The John Wick franchise has redefined motion cinema over the previous decade, and now it’s increasing its lethal universe with “Ballerina,” a female-driven spinoff that guarantees to deliver contemporary choreography to the world of assassins. Set for launch on June 6, 2025, this Ana de Armas-led thriller takes audiences deeper into the mysterious Ruska Roma group whereas introducing a brand new protagonist whose journey from ballet dancer to deadly killer provides a compelling counterpoint to John Wick’s story.
A New Perspective on Acquainted Territory
Director Len Wiseman, recognized for his work on the “Underworld” sequence and “Stay Free or Die Laborious,” brings his motion experience to the John Wick universe with a transparent imaginative and prescient. “One of the issues I actually favored concerning the BALLERINA script is that it’s form of the alternative of John Wick’s story,” Wiseman explains. “Wick is making an attempt to get out of his life as an murderer; Eve is wanting in — she desires to be a killer. I used to be fascinated with exploring the circumstances below which somebody chooses that life.“
This philosophical shift offers the muse for a narrative that, whereas set throughout the occasions of “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum,” carves out its personal distinct id. The movie follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), a ballerina-turned-assassin searching for vengeance for her father’s homicide, educated by the shadowy Ruska Roma group that transforms rigorous ballet coaching right into a lethal curriculum for contract killing.
Producer Chad Stahelski, who directed all 4 of the John Wick options and is the architect of the franchise, remembers that he started pondering that the John Wick universe may exist exterior the central character when he got here throughout an unique script with a lead character who was a ballerina by a younger author, Shay Hatten, whose sturdy type and blend of motion and revenge impressed the filmmaker and motion specialist.
The Powerhouse Behind the Manufacturing
The producing workforce brings collectively franchise veterans with contemporary views. Chad Stahelski, architect of the John Wick universe and director of all 4 predominant movies, serves as producer alongside his Thunder Highway Movies companions Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee. Stahelski’s involvement ensures continuity with the franchise’s distinctive type whereas permitting room for innovation. “We now have Winston again, and Charon, and The Director, and John Wick, however you’re additionally getting to meet new characters, new hierarchies, and new folks with energy,” notes government producer Keanu Reeves.
Erica Lee, who has shepherded the whole John Wick franchise as President of Manufacturing at Thunder Highway Movies, emphasizes the significance of increasing the universe: “Wick followers love world-building. I believe that we’ve given them rather a lot of new issues and parts and worlds and places for them to sink their enamel into.“
Ana de Armas: From Cuba to Killer
On the coronary heart of “Ballerina” is Ana de Armas’s transformative efficiency as Eve Macarro. The Oscar-nominated actress, recognized for her work in “Knives Out,” “Blade Runner 2049,” and “No Time to Die,” underwent intensive bodily preparation to honor the John Wick legacy of precision and cutting-edge motion. “It was actually intense coaching for fairly a very long time,” de Armas reveals. “There was rather a lot of energy coaching after which simply hours and hours on the stunt facility at 87Eleven with probably the most wonderful stunt crew.“
Her journey mirrors her character’s evolution. Born in Cuba and having moved to Spain early in her profession, de Armas brings genuine willpower to Eve’s story. Wiseman was drawn to her fierce dedication: “There was a form of hearth in Ana that I needed to meet and work with. On the onset, I instructed Ana that since Eve is simply starting her journey as an murderer, the character goes to, at occasions, get her ass kicked. Ana’s reply was, ‘Cool. Okay, I’m in.’“
Returning Icons and Recent Faces
The movie brings again beloved franchise characters whereas introducing compelling new figures. Anjelica Huston returns as The Director, the formidable chief of the Ruska Roma. “The Director takes Eve in as a younger lady and trains her, and I believe genuinely cares for her. She’s a particular little one,” Huston displays on her character’s relationship with Eve.
Ian McShane reprises his function as Winston, the enigmatic supervisor of The Continental resort, bringing his attribute gravitas to scenes with de Armas. “Winston has a grounding impact. He’s quite pithy. You don’t actually know who he’s. This offers his scenes with Ana de Armas a mysterious stress,” McShane observes.
The movie additionally contains a poignant remaining efficiency from Lance Reddick as Charon, the stoic concierge. Sadly, Reddick handed away in March 2023, simply weeks after principal pictures wrapped, making his look in “Ballerina” a touching farewell to the beloved character and actor.
New additions to the universe embrace Norman Reedus as Daniel Pine, a contradictory murderer whom Wiseman describes as naturally becoming the John Wick world. “Norman doesn’t suppose he’s cool — and that’s what makes him cool,” the director notes. Gabriel Byrne takes on the villainous Chancellor, chief of a cult-like mountain village populated fully by assassins, whereas Catalina Sandino Moreno performs the mysterious Lena, whose true allegiances are slowly revealed.
The supporting solid contains David Castañeda as Eve’s devoted father Javier, Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Nogi, an teacher on the Ruska Roma who turns into a maternal determine to Eve, and Sooyoung Choi as Katla Park, Eve’s first mission goal.
International Places and Gorgeous Visuals
“Ballerina” expands the John Wick universe geographically, buying and selling the acquainted city landscapes for snow-covered Japanese Europe. Manufacturing Designer Phil Ivey labored intently with Wiseman to create a definite aesthetic whereas sustaining franchise continuity. “The vital factor was, sure, it has to match inside the John Wick world, and it wants to really feel like a John Wick movie, but it surely wants to have its personal vibe,” Ivey explains.
The manufacturing utilized Prague and surrounding areas within the Czech Republic as its base, with extra sequences filmed in Budapest, Hungary. The crown jewel location is Hallstatt, Austria, an idyllic lakeside village surrounded by mountains. Wiseman was “obsessive about Hallstatt,” describing it as “not like something I’ve seen earlier than: a city constructed right into a hillside, so it has these wonderful layers.“
Due to Hallstatt’s vacationer season, the manufacturing created a intelligent “jigsaw puzzle” strategy, stitching collectively varied Czech Republic places to prolong the display screen time within the Austrian village whereas sustaining visible coherence.
Innovation in Motion
The movie’s motion sequences showcase the distinctive preventing type developed particularly for de Armas’s physicality. Relatively than overpowering opponents with brute energy, Eve employs creativity and technique, turning on a regular basis objects into weapons. From ice skates that grow to be makeshift nunchakus to flamethrowers and kitchen utensils, the movie embraces a “brains-over-brawn” strategy that feels contemporary inside the franchise.
Stunt coordinator Jackson Spidell and supervising stunt coordinator Stephen Dunlevy, each John Wick veterans, labored to put a brand new spin on the sequence’ signature “gun fu.” The manufacturing featured a number of feminine stunt performers, together with Cara Marie Chooljian as de Armas’s main struggle double and Anisha Gibbs, who additionally served as a coach.
A Worthy Addition to the Franchise
“Ballerina” represents greater than only a spinoff; it’s an growth that honors the John Wick legacy whereas carving out new territory. As Stahelski summarizes: “I believe there’s an amazing combine of huge motion and get-behind-Eve moments in BALLERINA that may make you need to journey that very same form of curler coaster.“
With its mixture of returning favorites, compelling newcomers, gorgeous worldwide places, and modern motion sequences, “Ballerina” guarantees to ship each the acquainted thrills followers anticipate and the contemporary perspective wanted to maintain the franchise evolving. When it hits theaters on June 6, 2025, audiences will uncover whether or not Eve Macarro can dance her method into the pantheon of nice motion heroes.