Key Takeaways
- Keanu Reeves reprises his role as John Wick in the spin-off ‘Ballerina’.
- ‘Ballerina’ focuses on Ana de Armes’ Eve seeking vengeance while training as an assassin.
- The film is set between John Wick 3 and 4 and features familiar characters including Ian McShane and Lance Reddick.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina may not be John Wick’s story, but Keanu Reeves’ iconic hitman will play a part in it. Reeves has been attached to the spin-off film for some time, but further details of the actor’s involvement have been unveiled in a new featurette.
Ballerina tells the story of Ana de Armes’ Eve Macarro, a ballerina and assassin who trains with the Ruska Roma to help enact her revenge for her father’s murder. The story is the second spin-off story set in the world of John Wick, with The Continental, the prequel series telling the story of Ian McShane’s Winston Scott in his younger years, having been released on Prime Video in 2023. Ballerina was originally a standalone story written by Shay Hatten, until the concept of the ballerina assassins was introduced in John Wick 3: Parabellum, and the script was reworked to be set within the same cinematic world.
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While Ana de Armes is the central character of Ballerina, many of the familiar John Wick characters are returning in the film including McShane as Winston, the late Lance Reddick as Charon, and Reeves as the infamous John Wick. Wick appeared in the first teaser for Ballerina, which saw Eve ask him for advice on how to become an assassin as proficient as him. “Looks like you already have,” Wick responds. In a new featurette released at CCXP for Ballerina, Reeves can be seen filming some additional scenes on Ballerina’s set, including Wick’s arrival on a train for what looks to be a tour of the ballerina’s facilities, which is watched from the sideline by Eve.
How Does Ballerina Fit Into the World of John Wick?
It’s unknown whether John Wick: Chapter 5 will ever be realized, particularly after Wick seemingly met his end by the conclusion of John Wick: Chapter 4. However, Ballerina is a prequel set between the events of John Wick 3 and 4, allowing Reeves’ character to return without infringing on any franchise continuities. Whether or not Reeves ever headlines another John Wick film, Ballerina is a chance for audiences to enjoy the character on the big screen once again.
The featurette sets up John and Eve’s relationship to be a master and apprentice style. At one point, McShane says in the featurette that where John Wick is known as the Baba Yaga, Eve is the “Baby Yaga.” However, director Len Wiseman made clear that Ballerina is more than just a gender-flipped John Wick. “This is not a female John Wick, this is a story about Eve coming into it from the beginning,” Wiseman said.
John Wick is the Baba Yaga, and Ana, she’s the Baby Yaga.
The rest of the cast involved in Ballerina is impressive. Anjelica Huston stars in the film as the Director, Gabriel Bynre is the main a flashy flamethrower sequenceantagonist the Chancellor, and Norman Reedus plays a mysterious new character, Daniel Pine. The John Wick spin-off will seemingly match the flagship films in terms of action, with de Armes claiming during the featurette she set over 100 people on fire in a flashy flamethrower sequence. Whether Reeves will engage in any of the action in Ballerina or is only appearing in a cameo capacity is yet to be revealed.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina will be released on June 6, 2025.
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