Keanu Reeves’ “John Wick” Legacy Faces a New Chapter as “Ballerina” Struggles at the Box Office
Hey everyone, let’s talk about the latest chapter in the John Wick universe and how it’s shaping up at the box office. The big news this weekend? Disney’s live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch held onto the top spot for the third weekend in a row, pulling in another impressive $32.5 million. That puts its domestic total at a massive $335.8 million and over $770 million globally. It’s well on its way to becoming 2025’s first billion-dollar blockbuster.
Now, let’s shift focus to Ballerina , the highly-anticipated spin-off from the John Wick franchise starring Ana de Armas. With a production budget of around $90 million, Lionsgate had high hopes for this film to launch a new sub-series in the Wick universe—especially with Keanu Reeves making a brief appearance. But things didn’t go quite as planned.
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Ballerina debuted to just $25 million in North America, falling short of its $30 million projection. Even internationally, it added only $26 million across 82 countries, for a global opening of $51 million. While those numbers aren’t disastrous, they’re definitely below what you’d expect for a movie connected to such a high-octane and beloved franchise.
It’s not that audiences hated it—CinemaScore gave it an “A-” and it holds a decent 75% on Rotten Tomatoes. But the energy and excitement that usually follows a John Wick release just weren’t there. The issue? It seems clear: without Keanu Reeves front and center, fans are just not as engaged. De Armas does a solid job, and the action is slick, but Eve Macarro—her new character—has yet to win hearts the way Wick did.
There’s also been some talk about the film’s development troubles—reshoots, delays, and a cautious review rollout didn’t help its momentum. And when you consider that the last two John Wick films earned $326 and $440 million worldwide, Ballerina ’s current pace feels like a stumble more than a spin.
Of course, Lionsgate hopes this will be the beginning of a broader cinematic universe, and maybe future entries will find stronger footing. But for now, the numbers say it all. Without Keanu leading the charge, it’s an uphill battle to keep that franchise flame burning bright.
So the question now is: can Ballerina build long-term word-of-mouth and climb higher, or is this a one-and-done moment in the Wick timeline? Only time—and ticket sales—will tell.
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