Will audiences care concerning the world of “John Wick” with out the titular nunchuck-wielding hitman, portrayed by Keanu Reeves throughout 4 movies, because the star of the present?

Lionsgate will discover out this weekend as “Ballerina,” a by-product starring Ana de Armas as a dancer who packs a punch, opens in theaters on Friday. The movie is focusing on a so-so begin of $28 million to $30 million from 3,400 North American areas in its first weekend of launch. “Ballerina” appears so as to add one other $30 million from 82 markets the worldwide field workplace.

That’s a drop from the core sequence, which has grown in recognition because the unique “John Wick” opened to $14 million in 2014. From there, every new entry has improved upon the final on the field workplace with 2017’s “John Wick: Chapter 2” bowing to $30.4 million, 2019’s “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” launching to $56.8 million and 2023’s “John Wick: Chapter 4” debuting to a series-best $73.8 million.

Although Reeves seems in “Ballerina,” which takes place between the occasions of the third and fourth “John Wick” installments, the most recent motion thriller focuses on the de Armas character referred to as Eve Macarro. She’s a dancer who begins to coach as an murderer to precise revenge for her father’s dying. Because the film just isn’t a direct sequel, “Ballerina” just isn’t projected to achieve the identical field workplace heights as the primary franchise. The offshoot was simply as costly, although, costing roughly $90 million to supply.

As for critiques, properly, Lionsgate inspired movie critics to carry off on sharing “important social sentiment” till June 4, two weeks after they got the go-ahead to put up “spoiler-free enthusiasm” on X and different platforms. The studio plans to maintain increasing the cinematic universe with “John Wick 5,” in addition to spinoff revolving round Donnie Yen’s blind murderer Caine and an animated prequel movie.

“Ballerina” could not have the ability to dethrone Disney’s “Lilo & Sew” on home field workplace charts. The live-action reboot, which has been No. 1 for 2 consecutive weekends, is aiming for $30 million to $35 million in its third body. “Lilo & Sew” has generated $280 million domestically and a blockbuster $613 million globally since Memorial Day weekend and appears to turn into the yr’s first billion-dollar launch.

Elsewhere on field workplace charts, Wes Anderson’s espionage saga “The Phoenician Scheme” will try and parlay its indie success into extra mainstream attraction. The movie, starring Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks and Benedict Cumberbatch, opened final weekend in restricted launch and can herald single digits because the movie expands to 1,500 North American theaters beginning on Friday.

Up to now, the summer season field workplace has been sizzling with general revenues up 25% from final yr, in line with Comscore. Nevertheless, theatrical grosses stay down 27% from 2019 — although that’s a troublesome metric to match as a result of “Captain Marvel” and “Avengers: Endgame” had already surpassed $1 billion at this level within the yr. Cinema operators need to “Jurassic World Rebirth,” Brad Pitt’s “F1,” Marvel’s “Improbable 4: The First Steps,” “Superman” and different upcoming blockbusters to spice up attendance to one thing that resembles pre-pandemic occasions.