Box Office: 'John Wick' Fights to $6M in Thursday Previews

The action franchise's last installment, 'Chapter 2,' earned $2.2 million in Thursday night previews.


John Wick had a busy Thursday night, with the action franchise's third installment, Parabellum, opening to a big $5.9 million in Thursday night previews.


Parabellum is eyeing a higher opening than the franchise's 2014 original ($14.4 million) and 2017's Chapter 2 ($30.4 million). The film had been tracking for an opening in the $40 million range but will likely come in much higher. In comparison, John Wick: Chapter 2 earned $2.2 million in Thursday night previews.


Wick's $5.9 million in Thursday night ticket sales is higher than that of last weekend's box office heavyweight, Detective Pikachu, which earned $5.7 million in previews. The Legendary and Warner Bros. feature would go on to earn $58 million in its domestic bow.


Outside of the Twilight and Hunger Games franchises, Parabellum's Thursday night gross is the highest to date for John Wick studio, Lionsgate.


For Parabellum, Keanu Reeves returns as the formerly retired hit man who finds himself stripped of the protection from the shadowy international assassin's guild. Now stuck with a $14 million bounty on his head, Wick must fight his way through the streets of New York as he becomes the target of the world's most ruthless killers. Franchise newcomers Halle Berry and Anjelica Huston join in on the fight.


The well-reviewed action-thriller, which is due to open wide on 3,000 screens, is once again helmed by stuntman-turned-director Chad Stahelski. The movie currently sits at an 88 percent freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a Metacritic score of 73.


Also opening this weekend is Amblin Entertainment and Universal's A Dog's Purpose sequel, A Dog's Journey. The family film grossed $275,000 in previews from 2,450 theaters, and will be expanding to 3,267 North American theaters this weekend. The pooch-filled follow-up has earned middling reviews, with a 55 percent freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes.


It's predecessor, A Dog's Purpose, proved to be a box office hit, earning $64 million stateside and a massive $140 million at the international box office, $88 million of which was from the Chinese box office.


A Dog’s Journey sees the return of beloved family dog Bailey (voiced by Josh Gad), who comforts and protects his owner as he is reincarnated time and time again. Directed by Gail Mancuso, the family film is based on the best-selling novel by W. Bruce Cameron and stars Dennis Quaid and franchise newcomers Betty Gilpin and Kathryn Prescott.