John Wick 4 Sets Franchise Record with $8.9 Million in Previews
The action-packed “John Wick: Chapter 4” marks the return of the titular character for the fourth time, setting the stage for a record-breaking opening in the series. The latest installment from Lionsgate raked in $8.9 million during its domestic box office previews.
Surpassing Predecessors with an Impressive Opening Weekend
“John Wick: Chapter 4” is anticipated to outperform its predecessor’s opening weekend, with projections between $65 million and $70 million. Each film in the series has shown significant growth in its opening weekend revenue. The first movie premiered with $14 million in 2014, followed by the second chapter’s $30.4 million in 2017, and the third’s $56.8 million in 2019. Thursday preview earnings have similarly increased throughout the series.
Largest Budget and Expected Highest Earnings
With a production budget exceeding $100 million, the fourth film is the most expensive in the franchise, but it is also predicted to yield the highest returns. The previous movies’ global earnings were $86.1 million for the original, $174.3 million for the second, and $328.3 million for the third. As the sole major release this weekend, “John Wick 4” is expected to dethrone last week’s box office leader, “Shazam: Fury of the Gods.”
New and Returning Faces in John Wick 4
In the newest film, Keanu Reeves’ character faces the High Table crime syndicate, battling Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgard) for his freedom. Along the way, he encounters blind swordsman Caine (Donnie Yen) and mysterious tracker Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson), who shares Wick’s affinity for dogs. Rina Sawayama and Hiroyuki Sanada join the “John Wick” universe, while returning stars Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, and the late Lance Reddick, who tragically passed away last week at 60, round out the cast.
Tribute to Lance Reddick
Before the movie’s premiere, director Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves honored Reddick. Reeves praised the actor at the Los Angeles premiere, saying, “Lance is a people person, a special artist, a gentleman of grace and dignity.” He added that it was a privilege to witness Reddick’s passion for his work on set.
Stahelski also shared his sentiments, stating, “I had Lance in my life almost 10 years.” He continued, “Although that was done over the course of four films, we’ve worked together on other things. I just got to be happy and be proud of the fact that I got to spend so much time with him. We’re going to miss him.”
