Credit: John Wick
The John Wick universe isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It was confirmed shortly after John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum that Ballerina would be the first feature spinoff of the popular series. The character originally made her debut in the third John Wick installment as she was training to become an assassin at the time. American ballet dancer Unity Phelan played the character in the beginning. However, Ana de Armas has been set as the lead role of the spinoff. Armas is no stranger to action as the leading lady is coming off the heels of No Time to Die and The Gray Man.
At the moment, the exact plot of the upcoming spinoff is being kept under wraps, though there are some details that have been revealed about the plot. It will focus on the young female assassin who has an eye for revenge against the people who murdered her entire family. Currently, the filming of the upcoming feature is in production in Prague, with Len Wiseman (Underworld, Live Free or Die Hard) directing a screenplay by Shay Hatten. Admittedly, the small plot details given thus far are disappointing since we’ve seen numerous assassin/spy-type films with this type of story. Hell, John Wick is about a guy getting revenge on a group of thugs who killed his dog. However, Shay Hatten understands the John Wick world greatly, so the story will likely not follow the same beats that other movies have tackled so far.
Credit: No Time to Die
Ana de Armas isn’t the only big name attached to this film, as it’s been confirmed by Collider that Keanu Reeves will actually join the spinoff as Mr. Wick himself. Given the fact that the plot is being kept under wraps, it’s not known how big Reeves’ role is within the film. It’s likely a small cameo to connect the two worlds together, though there’s no ruling out the possibility that Wick could play a huge role in the ballerina becoming the elite assassin that she is in the film. However, Mr. Reeves isn’t the only John Wick regular who will make his appearance in the upcoming spinoff as Ian McShane (Winston) and Anjelica Houston (The Director) have been cast in the feature as well.
Given their titles within the film, it’s not exactly surprising that the two John Wick mainstays will make their returns in Ballerina. Like Reeves, it’s not known how much these two will play into the overall plot of Ballerina, but we’re likely sure to get more news on the first John Wick feature spinoff once filming commences. The character of Winston Scott is going to be a very recognizable face in the next couple of years due to his own spinoff – The Continental, which is the origin story of the hotel and Winston’s early years. Colin Woodell will play the young Winston Scott, who we follow back in 1975 throughout New York, trying to escape a past he thought he left behind. The prequel series is set to launch sometime on Peacock in 2023.
Credit: John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Back to Ballerina, it’s unknown exactly how this film will play into the timeline of the John Wick series. Could we see a future team-up with Reeves and Armas kicking ass all throughout the sinister John Wick world? That would certainly be cool, though that’s simply speculation on my end. A release has yet to be confirmed for Ballerina. It’s possible that the feature will come out in late 2023, but again, that’s just pure speculation. However, before Ballerina comes out, John Wick: Chapter 4 will finally make its way into theaters in March 2023 after being delayed for over a year. An exciting new trailer was just released for the fourth film in this epic action saga.
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