Ballerinagets its first trailer, revealing Ana de Armas in the upcomingJohn Wickspinoff movie. Directed by Len Wiseman, the upcoming film sees de Armas playing an assassin named Eve who goes on a quest for revenge after the murder of her family. Featuring Keanu Reeves and Ian McShane reprising their roles as Wick and Winston, respectively,Ballerina’s castincludes a mix of familiar faces and newcomers alike, including Anjelica Huston, Norman Reedus, Gabriel Byrne, David Castañeda, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and the late Lance Reddick as Charon.
Now,Lionsgatereleases the first trailer forFrom the World of John Wick:Ballerina, providing a first look at the action-packed new expansion of theJohn Wickuniverse. The trailer provides a first look at Eve’s training and her adoption of the assassin lifestyle, teasing a bloody path of revenge as she takes down enemies in the signature franchise style. The trailer also provides a look at the return of Reeves, McShane, and Reddick, who will seemingly all guide Eve on her journey in different ways. Check out the trailer below:
What The Ballerina Trailer Means For The John Wick Franchise
How Big Is Keanu Reeves' Role In The Film?
Reeves' Wick seemingly died at theend ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4(2023), butBallerinatakes place between the third and fourth films in the franchise. Though Wick’s appearance in the trailer is treated as a grand reveal, it has been confirmed thatReeves' return is more of a cameo than a supporting role. As with Winston, the trailer suggests that Wick will serve as something of a mentor to Eve, or at least someone that she looks up to, since he went on a similar path of revenge to the one that she’s currently on.
Thankfully, Ana de Armas’ John Wick Movie Won’t Fall Into A Typical Spinoff Trap
It’s hard not to be cautiously excited about Ballerina, but the Ana de Armas John Wick film is on the right track to be better than most spin-offs.
Crucial to any project in theJohn Wickuniverse is the action, and theBallerinatrailer provides some idea of what to expect in this regard. As the director of all fourJohn Wickmovies, Chad Stahelski has been a critical ingredient to the franchise’s style of action. Though Stahelski doesn’t directBallerina, he does serve as the creative overseer of the franchise, andthe film did undergo some reshoots and additional photography that he was more heavily involved in, which could suggest that the action sequences will be up to franchise standards.
In addition toBallerina, theJohn Wickfranchise is set to further expand with aspinoff about Donnie Yen’s Caine, and a TV show calledUnder the High Table.
The trailer also introduces some new figures into the franchise. Norman Reedus’sBallerinacharacter, for example, is new to the franchise, and he will seemingly serve as an ally to Eve during her travels. Sharon Duncan-Brewster is another newcomer, and she looks to play an important role in the Ruska Roma as a trainer to new ballerina assassins. The trailer also teases that Eve will be facing off against a particularly dangerous, flamethrower-wielding assassin, though it’s not clear who plays him.
Our Take On The Ballerina Trailer
Ana de Armas Has What It Takes
Though reviews forThe Continentalspinoff were somewhat mixed, with that show arguably failing to capture what makes theJohn Wickmovies so great,Ballerinalooks to have a lot more in common with the Reeves films. In terms of its action, characters, and general presentation,Ballerinalooks and feels like aJohn Wickmovie.
Reeves himself is a major reason for the franchise’s success, and, afterThe Continental’s poor reception,the upcoming spinoff will be a key indicator regarding whether it can continue to succeed without him. De Armas, from the trailer at least, certainly looks to have the makings of a strong assassin character, and she already has proven action hero chops after her memorable appearance inNo Time to Die(2021). Hopefully,Ballerinahas what it takes to be a worthwhile expansion of the hit franchise.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina
Cast
Ballerina follows Eve Macarro during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, as she undergoes rigorous training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma. The film expands on the John Wick universe, charting Eve’s initiation into the clandestine world of professional assassins.
