John Wick star Keanu Reeves cannot wait to see someone else dishing out for revenge for once, with the actor eager to see Ana de Armas enter the world of Wick in the upcoming spinoff Ballerina. Speaking with Total Film, Reeves offers a few more details about Ballerina, revealing that the spinoff will be an affection companion piece to the John Wick franchise, and that Wick himself will enter the fray organically.
"[The director Len Wiseman] has a vision, but is also embracing, affectionately, the world of John Wick ... there's a reason for [John] to be in 'Ballerina;' it's very organic. And working with Ana was great. She really loves action, and she's really good at it."
According to the report, the Ballerina project began life as a "totally separate, original action spec" and something that was "even more over-the-top than 'John Wick.'" The spinoff was eventually brought more in line with what audiences have loved about the John Wick series, and it certainly sounds like Keanu Reeves very much approves.
Ballerina will take place between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 4, and sees No Time to Die star Ana de Armas leading the way as a ballerina-assassin named Rooney. In true John Wick-style, Ballerina follows Rooney as she attempts to hunt down the assassins who killed her family.
John Wick Spinoff Ballerina Will Feature Major Fight Between Ana de Armas & Keanu Reeves
Of course, an assassin seeking revenge in the world of John Wick will see de Armas’ Ballerina come face-to-face with Reeves’ hitman with the actress recently revealing that the pair will demonstrate their particular sets of skills on each other during the events of the spinoff.
"We've been in Prague filming for four months. We still have one more month to go. And I'm in pain,” de Armas said of doing battle with Reeves. “You know, my body, my back, everything hurts. I'm complaining, I'm sore, I'm bruised. Bond was fifteen minutes. This is a whole movie, another level. But the other day, Keanu and I were rehearsing our very difficult stunt scene, and this man is just rolling and throwing me and doing crazy stunts. And I'm like — I can't complain anymore. Because he is doing it! He truly is the best."
Directed by Total Recall and Die Hard 4 filmmaker Len Wiseman, and from a screenplay he co-wrote with Shay Hatten in collaboration with Emerald Fennell, Ballerina has not yet been given a release date. Alongside Ana de Armas and Keanu Reeves, Ballerina will star Ian McShane as Winston Scott alongside Lance Reddick as Charon and Anjelica Huston as "The Director.” The rest of the cast includes the likes of Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects, Hereditary), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), and Catalina Sandino Moreno (From, Maria Full of Grace).
As for Wick, Reeves will return later this year in John Wick: Chapter 4, which finds the hitman doing battle with The High Table. John Wick: Chapter 4 is scheduled to be released by Lionsgate on March 24, 2023. Ballerina has not yet been given a release date.