In 2014, the world was introduced to John Wick (The Matrix’s Keanu Reeves), the legendary assassin who left the profession to marry his wife, Helen (Blue Bloods’ Bridget Moynahan). After Helen tragically dies, a grieving John is pulled back into the criminal underworld after a group of Russian gangsters steal his car and kill his puppy, a gift from his wife. Clad in his signature black suit, a motivated John punches, shoots, and kills whatever or whoever comes his way on his quest for vengeance.
Four movies later, the John Wick series is widely regarded as one of the best action franchises ever made. What sets John Wick apart from other franchises is its approach to action filmmaking. Instead of quick cuts and closeups, John Wick relies on highly choreographed sequences and single takes, which was first instilled by John Wick’s co-directors David Leitch (Deadpool 2) and Chad Stahelski (John Wick: Chapter 4). The successful franchise will now expand the universe in its first feature spinoff, Ballerina, centered around a female assassin out for revenge against those who murdered her family.
Below is everything you need to know about Ballerina, including the release date, cast, synopsis, and trailer.
When does Ballerina come out?
Lionsgate, the studio behind John Wick, has finally dated Ballerina. The John Wick spinoff is scheduled to be released on June 7, 2024. The film will be released exclusively in theaters.
What is Ballerina about?
Serving as a spinoff of the John Wick franchise, Ballerina stars Ana de Armas (Blonde) as Rooney, a ballerina training to become a highly-skilled assassin in the Ruska Roma. The Russian crime syndicate was introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. After being declared “incommunicado,” John meets with The Director (The French Dispatch’s Anjelica Huston), the head of the Ruska Roma, at her performing arts institute to discuss safe passage to Casablanca. The ballet institute trains men and women to be assassins, and John previously trained there under the name, “Jardani Jovonovich.”
In Parabellum, the ballerina featured onstage is Rooney, but she was portrayed by professional ballet dancer Unity Phelan (I’m Thinking of Ending Things). De Armas will step in for Unity in Ballerina. The film will center around Rooney’s pursuit of vengeance as she hunts down the people who murdered her family.
When does Ballerina take place?
In the John Wick universe, Ballerina is set between the events of Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. More specifically, Ballerina takes place about six months after the events in the third film.
Who is in the cast of Ballerina?
With de Armas as the titular ballerina, familiar faces from the John Wick universe will appear in supporting roles. This includes Ian McShane (Deadwood) as Winston Scott, the manager of the New York Continental Hotel; the late Lance Reddick (Bosch) as Charon, the concierge at the New York Continental Hotel; and Reeves as Wick, the professional assassin at the center of the John Wick films. Huston will also reprise her role as The Director from John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.
Three actors were cast in undisclosed roles: Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace), Gabriel Byrne (The War of the Worlds), and Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead).
Who is writing and directing Ballerina?
Ballerina is directed by Len Wiseman (Total Recall), who is best known for his work in the Underworld franchise. Wiseman, Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 4), and Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) are the credited screenwriters of Ballerina. The script is based on a story from Hatten, which he wrote in 2017 as a spec script.
Hatten is familiar with the John Wick universe, serving as a co-writer on Parabellum and Chapter 4. In an interview with Digital Trends, Hatten teased what to expect in Ballerina.
“Well, what I think is cool is that this centers on a character that came up through the same ballet theater under the tutelage of Anjelica Huston that we see John take a stop at in the third movie,” Hatten said. “So you realize, ‘Oh, this character might be someone who shares some similar origin elements with John.’ In a cool way, it hints at the backstory for John, but we’re telling it through the lens of a different character.”
Is there a trailer for Ballerina?
Unfortunately, no trailer has been released yet for Ballerina. Additionally, Lionsgate has not released any official images or artwork for the John Wick spinoff.
Can you stream Ballerina?
Upon its theatrical release on June 7, 2024, Ballerina is not expected to be available for purchase on demand or accessible through a streaming service. Thanks to Lionsgate’s deal with NBCUniversal, Ballerina will stream to Peacock and NBCUniversal networks after its theatrical run. The deal goes into effect in 2024.
Will there be a sequel to Ballerina?
A sequel has not been greenlit for Ballerina. However, producer Erica Lee (Sicario) recently told Collider that she’s “hopeful” there will be a Ballerina 2.
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