Early box office numbers for “Ballerina,” the action-thriller set in the John Wick universe, are pointing to a preview haul of $3.7M. These figures include both Wednesday evening fan screenings and Thursday night showings, which kicked off at 6PM.
Directed by Len Wiseman, “Ballerina” carries a production budget estimated at $90M. Projections are currently placing its opening weekend somewhere north of $28M. The film is likely to open in second place behind Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch,” which is expected to earn approximately $35M in its third weekend. The animated film is also crossing the $300 million milestone at the domestic box office today.
Originally slated for release a year earlier, “Ballerina” was delayed to allow for additional photography and refinement. So far, the reception from critics has been somewhat positive, with the film holding a 72% certified fresh rating — below the high marks the John Wick saga has historically received, the last one — “John Wick: Chapter 4” earned 94%.
In terms of Wick-verse comparisons, Ballerina’s combined preview total falls well short of Chapter 3 ($5.9M) and Chapter 4 ($8.9M), which set a franchise record. This isn’t at all surprising considering that the film is a spin-off and had a troublesome production, but if it could somehow hit the $30M mark this weekend then it would be a small win for struggling Lionsgate.