John Wick‘s spinoff film, Ballerina, is highly anticipated among action movie audiences worldwide. When John Wick debuted in 2014, it earned an instant reputation in the action genre that had wallowed in mediocrity over the years. The action film was so acclaimed they had to make it a quadrilogy but while John Wick: Chapter 4 currently seems like the end of Keanu Reeves‘ character’s story, the franchise lives on through the numerous spin-offs lined up, including Ballerina.
A Len Wiseman-directed movie, Ballerina will focus on a new protagonist on a vengeful adventure. It’s a new story with mostly new characters but some familiar faces are expected to make appearances. Ana de Armas (as Rooney the Ballerina on a revenge mission) will be replacing Unity Phelan who first played the Ballerina role in John Wick: Chapter 3 (2019). Read on to learn more about this John Wick spinoff, including the cast and release date.
What Will Ballerina Be About?
The vengeful spree in the John Wick franchise is not about to be quenched in this upcoming spin-off. As such, Ballerina will also be about revenge. While the official plot summary doesn’t throw enough light on Ballerina, leaving a wide gap for imaginations to run wild, the scanty details available hint at a revenge mission embarked on by a young female assassin.
The ballerina named Rooney seeks revenge on those who killed her family and will hunt them down to get her pound of flesh. During the promotion of John Wick: Chapter 4, Keanu Reeves shed more light on what to expect from the new project. He revealed that the young ballerina’s father was murdered when she was still very young. Her only memory of what happened is that a man who has a tattoo came into their house and killed her father. Ballerina is set somewhere in between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and John Wick: Chapter 4.
Who Is Cast In John Wick’s Ballerina Spin-Off?
Unity Phelan who played the ballerina in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) will be replaced by Ana de Armas as the ballerina named Rooney. Ana de Armas is a talent to look out for in the industry, what with her groundbreaking performances in movies like Blade Runner (2017), Knives Out (2019), and No Time To Die (2021). Also on the list of new entrants in the John Wick universe are Catalina Sandino Moreno and Norman Reedus in undisclosed roles.
The number of returning stars of the franchise is impressive and serves as a reward to fans who felt bad about the way things ended in John Wick: Chapter 4. Most importantly, the John Wick powerhouse, Reeves, is on the cast list as well, though he had mentioned his stint won’t be a long one. Others are Ian McShane as Continental manager Winston, Lance Reddick as Charon, and Anjelica Huston as ballerina assassin instructor, The Director. Also, Gabriel Byrne recently joined the cast but his role is yet to be announced.
Will John Wick Appear In Ballerina?
The most exciting news about this project might be the fact that John Wick is in it but probably not in the way audiences would want. The vengeful assassin and some other familiar faces in the John Wick universe will only get to make cameo appearances in Ballerina. This will help both movies exist independently while the appearances from Wick and other familiar faces from the franchise will help keep the connection alive.
Ultimately, John Wick will make a brief appearance in Ballerina to assure audiences that the movie is still a part of the Wick Universe. Anticipation is high among fans as they await the release of Ballerina. Again, Ana de Armas’ performance as Rooney is one of the things they are looking out for.
When Will Ballerina Release?
The official release date for Ballerina is June 7, 2024, when the movie will be available in the United States. Filming for the movie commenced on November 7, 2022, in Prague, and by February 2023, it had entered into post-production. As Ballerina prepares to dance into the cinemas in due time, John Wick: Chapter 4 whetted the appetite of fans of the John Wick universe with its action-packed release on March 24, 2023.John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
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