The timeline of the John Wick spin-off Ballerina shows how little room John has had to breathe since the franchise began. John Wick will return to cinema screens in John Wick: Chapter 4, while the John Wick universe is also continuing in new directions with two spin-offs. In addition to The Continental TV series, which will be released on Peacock, the spin-off movie Ballerina will also see Ana de Armas take on the role of John's fellow assassin Rooney, with Keanu Reeves will also reprising his role as John Wick.
Ballerina's timeline between John Wick 3 and 4 could indicate that it will impact John Wick: Chapter 4 's story to a surprising degree. However, it also reveals something more astonishing. Specifically, Ballerina's place in the John Wick franchise paints a picture of just how exhausting John's battles been for him since the first John Wick.
Ballerina's Timeline Means John Wick Can't Rest Between Chapters 3 & 4
The first three John Wick movies all unfold over a relatively brief timeline, with John Wick: Chapter 2's ending also leading right into the beginning of John Wick: Chapter 3. While an exact timeframe is not given, the first three John Wick movies seem to take place over the course of a few weeks. While John Wick: Chapter 4 may have a somewhat sizable time gap from the ending of John Wick: Chapter 3, the placement of Ballerina between them eliminates whatever chance John might have had at a respite.
Through John Wick's return in Ballerina, it is clear that he has essentially been fighting adversaries from all sides virtually non-stop since the first John Wick. Even for an assassin of his legendary status as the Baba Yaga, this has undoubtedly been an extremely taxing experience for John. Then again, the John Wick franchise also makes clear why he is always fending off attacks from skilled assassins.
Why John Wick's Fights Never Stops
The simple answer for why John Wick's fights never cease is that he is John Wick. As soon as he came out of retirement to avenge the murder of his beloved dog, John's immortal quote of "Yeah, I'm thinking I'm back!" was heard far and wide in the assassin world. This led to Santino D'Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) using his marker to force John into a new assassin mission, setting off what would become John Wick's conflict with the High Table and the Elder.
John being so respected among assassins also makes him an even bigger target for enemies like Zero (Mark Dacascos) and countless other adversaries. Killing John Wick might bring with it a huge payday, but the bigger reward lies in vanquishing the Baba Yaga and becoming the kind of legend he once was. With such a reputation to precede him, it seems there indeed is no rest for John Wick, either in Ballerina or any other chapter of the John Wick franchise.
