In its opening weekend, “John Wick: Chapter 4” emerged as the clear winner at the box office, amassing a staggering $73.5 million and leaving its competitors in the dust. With positive reviews and enthusiastic word-of-mouth propelling it forward, Lionsgate’s action-packed “John Wick” series led by the iconic Keanu Reeves as a legendary assassin, has continued to surpass expectations with each new installment. Record-Breaking Box Office Debut: “John Wick Chapter 4” Dominates with $73.5 Million.
Record-Breaking Box Office Debut: “John Wick Chapter 4” Dominates with $73.5 Million
The latest release, “John Wick: Chapter 4,” enjoyed the franchise’s best start to date, raking in an impressive $73.5 million in its opening weekend. The original “John Wick” debuted with a humble $14 million in 2014, followed by “John Wick: Chapter 2” with $30.4 million in 2017. In 2019, “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” set a series record with $56.8 million in ticket sales.
The latest addition to Lionsgate’s “John Wick” series, “John Wick: Chapter 4,” has had a phenomenal start at the international box office. The film premiered in 71 markets worldwide, immediately claiming the top spot in each of them and generating a whopping $64 million in revenue. Its global earnings reached an impressive $137.5 million, surpassing the production cost of over $100 million, making it the most expensive film in the franchise. Nonetheless, the movie’s early success at the box office is a clear testament to its value and the audiences’ enthusiasm for it.
According to David A. Gross, the head of Franchise Entertainment Research, the opening weekend success of “John Wick: Chapter 4” is exceptional. Gross praised the “John Wick” series’ consistent growth, with each sequel surpassing the previous one. The latest installment’s impressive performance is a testament to its quality and audience appeal.
Despite its lengthy runtime of 2 hours and 49 minutes, “John Wick: Chapter 4” received an “A” CinemaScore rating, indicating a positive reception from moviegoers. The R-rated action film appealed mainly to male viewers, who made up 69% of the opening weekend audience. Additionally, 70% of the viewers were aged 25 or above.
Lionsgate has reported that out of the nine franchises in the last four decades that set opening weekend records with their fourth installment, only five have shown a consistent improvement in their final box office earnings. The “John Wick” series started with a modest box office performance of $86.1 million for the first movie, but gained popularity through home entertainment. The sequel earned $174.3 million in total, and the third entry “Parabellum” is the highest grossing film in the series, with global earnings of $328.3 million.
Lionsgate’s motion picture group president, Joe Drake, attributes the success of the “John Wick” franchise to its unique brand, describing it as an anomaly in the film industry. Drake notes that the impressive results of the latest installment are indicative of its widespread appeal. Lionsgate anticipates a significant return on their investment with high box office multiples.
The most recent “John Wick” film was directed by Chad Stahelski, who continues the story of the titular hitman battling the High Table organization. While there is no confirmation of a fifth “John Wick” movie from Lionsgate, Keanu Reeves and other cast members will reprise their roles in a spinoff titled “Ballerina,” which follows Ana de Armas in the lead role.
Joe Drake, the president of Lionsgate’s motion picture group, expresses his strong interest in returning to the world of “John Wick,” stating that the possibility of a fifth installment is very enticing. Despite no official announcement, Drake remains hopeful about the future of the franchise.
Apart from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” other films released in March have also made a mark at the box office. New entries in the “Scream” and “Creed” franchises have set impressive opening weekend records, adding to the successful run of March releases. According to Paul Dergarabedian, a senior analyst at Comscore, the lineup of films in March 2023 has made a significant impact at the box office, marking it as one of the most remarkable March releases in history.
In its second weekend, “Shazam 2” came in second place, with ticket sales declining by 69% to $9.7 million from 4,071 theaters. The superhero adventure movie, starring Zachary Levi, has been disappointing for Warner Bros. and DC, as it cost $110 million to produce and $100 million to promote. So far, “Fury of the Gods” has made $46 million, indicating that it may be one of the lowest-grossing modern superhero films.
Superhero movies are facing a tough time lately, with Disney’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” experiencing a significant decline following its massive $106 million debut. Despite earning $209 million in North America, it is behind its predecessor’s $216 million. With $465 million globally, it still falls short of the totals for the first two movies, which made $519 million and $622 million.
Gross attributes the recent lackluster performance of superhero movies to two underwhelming releases. Meanwhile, “Scream VI” held steady at third place, earning $8.4 million from 3,355 theaters in its third weekend. The Paramount horror sequel has already made a respectable $89.8 million domestically and $49.4 million overseas.
In its fourth weekend of release, “Creed III” grossed $8.36 million from 3,207 locations and secured fourth place. The sports drama, directed by Michael B. Jordan and starring Jonathan Majors, has collected $140.8 million in North America and $105 million overseas. The total worldwide collection for “Creed III” is $245.8 million.
In its third weekend, “65,” Sony’s sci-fi movie about a pilot who crashes on an unrecognizable Earth, grossed $3.2 million from 2,786 theaters, landing in fifth place. The movie, which cost $45 million to produce and stars Adam Driver, has grossed a total of $27.8 million.