From the World of John Wick: Ballerina‘s Ana de Armas details how her character differs from John Wick. Ballerina is a John Wick spinoff that follows a female assassin, Eve Macarro, who seeks revenge for her father’s death. While John Wick has previously had a spinoff television series with The Continental, Ballerina will be the first feature film spinoff within the franchise, which has thus far included four films. Ballerina features a leading cast including de Armas in the lead role and Keanu Reeves returning as John Wick, with a supporting cast that includes Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, and Anjelica Houston.
In an interview with Collider, de Armas explains how her Ballerina lead stands out from John Wick. The actor began by noting the similarities between Ballerina and the rest of the John Wick franchise, saying that “there are some trademarks in the style of the fights in John Wick.” She maintains, however, that Ballerina is completely from Eve’s perspective, demonstrating “the background of that training that John had.” She stated clearly “Eve Macarro is Eve Macarro. She’s not John Wick.” Check out the full quote from de Armas below:
“I think there are some trademarks in the style of the fights in John Wick, and things that he does that are very particular to him. But because in this movie we’re seeing through Eve’s eyes the background of that training that John had, and how these assassins and ballerinas, how these people become these assassins, there are some little details that are the same, but Eve Macarro is Eve Macarro. She’s not John Wick.”
What This Means For Ballerina
Ballerina Will Be Different From John Wick
De Armas’ statement about Eve Macarro could have major implications for the John Wick spinoff film. Based on the Ballerina trailer and early publicity, it is easy to assume that the film is simply a female version of John Wick. If Eve is completely distinct from John, however, this will not be the case. This differentiation could be a welcome shift for some, who might be worried about Ballerina lacking originality.
It seems like the biggest overlap between Ballerina and the rest of the John Wick franchise is its style. The choreography is sure to change without Chad Stahelski at the helm, which infused the kind of gun-fu-style fighting that is part of what made the John Wick movies so iconic and successful. The Ballerina lead mentions that there are some “trademarks in the style of the fights” in the rest of the franchise, indicating that Ballerina tries to carry over some key stylistic elements.
Our Take On The Ballerina / John Wick Similarities
Ballerina Should Still Try To Be Somewhat Similar
Historically, female assassin films have not done great at the box office (take, for example, the pre-COVID 2020 flop The Rhythm Section). Even as a John Wick film, Ballerina‘s success could be hindered by this unfortunate pattern. As Eve strays away from John’s leading man attitude, it will be interesting to see whether Ballerina‘s differences help or hinder the film. It is good not to repeat the past, but standing out too much from John Wick could result in losing franchise fans.
Source: Collider
Set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, Ballerina follows assassin-in-training Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) as she seeks vengeance for her father’s murder.
- Release Date
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June 6, 2025
- Cast
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Ana De Armas
, Keanu Reeves
, Catalina Sandino Moreno
, Anjelica Huston
, Norman Reedus
, Ian McShane
, Lance Reddick
, Gabriel Byrne
, David Castaneda
, Anne Parillaud
, Sharon Duncan-Brewster - Character(s)
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Eve
, John Wick - Director
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Len Wiseman
- Writers
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Shay Hatten
, Derek Kolstad - Prequel(s)
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John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, John Wick: Chapter 2, John Wick
- Studio(s)
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Summit Entertainment
, Thunder Road Films
, 87Eleven Productions - Distributor(s)
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Lionsgate