Disney’s Lilo & Stitch Dominates the Box Office, Outshining John Wick: Ballerina
Disney’s beloved animated classic, Lilo & Stitch, continues to reign supreme at the domestic box office, significantly outperforming the latest entry in the John Wick franchise, Ballerina. This live-action blockbuster is set to secure its position at the top of the charts for the third consecutive weekend, projected to earn around $33 million from 4,185 theaters. After surpassing the impressive $300 million milestone on Thursday, the film’s North American total is estimated to reach $336 million by Sunday, with global earnings expected to exceed $650 million.
Meanwhile, Ballerina, the first spinoff from the John Wick series, is anticipated to finish in second place, with earnings falling short of initial expectations, projected between $25 million and $27 million from 3,409 venues. Starring Ana de Armas in the lead role, this R-rated action film features a cameo from franchise icon Keanu Reeves. Originally, Ballerina was forecasted to open at over $35 million, but projections were adjusted downward to $30 million and then further reduced as the weekend approached. The film debuted in first place on Friday with approximately $10.8 million, including $3.75 million from previews, but is likely to slip to second place by Saturday. Notably, its opening day marked the lowest for the John Wick franchise.
On a positive note, Ballerina received an impressive A- CinemaScore and strong audience ratings on both Rotten Tomatoes (94 percent) and PostTrak, indicating potential for longevity at the box office. The film’s audience skews heavily male, with 63 percent of viewers identifying as male, according to PostTrak data. Both Lionsgate and Thunder Road Films / 87Eleven Entertainment have indicated that they have recouped a significant portion of the $90 million production budget through international sales.
Set against the backdrop of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Ballerina follows Eve Macarro (de Armas) as she embarks on her journey into the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma. The film also features a talented cast, including Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus, with appearances from Ian McShane and Reeves. Directed by Len Wiseman and written by Shay Hatten, the film is based on characters created by Derek Kolstad.
As for other competitors in the action genre, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning from Paramount and Skydance is expected to take third place, with projections of around $15 million from 3,456 locations, bringing its domestic total to $145.9 million and global earnings to well over $400 million.
In its second weekend, Sony’s Karate Kid: Legends is experiencing a significant drop, expected to earn around $8.7 million from 3,859 sites, resulting in a domestic total of $35.4 million by Sunday. Additionally, New Line’s Final Destination: Bloodlines is poised to round out the top five, while Wes Anderson’s latest film, The Phoenician Scheme, is expanding nationwide into 1,678 theaters, projecting about $5.7 million for the weekend and a total of $6.5 million after its first ten days. This specialty film had a stellar per-location average of $95,000 in its initial six theaters, building strong word-of-mouth buzz.
As the box office landscape continues to evolve, it’s clear that Disney’s Lilo & Stitch is a formidable force, while Ballerina seeks to find its footing amidst fierce competition in the action genre.
