In the recent box office contest, the animated feature “Lilo & Stitch” emerged victorious over the action-packed spinoff “Ballerina,” which features a deadly assassin and chaotic CGI aliens. Celebrating its third consecutive weekend at the number one position, Lilo & Stitch proved to be a dominant force, while Ballerina underperformed compared to earlier expectations.
According to studio estimates released on Sunday, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina collected $25 million in its opening weekend, screening across 3,409 theaters in the U.S. and Canada. Initially, the movie was projected to debut in the range of $35 to $40 million, but those estimates were revised downward multiple times as the release date approached. Directed by Len Wiseman, the film pivots from Keanu Reeves' iconic character to focus on Ana de Armas’ character, placing her in the backdrop of events occurring during John Wick 3.
The relatively low opening has raised eyebrows, especially given that Ballerina received positive reviews from critics and favorable responses from audiences in exit polls. Typically, strong word-of-mouth can lead to increased ticket sales in subsequent weekends. However, industry experts note that the dynamics of box office success have evolved, and an underwhelming opening does not always doom a film's long-term performance. Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore, remarked, “Even though it’s part of the John Wick franchise, it’s playing like a true original. And that’s not a bad thing.” He emphasized that the film wasn't expected to launch at the same level as major franchises like Mission: Impossible.
Produced by Lionsgate, along with Thunder Road Films and 87Eleven Entertainment, Ballerina comes with a substantial reported production budget of around $90 million. Nonetheless, significant portions of this cost have been mitigated by international pre-sales. The movie garnered $26 million from 82 countries overseas, bringing its total global debut to $51 million. This opening ranks as the second lowest in the franchise's five-film history, surpassing only the original film, which debuted with just over $14 million in 2014 (not accounting for inflation). The entire John Wick series has grossed over $1 billion in total worldwide.
Looking ahead, Dergarabedian suggested that the R-rated Ballerina might perform robustly in its second weekend, particularly as it competes against family-friendly film “How to Train Your Dragon.” In contrast, Lilo & Stitch remained firmly in first place, adding another $32.5 million in North America. The film's domestic earnings have reached $335.8 million, contributing to a global total of $772.6 million in just 17 days, outperforming the entire domestic run of the live-action The Little Mermaid, which grossed $298 million.
In third place, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning accumulated $15 million, bringing its worldwide gross to $450.4 million. Karate Kid: Legends came in fourth with $8.7 million, while Final Destination: Bloodlines rounded out the top five with $6.5 million. The new Wes Anderson film, “The Phoenician Scheme,” expanded its release to 1,678 theaters and earned an estimated $6.3 million, landing in sixth place. Additionally, the R-rated anime Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye debuted in the top ten with $3.1 million from 1,080 theaters.
Overall, industry trends indicate that the box office has increased by over 26% compared to the same time frame in 2024. The current figures underscore the ongoing evolution of audience preferences and the dynamic landscape of film releases.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office:
1. Lilo & Stitch, $32.5 million.
2. From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, $25 million.
3. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, $15 million.
4. Karate Kid: Legends, $8.7 million.
5. Final Destination: Bloodlines, $6.5 million.
6. The Phoenician Scheme, $6.3 million.
7. Bring Her Back, $3.5 million.
8. Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye, $3.1 million.
9. Sinners, $2.9 million.
10. Thunderbolts, $2.5 million.
