How Did ‘John Wick: Chapter 4′ Day & Date Theatrical Release With Russia Surface Amid Studios’ Boycott?
deadline.comEXCLUSIVE: Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022, Hollywood swore off the booming and lucrative box office territory, with the first studios, Disney and Warner Bros, respectively pulling their big movies out of the country, Turning Red and The Batman.
However, this past weekend, Lionsgate’s John Wick: Chapter 4 made it through the Iron Curtain, an overseas territory that has historically been rich to the Keanu Reeves action franchise in what reps the biggest Hollywood tentpole to play theaters there since the unofficial boycott of the market began.
The pic posted a record debut of $4.3M which was a 33% increase over John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum‘s start in Russia based on today’s exchange rates.
Worldwide, off 71 offshore territories, John Wick: Chapter 4 posted a franchise record opening of $137.5M, $73.8M domestic. In the wake of Hollywood largely refusing to do business in Russia, pirated versions of films have flooded cinemas with some first-run titles busting their way into the country.
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