Ballerina is that most frustrating of things for we box office pundits, as it’s a relative disappointment even though it’s not remotely an all-around commercial disaster. Should it have opened closer to $35 million than $25 million? Maybe, but $25 million is not half bad for a film starring a “known but not butts-in-seats draw” actress in what was her first theatrical headliner, which was heavily marketed using another actor and character who appears in little more than an extended cameo. And yeah, with Saw XI in purgatory and Michael pushed to 2026, Ballerina retroactively became Lionsgate’s closest thing in 2025 to a conventional tentpole. 

While all parties discuss what went well—not quite “wrong,” but less “right” than hoped—Decoding Everything’s David Chen argues that the Ana de Armas-led film is exceptional on its own merits and might leg out. However, noting that he liked the picture quite a bit, he agrees that Lionsgate undersold the movie itself in favor of emphasizing the “John Wick” of it all.

Lisa discusses the irony of John Wick transitioning from a scrappy, against-the-grain action movie to becoming one of the leading mainstream representations of contemporary action franchises. Jeremy argues that the series lost its scrappy underdog status as early as John Wick: Chapter 2. Scott notes that the current appeal of the series, in terms of razzle-dazzle and production value, means that an Atomic Blonde (or John Wick)-level budget was off the table. 

Beyond that, there is discourse concerning Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme and why The Life of Chuck opened so poorly (relatively) on its platform launch. Oh, and all parties agree that saying the title of GKids’ newest anime, Dan da Dan: Evil Eye, spoken out loud sounds like the opening riff to Ram Jam’s “Black Betty.”

In terms of the written word…

Scott Mendelson discussed how, while well-made and filled with spectacle and high production value elements, How to Train Your Dragon played like a feature-length version of a stereotypical “How to Train Your Dragon… On Ice!” stage show.

Jeremy Fuster noted how the ongoing protests (and the president’s disingenuous attempts to turn those protests into a pretext for martial law) will impact productions otherwise intending to film in and around recognizable parts of Los Angeles.

Lisa Laman compares Amazon MGM Studios’ more conventional “theaters and then streaming” release strategy for The Accountant 2 to Netflix’s comparative “theaters can go to hell” attitude and how it may well be leaving money on the table.

Ryan Scott’s latest “Tales from the Box Office” details the 30th anniversary of Congo.David Chen discussed the passing of actor Gene Hackman and how it related to our society and culture’s treatment of the elderly.

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Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck NewsJeremy Fuster - TheWrapLisa Laman - Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper, Cultress, Comic Book and AutostraddleRyan C. Scott - SlashFilm and FangoriaDavid Chen - Decoding Everything

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