Ana De Armas takes center stage in the absurdly titled From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. In this spin-off, she portrays Eve Macarro, a young assassin on a quest for revenge after the tragic murder of her family. The first trailer for the film has been released, featuring a cameo by Keanu Reeves, who reprises his role as the iconic Baba Yaga.
Ballerina is set in the timeline between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. It follows Eve as she hunts down the individuals responsible for her family’s deaths, leading her to familiar locales such as The Continental, where she engages in some gun shopping and encounters other recognizable elements from the beloved gun-fu neo-noir franchise. The film is slated for a summer 2025 release, just ahead of the anticipated John Wick: Chapter 5.
The trailer opens with Ian McShane’s character rescuing the young, orphaned Eve Macarro, taking her to a “school where they teach dances.” Fast-forward to her arrival at The Continental years later, where she seeks answers about the tragedy that struck her family. The trailer features a glimpse of the late Lance Reddick as concierge Charon, as well as an entertaining, top-down battle that resembles a Pokémon matchup, showcasing a flamethrower against a water hose. Eventually, Eve encounters John Wick, and the trailer concludes with a hint of him training her in his distinctive brand of lethal skills, which involves enduring gunshots and stabbings while still managing to defeat adversaries.
What began as a captivating but limited exploration of fantasy-infused underworld lore in the original John Wick has evolved into a full cinematic universe. Alongside the four existing films, there’s a less successful TV series titled The Continental, featuring Colin Woodell and Mel Gibson. A more favorable experience comes from John Wick Hex, a tactical RPG from 2019 that includes performances by Ian McShane and Lance Reddick.
As we await the release of John Wick: Ballerina next year, it won’t be the first time that Reeves and De Armas have shared the screen. She notably starred alongside him in 2015’s Knock Knock, where their characters engage in a tense and iconic exchange.
