Ana De Armas’ Ballerina shows tremendous promise in spearheading the successful expansion of the John Wick franchise, despite some seeing the failure of The Continental miniseries as an omen for future spinoffs. Being the first John Wick movie successor, Ballerina brings an electrifying new angle with its casting lineup, story clues, and more. Penned by John Wick 3 and 4‘s screenwriter Shay Hatten, Ballerina first entered the spotlight when its lead appeared in the third film in 2019. Venturing further into the savage, yet sublime cinematic world, Ballerina cracks open the door for additional mayhem as another assassin grabs the reins.
Despite Ballerina‘s potential, The Continental‘s 2023 disaster looms large. The series marks the inaugural attempt at spinning off the John Wick IP, but growing the assassin’s on-screen realm has stumbled right out of the gates. Without Keanu Reeves reprising his iconic role and unable to match the acclaimed action sequences, the ending of The Continentaldisappointed critics. However, Ballerina has the ability to kickstart the trend. With Ana de Armas in the lead, all signs point to the film avoiding The Continental’s pitfalls. Backed by the John Wick creative team, Ballerina may just usher in a new era of successful expansions even after its predecessor’s catastrophic failure.
8 Ana De Armas Is The Lead
An actress with star power and dedication
With hits like No Time to Die, The Gray Man, and Ghosted under her belt, Ana de Armas has shown she can lead intense, hard-hitting action films. Her burgeoning filmography and Academy Award nomination for Blonde proves she has the presence and prowess to draw in a crowd and spearhead the spinoff, while maintaining the brutal, yet beautiful style that is expected. If Ballerina can channel the kinetic energy of the franchise, de Armas may propel it to new heights. Though still early in her career, the rising star’s talent cements her as an inspired choice to carry the iconic torch into uncharted territory.
7 John Wick Will Make An Appearance
De Armas and Reeves could be a winning combination
A key reason for The Continental’s lukewarm reception was Keanu Reeves not reprising his iconic role. Now Reeves will reprise the role in Ballerina, set between the events of John Wick Chapter 3 and 4. More than just a quick appearance, the film will reveal what Wick was up to during this gap. With other John Wick cast members confirmed for the Ballerina spinoff, Reeves can elevate the film beyond what The Continental tried to do. His return gives the spinoff instant credibility while exploring untold chapters, satiating the demand for more Wick between sequels.
6 It’s Time For A Female Lead
A new female fanbase is on the horizon
The John Wick films have been defined by a male antihero, but Ballerina can attract a wider audience with a compelling female lead. Rather than a generic gender swap, Ana de Armas will portray a layered, grounded character who feels authentically feminine. Crafting a fully-realized protagonist who avoids stereotypes that is neither sexualized nor stripped of sexuality is imperative. Similar to how Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn brought a new dimension to DC films, de Armas’ Ballerina could resonate beyond the core action fanbase, drawing in a strong, female fanbase if written and performed with nuance.
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Creating an authentic heroine means not just avoiding stereotypes, but proactively crafting multidimensionality. It requires highlighting both the grit and humanity that makes a complete protagonist compelling to audiences of all backgrounds. The example of Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn brought something dynamic to female fans, in particular through the balance of strength and vulnerability. With the skills to achieve the same, Ana de Armas now has the opportunity to usher in a new standard and inspiration for the action genre. Much like Keanu Reeves striking a chord with male fans, de Armas’ turn promises to resonate profoundly with an underserved demographic and elevate the genre overall.
5 Ian McShane Is Returning
A franchise favorite with more to say
As the fan favorite Winston across the franchise, Ian McShane’s confirmed return instantly elevates Ballerina’s draw and intrigue (via The Hollywood Reporter). Reprising his role as the sly Continental manager, McShane’s character will link the intricate storytelling between the two films. Set during John Wick’s recovery timeline gap, there could be major insight into the enigmatic manager’s past through Ballerina. As much as Winston quietly steals scenes with his background presence in the movies, his commanding aura in the spinoff suggests expanding the franchise’s rich lore while launching de Armas in a fresh, yet familiar action saga. Pairing McShane’s presence with De Armas’ rising star may prove electric.
4 Len Wiseman Is Directing
Promises non-stop thrills
Utilizing the talents of Len Wiseman suggests Ballerina can channel the stylish action and energy that has defined the John Wick franchise. With experience steering the vampire thriller Underworld series and directing Bruce Willis in Live Free or Die Hard, Wiseman has the ideal background necessary to helm a spinoff. Having led multiple genre blockbusters characterized by fast-moving practical effects and set pieces, Wiseman promises to translate signature components like gun-fu shootouts and hand-to-hand combat within Ballerina’s fresh narrative landscape. His action credentials and filmography strongly indicate the spinoff will feel familiar for franchise fans, while simultaneously breaking new ground.
3 Emerald Fennell Is Writing The Script
Blending her distinct voice into the franchise is a wise choice
Recruiting co-writer Emerald Fennell indicates Ballerina strives to interject an authentic female voice into its action storytelling. With her offbeat, yet hard-hitting narrative style demonstrated in the Oscar-winning script for Promising Young Woman, Fennell’s perspective promises to infuse compelling new layers. Now creatively paired with genre experts Len Wiseman and Shay Hatten, her presence ensures heightened development that goes beyond tropes. Ana de Armas herself championed hiring a female co-writer, understanding the complexity of the character will require female insight (via Elle Magazine). With Fennell onboard to enrich dimensions and avoid assumptions, Ballerina can resonate with a wider fanbase.
2 There’s Already Talk Of A Sequel
Opportunities to build on the film’s success
In an interview with Collider, Ballerina producer Erica Lee revealed active development on other John Wick universe films, one of them being Ballerina 2. Lee emphasized longing for multiple sequels across spinoffs, prioritizing expanding the Wickverse. Her comments indicate Ballerina is envisioned as another pillar within an intricate cinematic world rather than a one-off. With the movie not yet released, planning a follow-up suggests tremendous confidence in the spinoff’s potential. With an Oscar-winning writer, visionary director, and rising star Ana de Armas attached, early sequel talks show Ballerina is full of possibility out the gate.
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1 The John Wick Universe Is Expanding
Builds a foundations for compelling new characters and layers
Even though The Continental series stumbled, expanding the cinematic universe of John Wick allows for fresh stories to enthrall new crowds. The movie seizes this potential by injecting new blood into the cast of Ballerina with talents like Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus. Their combined range and star power suggest exhilarating new dimensions to explore. Details are guarded, but the casting hints at a wider insight into the franchise’s globe-trotting underworld of assassins, crime networks, and shadows. Where The Continental faltered, Ballerina’s ambitious cast and narrative promise could further enrich the intricacy and allure of the beloved series.
Ballerina
Ballerina is a spinoff movie set in the universe of John Wick. Ana de Armas will play the titular role, a character who appeared in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum as a child ballerina who was being trained to become an assassin eventually. In Ballerina, the story follows de Armas’ character, who wants revenge on those who murdered her family.
- Release Date
- June 7, 2024
- Director
- Len Wiseman
- Cast
- Ana De Armas , Anjelica Huston , Gabriel Byrne , Lance Reddick , Catalina Sandino Moreno , Norman Reedus , Ian McShane , Keanu Reeves
- Rating
- Not Yet Rated
- Main Genre
- Action
- Writers
- Shay Hatten , Emerald Fennell
