Although the upcoming John Wick spinoff, Ballerina, will release this year, another promising action movie looks like it will be the spin-off’s toughest competition at the box office. Despite the lack of an official trailer or even a teaser trailer for Ballerina, the Ana de Armas-led spinoff Ballerina can be successful for several reasons ranging from its lead to its expansion of the John Wick lore. Although specific plot details about Ballerina‘s story are scarce, Ballerina will center around de Armas’s Rooney, a ballerina who’s also a member of the Continental, exacting revenge on those who murdered her family.
After the success of the John Wick franchise, it was inevitable that Lionsgate would continue the momentum of the revenge action franchise in some capacity, leading to Ballerina. Without anything to firmly display what the movie will bring to the table, however, it brings into question its status as the best action movie of 2024. With 2024 being a stacked year for action movies, Ballerina will need to perform exceptionally well to distinguish itself from its competition as well as establish itself as a worthy addition to the John Wick franchise.
Damning John Wick TV Spinoff Comments Confirm Ana De Armas’ Ballerina Has Avoided Past Mistakes
Despite the success of the John Wick movies, it isn’t safe from scrutiny. With the good news regarding Ballerina, things look better for the spin-off.
Monkey Man Isn’t A John Wick Movie, But It Looks Like A Great One
Monkey Man looks like it will be a fresh take on the revenge-thriller action movie.
Directed by and co-written by star Dev Patel and featuring production by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, Monkey Man sees Patel as a mysterious martial artist named Kid who embarks on a revenge quest after his mother is murdered. While Monkey Man‘s premise is familiar, its focus on class disparity leading certain individuals to criminality is something rarely seen in the action genre, thus making Monkey Man a welcome addition to the genre on the strength of its trailer alone. While Monkey Man isn’t connected to the John Wick movies, its unique take on similar subjects makes it appealing.
Furthermore, Monkey Man‘s trailer does something that few action movies ever do, and that’s showing its protagonist as a genuine underdog who’s just as prone to defeat as the near-endless slew of bad guys that he dispatches. Although Patel’s Kid is yet another one-man army vehicle, Monkey Man‘s Indian setting and rich mythology make it one of the more unique entries in the Hollywood genre. John Wick no doubt redefined that revenge action movie genre, and Ballerina is poised to continue its legacy, but with movies like Monkey Man hitting theaters soon, Ballerina could pale in comparison.
John Wick’s Official Ballerina Spinoff Movie Might Not Be As Good As Monkey Man
Ballerina’s lack of a trailer is cause to question its quality.
Monkey Man‘s trailer is among the most impressive of the year, and the fact that Ballerina has yet to release even a teaser for the movie justifies doubts regarding its quality. As is the case with any great trailer, Monkey Man‘s trailer generates a palpable sense of excitement and hype regarding the movie without giving away too much. Granted, Ballerina‘s release is still four months away, but for such a hyped spinoff, it’s odd that there has not been even a teaser released yet. Given that Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, and Chad Stahelski are directly involved with Ballerina, it will likely maintain a similar level of quality as previous entries. But with action movies like Monkey Man also hitting theaters this year, there’s no guarantee it will reign supreme.
Ballerina
- 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
