Ana de Armas is out for revenge in the first trailer for “Ballerina,” the “John Wick” spinoff set to release on June 6, 2025. In the action thriller, de Armas plays Eve Macarro, a Ruska Roman ballerina seeking retribution against a group of hitmen who murdered her family. “Ballerina” takes place in between the events of “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” and “John Wick: Chapter 4,” spotlighting the female assassin who made only a brief appearance in the third “Wick” movie and was originally played by Unity Phelan. The trailer shows the origins of de Armas’ Eve, who’s on her own quest for vengeance. She kicks plenty of ass, slices someone’s neck with an ice skate and douses a flamethrower with a high-powered hose. At the end of the trailer, she even meets Baba Yaga himself, John Wick. “Ballerina” will also feature franchise leader Keanu Reeves as Wick. As writer Shay Hatten told Collider, Reeves plays a substantial role in the film, with Wick being “a real character, and not just kind of a one-piece cameo.” Other actors joining “Ballerina” include returning “Wick” players Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston and the late Lance Reddick. Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Norman Reedus are also among the cast.
Ballerina Training
The trailer opens with a young Macarro, a Ruska Roman ballerina, in a hallway covered in blood. She’s cradling a spinning ballerina figurine, a symbol of her lost innocence. An old man approaches, promising to take her to a dance school. The scene cuts to a montage of intense training, where Macarro’s routines aren’t set around Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.” Her targets are far more violent. “To stop the assassin, you must become the assassin,” Nogi (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) tells Macarro and a lineup of other trainees. “You will always be weaker. You will always be smaller. You want to win? Improvise. Adapt. Cheat.”
The Making of a Ballerina
Macarro first appeared in “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,” played by the American ballet dancer Unity Phelan. De Armas took over the role for the forthcoming film directed by Len Wiseman, with a script from Shay Hatten. It marks the fifth film in the “John Wick” franchise and the first since 2023’s “John Wick: Chapter 4.” “Ballerina” was initially set for release this year but was delayed after Hatten brought in OG “John Wick” director Chad Stahelski to bridge the gap between the past and present. This delay, however, allowed the filmmakers to add more action sequences.
A Star-Studded Cast
Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus also appear in the film, which contains the final screen role filmed by the late Lance Reddick. “Ballerina” will feature additional appearances from Ian McShane, and John Wick himself, Keanu Reeves. The film was originally slated to arrive June 7, 2024, but it was delayed a year to June 6, 2025 for it’s theatrical release date. Directed by Len Wiseman from a script by Shay Hatten and based on characters by Derek Kolstad, the movie is produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee and Chad Stahelski.
John Wick Makes an Appearance
Stahelski signed a new deal with Lionsgate to oversee the “John Wick” franchise, and the architect of the original Keanu Reeves films worked with director Wiseman on even more action sequences for the film, which are evident in the trailer. It’s clear that the “John Wick” universe is expanding beyond just the main franchise, with the prequel miniseries “The Continental,” led by Mel Gibson, premiering in September 2023. With a new, female-led spinoff, “Ballerina” looks to be a key piece in the expanding world of “John Wick.”
A Glimpse into the Future of 'John Wick'
The film has had a long road to the screen already. It initially shot in 2022, and was slated to open in June 2024. But in February, Lionsgate delayed the feature by a year to June 6, 2025, in order to allow “John Wick” director Chad Stahelski to assist with upping the action. He worked with “Ballerina” helmer Len Wiseman on new action sequences that shot this year. Wick is a crown jewel for Lionsgate and arguably its most important franchise. It has starred Keanu Reeves in four films since he introduced the world to the character in 2014. Reeves also appears in a cameo in “Ballerina”, which takes place between the events of the third and fourth Wick films. With the latest installment having a script from “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum” scribe Shay Hatten, the “Ballerina” trailer shows a glimpse into the future of the “John Wick” franchise.
Stepping Into the Spotlight
We’ve been waiting for Ana de Armas to get a proper action movie ever since she was one of the standout Bond women in “No Time to Die.” Now she’s joining another iconic action franchise: the “John Wick” universe. “Ballerina,” a spinoff movie within the “John Wick” franchise, has finally landed a trailer from Lionsgate. The long-awaited project originated as an original story by screenwriter Shay Hatten back in 2017; the script was re-written to bring it into the “Wick” universe of assassins. The titular ballerina killer was briefly introduced in “John Wick 3: Parabellum.” Unlike Peacock’s “Wick” prequel series “The Continental,” “Ballerina” is set in between the events of the third and fourth “John Wick” movies and even features brief appearances from both Keanu Reeves and the late Lance Reddick. As Lionsgate film group president Adam Fogelson previously confirmed, the film avoids the fate of John Wick as revealed in the fourth film.
A New Chapter for the Franchise
De Armas leads “Ballerina” as a young female assassin and ballerina who seeks revenge on those who killed her family. The highlights of the trailer include de Armas wielding a flamethrower, getting a massive back tattoo, and asking the Baba Yaga (Reeves) himself for advice. “How do I start doing what you do?,” de Armas’ character asks Reeves’ Wick, who responds, “Looks like you already have.” “Ballerina” also stars returning “John Wick” actors Ian McShane and Angelica Huston, along with Norman Reedus, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, and Gabriel Byrne. The film is directed by Len Wiseman, known for “Underworld,” “Live Free and Die Hard,” and “Lucifer.” Reeves told Screen Rant that his return to the Wick character made sense for “Ballerina.”
Stepping into the Spotlight
“I felt that there was a cool handoff of stewardship,” Reeves said, “and it was fun to put the suit on again, however briefly. There’s a reason for [John] to be in ‘Ballerina’; it’s very organic.” De Armas also told Collider that the reshoots, which delayed the film’s release by a year, turned out to be “really spectacular.” Returning “John Wick” director Chad Stahelski helmed the additional action sequences.
A Ballerina's Revenge
“All we did in those reshoots had to be there,” de Armas said. “We got amazing footage. It’s really spectacular. A trailer is coming out soon, I’ve been told. I saw it, and it’s beautiful.” She added, “I’m very proud of it. It’s really exciting. It’s dangerous, it’s sexy, it’s very ‘John Wick.’ I think people are going to be surprised. I’m biased. Of course, I like the movie, but I think it’s really cool. It’s going to be amazing.”
More Than Just a Spinoff
The “John Wick” spin-off, set concurrently with the third movie, stars Ana de Armas as a woman looking for revenge and gets involved in the ballet school/assassin training facility run by Anjelica Huston. The cast also features Gabriel Byrne, Norman Reedus and Catalina Sandino Moreno, alongside “Wick”-verse regulars Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves and a posthumous appearance by the great Lance Reddick. The trailer promises loads of the series’ signature action set pieces, this time directed by Len Wiseman (“Underworld,” “Live Free or Die Hard”), with series director Chad Stahelski serving as a producer alongside fellow “John Wick” ambassadors Erica Lee and Basil Iwanyk.
The 'John Wick' Universe Continues
“Ballerina” opens in theaters June 6, 2025. With a new, female-led spinoff, “Ballerina” looks to be a key piece in the expanding world of “John Wick.” While the main “John Wick” franchise might be on hiatus, there is plenty in the universe being worked on, including a television series (following “The Continental,” a prequel series that streamed on Peacock last year), a Donnie Yen spin-off movie and much, much more. The trailer for “Ballerina” promises a thrilling action film, set within the established “John Wick” world and featuring de Armas showcasing her skills. This will be the first “John Wick” film to feature a female lead and the expansion of the franchise beyond the main character.
