Avengers: Endgame has had a healthy three weeks at the domestic box office where it has claimed the top spot since its opening but its first real threat is upon it and his name is Keanu…I mean…John Wick.
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum arrives when John Wick awareness is probably at its highest. When the first John Wick was released in 2014, I don’t think anyone expected a franchise to be born. The film opened to $14.4 million and grossed a modest $43 million on a $20 million budget. At the worldwide box office, the film topped out at $88.7 million which allowed the greenlight for a sequel.
John Wick – Chapter Two had the benefit of John Wick being a hot commodity on Blu-ray and that made the sequel open even higher with $30.4 million. The film was a little frontloaded and ended its domestic run at $92 million, still higher than the gross of the original. The worldwide box office also soared with a gross of $171.5 million.
The good thing about the John Wick films is that they are fun and know exactly what they are. This is check your brain at the door entertainment but it’s stylish and well-made in the process. Chapter 3 is already a hit with critics at 90% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and love for the franchise has only grown since the sequel was released in 2017. Maybe one day there will be a trivia question asking what film ended Endgame’s domestic reign at the box office and you’ll be able to say John Wick: Chapter 3. I’m calling a number one opening of $35-40 million.
Avengers: Endgame will finish second and it should have another milestone under its belt by the end of the weekend when it tops the domestic total of Avatar. That film ended its run at $760.5 million and Endgame will head over that to become the second highest grossing film at the domestic box office, behind only The Force Awakens. Everyone will be looking at the global box office as well since most are placing bets that it tops the $2.78 billion global tally of Avatar as well. It has $2.5 billion heading into this weekend and I’m thinking it will add another $30 million at the domestic box office this weekend.
Also opening this weekend is A Dog’s Journey, the follow-up to A Dog’s Purpose which lowkey made a lot of money when we weren’t looking. That film opened to $18.2 million and grossed $64.5 million at the domestic box office. Proving how much people love dogs all over the world, the film took in $205 million at the global box office on a $22 million budget. A Dog’s Purpose opened in the less crowded month of January in 2017 and it also has to fight for some of the family audience with last weekend’s Detective Pikachu. I don’t see it opening as high but maybe I’ll be wrong. I’m calling about $15 million for the weekend.
