premiere, the film underwent significant reshoots, which likely diminished audience enthusiasm over time, especially following the mixed reviews of the Peacock series The Continental.
As it stands, Ballerina ranks as the fourth-highest-grossing film in the franchise, surpassed only by the original installment. Given its current trajectory, defeating the 2017 film’s total of over $171 million seems improbable, especially with John Wick: Chapter 4 setting the bar sky-high at over $447 million.
A Disheartening Milestone with a Glimmer of Hope
It’s Disappointing, But There’s Still Hope
There’s no doubt that the box office figures are disappointing, which dims the prospects of a follow-up, Ballerina 2, despite director Len Wiseman expressing interest in pursuing a sequel. This underperformance raises questions about the future of the franchise amidst pending spinoffs, including a film centered on Donnie Yen’s character, Caine. However, film franchises often experience bumps in the road; it’s possible that Ballerina could recover through streaming platforms. With no official streaming date yet, positive audience reactions could enhance visibility and generate word-of-mouth that benefits its performance.
Interestingly, while box office receipts are one measure of success, the critical reception offers a more promising picture, as audiences have responded favorably, granting Ballerina a remarkable Popcornmeter score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. This might just be what the film needs to survive and pave the way for future endeavors in the iconic John Wick universe.
Source: The Numbers