Keanu Reeves and Ian McShane will Appear in ‘John Wick’ Spin-Off ‘Ballerina’
Ana de Armas is starring in the spin-off from the action franchise, which just started shooting with Len Wiseman as director.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.'
The ‘John Wick’ universe just continues to expand, with a fourth main movie headed our way in a few months (and giving out cryptic social media clues about… something – probably a trailer) and ‘The Continental’ TV series making its way through post-production after shooting this year.
Attention is now turning to ‘Ballerina’, the movie spin-off of the ‘Wick’ films, which stars Ana de Armas.
Len Wiseman, better known for the likes of the ‘Underworld’ franchise and ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, is in the director’s chair for the movie, which has a script from ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ co-writer Shay Hatten.
Lionsgate has announced that Ian McShane, who has played Winston, the complicated manager of the Continental Hotel seen in the movies, will be back to reprise the role.
Collider, meanwhile, has learned that the key figure in the entire franchise – that would be Keanu Reeves, who plays John Wick himself – will also show up in the spin-off.
There is, of course, no information about what Wick might be doing in the movie (besides kicking, punching and shooting people, we can only assume), or how big his involvement will be beyond a potential cameo, since this is really intended to focus on de Armas’ character.
Ana de Armas in 'The Gray Man.' Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.
‘Ballerina’ will follow the Ballerina character glimpsed briefly (and there played by Unity Phelan) in ‘Parabellum’ and tracks a young assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family. So… yes, very much a ‘John Wick’ story.
“We’re thrilled to have Ian McShane joining us for a pivotal role in ‘Ballerina’, says producer Basil Iwanyk. “He’s been such an integral part of the franchise since the original John Wick. It’s been fun to have him on this journey as the Wick universe expands.”
There is no statement about Reeves – but then, his presence is probably something the producers were trying to keep quiet a little longer. And the studio has yet to reveal who else is in the cast, but with cameras now rolling, expect more details soon.
‘The Continental’, which focuses on a younger iteration of Winston, is also due on screens in 2023 via Peacock. That show features Mel Gibson, Colin Woodell, Nhung Kate and Katie McGrath in its ensemble.
The fourth ‘Wick’ movie, meanwhile, finds Reeves in familiar territory. “John Wick takes on his most lethal adversaries yet in the upcoming fourth installment of the series,” reads the official logline for the next movie. “With the price on his head ever increasing, Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Osaka to Berlin.”
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ lands in theaters on March 24th next year. ‘Ballerina’ has yet to confirm a release date.
Ian McShane in 'John Wick: Chapter 2'
