With Ana De Armas starring in the leading role, Ballerina, a spinoff of the beloved John Wick movies, may have the potential to beat John Wick at his own game. Bringing together creatives from previous John Wick movies and a certified star in Armas to boot, the spinoff film could prove to be an amazing addition to the franchise. And, as the film will be the first time fans of the franchise are treated to a spinoff, the film could prove to be more valuable than a 4th or 5th John Wick movie.
Fresh off of her breakout performance in No Time to Die, Armas will lead Ballerina (one of Armas’ many upcoming films) and is being directed by Len Weisman and written by Shay Hatten. The story follows Armas as she seeks revenge against the people who killed her family, and will see her take on the role of a deadly ballerina trained by Angelica Huston’s The Director (as seen in John Wick: Chapter 3). The facility in which Armas’ character is trained by Huston is also the same facility that gave rise to John Wick himself.
Between proving herself as a bona fide action star in No Time to Die, and the potential of the plot teased for Ballerina, it seems like Ana De Armas’ John Wick spinoff could prove to be the breath of fresh air that the John Wick franchise sorely needs. If Armas channels the charms she exuded in No Time to Die as Paloma (a largely wasted character), the characterization could be vastly different for the Wick franchise, and prove to be exciting and fresh. Additionally, while the world building of the John Wick series has gotten heavily detailed three movies in, Ballerina could be a great opportunity to test the resolve of that world building in a film that likely won’t feature Keanu Reeves beyond a potential cameo.
Throughout her star turn as Paloma, Ana de Armas’ eagerness and charm stole the show from Daniel Craig’s farewell bow as James Bond. If Armas is able to bring that same charm to her character in Ballerina, her character could become a great foil to Wick’s lack of vulnerability, stoicism, and brooding demeanor. With Ballerina entering the fray, Armas and her character could provide an alternative mood to the Wick series, and give the franchise some rejuvenation.
Additionally, as the worldbuilding of the Wick series has gotten increasingly dense with the inclusion of several crime syndicates and organizations, it’d be a smart move to use Ballerina to dive further into the world of The Director and her trained assassins. Furthermore, this would allow for exploration of this world sans Reeves in order to properly test John Wick's worldbuilding, seeing if it holds up without its eponymous hero.
Of course, the beloved John Wick franchise is still planning additional installments, with the 4th installment releasing in 2023, and perhaps an end to the Wick series in sight. However, in many ways, Ballerina feels like the more exciting addition to the long-running franchise, given its star power and potential for fresh and exciting new storylines. And, if Armas’ turn in No Time to Die is anything to go off of, it’s likely that audiences who love the John Wick series will also come to appreciate Ballerina as a continuation of the action saga.