Today’s March 19, 2025, and this movie’s been on my radar ever since they dropped that first trailer back in September. I mean, it’s a John Wick spin-off with Ana de Armas kicking *** as a ballerina-turned-assassin how do you not get pumped for that? The Crew-9 astronauts just splashed down yesterday, and some nutjob fired shots at the CIA this morning, but right now, I’m all about this movie. It’s got that wild energy, and I’ve been piecing together everything I can about it. Let’s break it down.
Where It Fits in the Wick World
So, this isn’t just some random side gig it’s slotted right into the John Wick timeline, between Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4. That’s the sweet spot where John’s on the run after blasting up the Continental, and the High Table’s losing its mind. Keanu Reeves himself said it’s set after he goes rogue but before he takes on the whole damn world in Chapter 4. Eve Macarro, played by Ana de Armas, is the star here a ballerina training with the Ruska Roma, the same crew that raised John. She’s not just dancing around; she’s learning to kill, and she’s got a personal vendetta driving her.
The trailer’s got Winston (Ian McShane) taking her in as a kid, and then bam, she’s grown up, training under this hardcore Ruska Roma boss called The Director (Anjelica Huston). It’s all tied to that ballet academy we glimpsed in Parabellum you know, where Unity Phelan played a dancer who was clearly more than she seemed. Now Ana’s stepping into that role, and it’s personal. Her dad got whacked when she was little, and she’s out to find the bastards who did it. Breaks some rules, pisses off the wrong people, and suddenly she’s in deep. Sound familiar? Yeah, it’s got that Wick DNA all over it.
The Cast Is Stacked
Ana de Armas is the heart of this thing, and I’m sold. She’s Eve Macarro small, fierce, and out for blood. She’s been in some heavy hitters Knives Out, No Time to Die and now she’s bringing that fire to the Wick universe. She’s talked about how Eve’s not just a John clone; she’s a woman fighting bigger dudes, using her size smart, feeling every hit. That’s real, and I’m here for it.
Then you’ve got the OGs popping in. Keanu’s back as John Wick, but it’s a cameo shot during Chapter 4 production, from what I’ve heard. He shows up at the end of the trailer, all scruffy and Baba Yaga’d out, and Ana’s like, “Oh shit, it’s him.” Ian McShane’s Winston’s got a bigger chunk he’s the one who brings Eve into this life. Lance Reddick’s Charon is there too, in his last role before he passed, which hits hard. Anjelica Huston’s The Director is back from Parabellum, running the Ruska Roma like a badass mom.
New faces? Norman Reedus is in it flew from Japan to Budapest for extra fight scenes, and I’m dying to see what he’s playing. Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, David Castañeda, Sharon Duncan-Brewster they’re all in the mix, and I’m guessing they’re either allies or people Eve’s gotta take down. It’s a killer lineup, and I’m stoked to see how they bounce off each other.
The Action’s Gonna Be Nuts
Here’s the thing John Wick movies live or die by the action, and Ballerina looks like it’s bringing it. Len Wiseman’s directing you know, the Underworld guy, Live Free or Die Hard and yeah, some folks were worried he’d mess up the long-take, clean-cut Wick style with his quick-cut chaos. But then Chad Stahelski, the Wick mastermind, stepped in. Word is, the first cut was rough people called it a “franchise killer” after test screenings last summer. So Chad took over, reworked it, and spent months on reshoots. He wasn’t even on set for some of it; he just ran the show.
The trailer’s got flamethrowers, nightclub brawls, and Ana flipping around like a deadly dancer. There’s this one bit where she’s torching dudes with fire freaking fire! and it’s got that Wick flair, brutal but beautiful. Norman Reedus said it’s “high-octane, bang bang bang,” and Ana’s talked up how she trained to make it real, not just flashy. Chad’s stamp is all over it now, and I’m betting it’s gonna hit that sweet spot gritty, stylish, and relentless.
The Road to Release
This thing’s had a bumpy ride. Started filming in Prague back in late 2022, wrapped up, then hit post-production by early ’23. They were aiming for June 7, 2024, but after those rough screenings, Lionsgate pushed it to June 6, 2025, to juice up the action. Reshoots went down in Budapest finished last April and now it’s locked and loaded. First teaser dropped at CinemaCon last year, then the full trailer hit September 26, 2024, with Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” blaring. People bitched about the song choice too on-the-nose but I dig it; sets the vibe.
There’s been buzz, too some X posts from last year said it was “kickass insanity,” others trashed it as a “messy imitation.” I’m not sweating the haters; test screenings are a crapshoot. Point is, they fixed it, and Ana’s out there saying it’s “dangerous, sexy, very John Wick.” I trust her vibe.
What’s It Mean?
So why’s this got me hooked? It’s not just more Wick it’s a new angle. Eve’s not John; she’s got her own scars, her own fight. Shay Hatten, the writer, said it’ll dig into John’s roots through her eyes stuff about that Ruska Roma school we’ve only glimpsed. It’s not pushing the main story past Chapter 4, but it’s filling in the cracks, maybe setting up more spin-offs. They’re already talking a sequel with Ana if this pops off.
It’s also a big swing for the franchise. SpaceX just brought Crew-9 home, the CIA’s dodging bullets today real-world chaos and here’s Ballerina, dropping into a packed summer with Superman, Mission: Impossible 8, all that noise. But Wick’s got a lane nobody does action like this. SpaceX flies, CIA ducks, and Eve dances through blood. It’s 2025, man wild times.
Why I’m Stoked
Look, I love John Wick those long fights, the neon glow, Keanu being a legend. Ballerina feels like it’s keeping that soul but flipping it. Ana’s bringing something fresh smaller, scrappier, raw. The reshoots scare me a little Chad had to save it but that trailer’s got me believing. Flamethrowers? Nightclub massacres? John freaking Wick popping in? I’m in.
Plus, it’s personal stakes Eve’s dad, her revenge. John’s always been about his dog or his wife; this is family too, but through a new lens. And with Lance Reddick’s last bow, it’s got weight. I’m counting days June 6 can’t come fast enough. Crew-9’s home, McLean’s a mess, but Ballerina? That’s my next fix.
Where It Fits in the Wick World
So, this isn’t just some random side gig it’s slotted right into the John Wick timeline, between Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4. That’s the sweet spot where John’s on the run after blasting up the Continental, and the High Table’s losing its mind. Keanu Reeves himself said it’s set after he goes rogue but before he takes on the whole damn world in Chapter 4. Eve Macarro, played by Ana de Armas, is the star here a ballerina training with the Ruska Roma, the same crew that raised John. She’s not just dancing around; she’s learning to kill, and she’s got a personal vendetta driving her.
The trailer’s got Winston (Ian McShane) taking her in as a kid, and then bam, she’s grown up, training under this hardcore Ruska Roma boss called The Director (Anjelica Huston). It’s all tied to that ballet academy we glimpsed in Parabellum you know, where Unity Phelan played a dancer who was clearly more than she seemed. Now Ana’s stepping into that role, and it’s personal. Her dad got whacked when she was little, and she’s out to find the bastards who did it. Breaks some rules, pisses off the wrong people, and suddenly she’s in deep. Sound familiar? Yeah, it’s got that Wick DNA all over it.
The Cast Is Stacked
Ana de Armas is the heart of this thing, and I’m sold. She’s Eve Macarro small, fierce, and out for blood. She’s been in some heavy hitters Knives Out, No Time to Die and now she’s bringing that fire to the Wick universe. She’s talked about how Eve’s not just a John clone; she’s a woman fighting bigger dudes, using her size smart, feeling every hit. That’s real, and I’m here for it.
Then you’ve got the OGs popping in. Keanu’s back as John Wick, but it’s a cameo shot during Chapter 4 production, from what I’ve heard. He shows up at the end of the trailer, all scruffy and Baba Yaga’d out, and Ana’s like, “Oh shit, it’s him.” Ian McShane’s Winston’s got a bigger chunk he’s the one who brings Eve into this life. Lance Reddick’s Charon is there too, in his last role before he passed, which hits hard. Anjelica Huston’s The Director is back from Parabellum, running the Ruska Roma like a badass mom.
New faces? Norman Reedus is in it flew from Japan to Budapest for extra fight scenes, and I’m dying to see what he’s playing. Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, David Castañeda, Sharon Duncan-Brewster they’re all in the mix, and I’m guessing they’re either allies or people Eve’s gotta take down. It’s a killer lineup, and I’m stoked to see how they bounce off each other.
The Action’s Gonna Be Nuts
Here’s the thing John Wick movies live or die by the action, and Ballerina looks like it’s bringing it. Len Wiseman’s directing you know, the Underworld guy, Live Free or Die Hard and yeah, some folks were worried he’d mess up the long-take, clean-cut Wick style with his quick-cut chaos. But then Chad Stahelski, the Wick mastermind, stepped in. Word is, the first cut was rough people called it a “franchise killer” after test screenings last summer. So Chad took over, reworked it, and spent months on reshoots. He wasn’t even on set for some of it; he just ran the show.
The trailer’s got flamethrowers, nightclub brawls, and Ana flipping around like a deadly dancer. There’s this one bit where she’s torching dudes with fire freaking fire! and it’s got that Wick flair, brutal but beautiful. Norman Reedus said it’s “high-octane, bang bang bang,” and Ana’s talked up how she trained to make it real, not just flashy. Chad’s stamp is all over it now, and I’m betting it’s gonna hit that sweet spot gritty, stylish, and relentless.
The Road to Release
This thing’s had a bumpy ride. Started filming in Prague back in late 2022, wrapped up, then hit post-production by early ’23. They were aiming for June 7, 2024, but after those rough screenings, Lionsgate pushed it to June 6, 2025, to juice up the action. Reshoots went down in Budapest finished last April and now it’s locked and loaded. First teaser dropped at CinemaCon last year, then the full trailer hit September 26, 2024, with Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” blaring. People bitched about the song choice too on-the-nose but I dig it; sets the vibe.
There’s been buzz, too some X posts from last year said it was “kickass insanity,” others trashed it as a “messy imitation.” I’m not sweating the haters; test screenings are a crapshoot. Point is, they fixed it, and Ana’s out there saying it’s “dangerous, sexy, very John Wick.” I trust her vibe.
What’s It Mean?
So why’s this got me hooked? It’s not just more Wick it’s a new angle. Eve’s not John; she’s got her own scars, her own fight. Shay Hatten, the writer, said it’ll dig into John’s roots through her eyes stuff about that Ruska Roma school we’ve only glimpsed. It’s not pushing the main story past Chapter 4, but it’s filling in the cracks, maybe setting up more spin-offs. They’re already talking a sequel with Ana if this pops off.
It’s also a big swing for the franchise. SpaceX just brought Crew-9 home, the CIA’s dodging bullets today real-world chaos and here’s Ballerina, dropping into a packed summer with Superman, Mission: Impossible 8, all that noise. But Wick’s got a lane nobody does action like this. SpaceX flies, CIA ducks, and Eve dances through blood. It’s 2025, man wild times.
Why I’m Stoked
Look, I love John Wick those long fights, the neon glow, Keanu being a legend. Ballerina feels like it’s keeping that soul but flipping it. Ana’s bringing something fresh smaller, scrappier, raw. The reshoots scare me a little Chad had to save it but that trailer’s got me believing. Flamethrowers? Nightclub massacres? John freaking Wick popping in? I’m in.
Plus, it’s personal stakes Eve’s dad, her revenge. John’s always been about his dog or his wife; this is family too, but through a new lens. And with Lance Reddick’s last bow, it’s got weight. I’m counting days June 6 can’t come fast enough. Crew-9’s home, McLean’s a mess, but Ballerina? That’s my next fix.
