Lionsgate’s Ballerina leads the fresh films at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, opening in 571 cinemas. Marketed as From the World of John W
Lionsgate’s Ballerina leads the fresh films at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, opening in 571 cinemas.
Marketed as From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, the film is the fifth instalment in the John Wick franchise, and takes place between the events of Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4.
It sees ballerina-assassin Eve Macarro – played by Ana de Armas – train in the traditions of the Ruska Roma, to exact revenge for her father’s death.
Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, the tardy Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus and Ian McShane are on the cast, alongside Keanu Reeves reprising his role as Wick.
The John Wick franchise has proved increasingly rewarding for Lionsgate at the box office, with each title taking more than its predecessor. The first film opened to £540,466 in 2015, ending on £1.6m; followed by Chapter Two (£2m; £6m) in 2017; Chapter 3 – Parabellum (£2.7m; £10.4m) in 2019; and Chapter 4 (£4.8m; £17.6m) from 2023.
This trajectory, combined with de Armas and Reeves’ star power, could see Ballerina post a forceful score, with cinemas looking for fresh titles after three weeks of Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible 8.
Vertigo Releasing is starting Sean Byrne’s thriller Dangerous Animals in 251 sites. The film stars Hassie Harrison as a free-spirited surfer who is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer, and must figure out how to escape his boat before he feeds her to the sharks below.
The US-Australian production is the third feature from Australian filmmaker Byrne, after 2009’s The Loved Ones and 2015’s The Devil’s Candy. Dangerous Animals debuted in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes last month.
Place for German-Scottish film
Bulldog Film Distribution is opening Falling Into Place, the debut feature of German actress-filmmaker Aylin Tezel, in nine cinemas.
Starring Tezel and Chris Fulton, Falling Into Place depicts a romance between two people who meet on Scotland’s Skye island on a winter weekend, before attempting to resume normal life in London.
The film launched at Filmfest Hamburg in 2023, going on to play Tallinn Black Nights and Glasgow film festivals. It was produced by Germany’s Weydemann Bros, with Glasgow’s Compact Pictures co-producing, and backers including Arte, Creative Europe and Screen Scotland. Tezel’s acting credits include thriller 7500 and crime series Unbroken.
Dartmouth Films is starting to roll out documentary Big Star: The Nick Skelton Story, in one site from today expanding to over 70 venues by the end of July, with 35 screenings already sold out. Directed by Sarah George, the film tells the story of Skelton, a decorated equestrian rider who competed at seven Olympic Games, winning golds at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
Politics finds several places at cinemas this weekend. Palestine-focused production and distribution firm Watermelon Pictures is opening student protest documentary The Encampments; while Miracle63 is starting Joachim A. Lang’s historical drama Goebbels And The Fuhrer in two sites.
In cinema not in the English language, Bakrania Media is opening Tarun Mansukhani’s comedy-murder mystery Housefull 5 in 151 sites across its first week; while Ceema Entertainment has Arabic romance Restart starring Tamer Hosny.
Anime Ltd is starting Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye, the second feature film in the Japanese Dan Da Dan franchise, in 108 cinemas. Dan Da Dan: First Encounter opened to £40,491 including previews in September last year.
Eli Craig’s horror Clown In A Cornfield is starting out in 305 cinemas through Entertainment Film Distributors; while repertory titles this weekend include The Piano Teacher in 13 sites through Curzon, starting its Michael Haneke summer season; and a 4k remaster of Paul Verhoeven’s 1995 Showgirls in 74 sites through Park Circus.
National Theatre’s event cinema title Streetcar Named Desire plays in 345 cinemas this weekend, having opened on Thursday, June 5.
Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning lead the holdovers again, alongside Sony’s Karate Kid: Legends and Black Bear’s The Salt Path.
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