Summary

• The Ballerina spinoff signals an exciting new direction for the John Wick franchise with sleek action and creative twists.
• Lead by Ana de Armas as Rooney, Ballerina focuses on a revenge story infused with emotional depth.
• Fitting snugly between John Wick: Chapter 3 and 4, Ballerina will explore John Wick's origins from a new perspective.

Ballerina is the first spinoff film connected to the John Wick movies, and its cast, plot details, and more signal an exciting new direction for the action franchise. Springing from the mind of John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4 writer Shay Hatten, Ballerina was first teased in 2019 when its title character appeared in the third movie. Ballerina opens the door for more mayhem and more exploration of the franchise as a new hero takes the spotlight. While it's a spinoff, Ballerina is still intricately tied into the timeline of the John Wick universe.

What makes the John Wick movies stand out from the usual blockbuster fare is its clever use of action and the emphasis on simple-but-effective storytelling that boils the plot down to its basic essence. From all accounts, Ballerina promises to do the same thing with its sleek action tale, and with many of the creative minds behind John Wick attached to the project, it will surely fit nicely into the continuity of the series. With several upcoming John Wick movies and spinoffs to be expected, Ballerina will be the first step in expanding the action franchise's cinematic universe.

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Ballerina Latest News

First Footage Shown At CinemaCon

Though it isn't available for the public to view, the latest news sees the first footage of Ballerina screened at CinemaCon. While hyping up their latest John Wick project at the movie expo, Lionsgate showed off footage from the movie that features Ana de Armas as Rooney. The clips show Rooney training to become an assassin as well as more than a few explosive fight scenes. Finally, Ian McShane's Winston and Lance Reddick's Charon are shown, and Norman Reedus' mystery role is teased via voice-over.

Ballerina Release Date

The Film Will Now Release In 2025

Ballerina was first given a June 7th, 2024 release date, but that plan has since changed as the film undergoes additional photography for new scenes. Despite completing principal photography in 2023, Ballerina will now premiere on June 6th, 2025, a full year after it was originally scheduled.

Ballerina Cast

Ana de Armas Leads The Cast

The long-speculated casting of Ana de Armas in the lead role of Rooney was eventually confirmed in early 2022, and she was brought in to replace dancer Unity Phelan, who played the part in a brief cameo in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. Several John Wick characters will be returning in Ballerina, including Keanu Reeves as the black suit-wearing assassin on a mission, and franchise stalwart Ian McShane as his hotelier ally Winston Scott.

Also reprising her John Wick role is Anjelica Huston, who appeared in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum as the enigmatic head of the Ruska Roma crime syndicate, known as "The Director." Notably, Lance Reddick will appear in the film as his long-running character Charon, with Ballerina being one of the last projects he worked on. John Wick series newcomers Gabriel Byrne (Hereditary), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Che) are also all slated to appear in the film in as yet undisclosed roles.

John Wick star Lance Reddick passed away in March 2023.

The entire known cast of Ballerina includes:

RELATED: Is Ana De Armas' Ballerina Just Replacing John Wick 5?

Where Does Ballerina Fit Into The John Wick Timeline?

Where Does John Wick & Ballerina Connect?

Though the exact details regarding the spinoff's plot are still under wraps, John Wick actor Keanu Reeves revealed when Ballerina takes place in the larger franchise timeline. The title character, Rooney, was seen briefly during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, and the spinoff starring the dancing assassin will fit snugly between the third and fourth films in the main series. Though Ballerina won't move the John Wick timeline further ahead, it will possibly expand and recontextualize the events of John Wick: Chapter 4. With Ballerina blazing the trail for all future John Wick spinoffs, it could set the stage for other tangential stories within the franchise.

Ballerina Story Details

What Will Happen In The Ana de Armas-Led Spinoff?

Despite their positive reviews, the films in the John Wick series aren't really known for their complicated plots, and it is likely that Ballerina will be just as effectively simple with its storytelling. The plot will center on dancer/assassin Rooney, who embarks on a mission of revenge to take down the people responsible for killing her family. The character's recasting served several purposes, as Ana de Armas not only brings a level of star-power to the role that it didn't have before, but the part also requires an accomplished actor who can sell the emotional side of Rooney's tragic backstory.

Ballerina is also expected to have considerable overlap with the ongoing storylines of the main John Wick series, and that includes the franchise's title character, who will play some part in the story. Ballerina will explore John Wick's origins from a different perspective, according to the film's writer, and that will not only help to maintain continuity, but it will also connect the fledgling spinoff with the more recognizable parts of the franchise. It is the John Wick character who sells tickets at this point, and even if he is peripherally involved in the main storyline of Ballerina, the spinoff will feel like a more complete installment of the franchise.