Box Office Report: The Power of Keanu Compels You

The John Wick franchise has slowly become one of Lionsgate’s most prized properties. Keanu Reeves’ return to action earned a much-needed boost of the kinetic through this series’ ‘endless 3rd act’ approach to fight scenes, an elaborate world of assassins, and a slew of beloved character actors getting their dues. The budgets have increased but so have the grosses. Now, John Wick: Chapter 4 has opened to a domestic gross of over $73.5 million from 3,855 theaters. For comparison’s sake, that’s only about $15 million short of what the first movie earned during its entire worldwide run. This one’s already earned back its $100 million budget, proving that John Wick and his universe are here to stay. That’s just as well given that we’re getting spin-offs, TV shows, and probably more sequels.

Zachary Levi was on social media begging people to go see his movie, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, over John Wick 4, but it clearly didn’t work. After a dismal opening weekend, DC’s latest slid to number three on the chart thanks to a 67.8% drop from its first week grosses. Ouch. No wonder we’ve seen so many ‘sources’ running to the trades to play the blame game.

In indie release news, Zach Braff and Florence Pugh’s A Good Person, which received suitably Braff-esque mixed reviews, earned $834,018 from 530 theaters. Right behind it is the British dramedy The Lost King, based on the true story of the woman who uncovered the final resting place of Richard III. It earned $575,000 from 753 locations. A German family film called School of Magical Animals brought in $150,729 from 301 cinemas, while the latest film by the award-winning Dardenne brothers, Tori and Lokita, grossed $15,600 from two places.

This coming week sees the release of the Sundance award-winning drama A Thousand and One, the disco biopic Spinning Gold, and the fantasy comedy Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
You can check out the rest of the weekend box office here.