Ana de Armas’ Ballerina can’t become a replacement for Keanu Reeves’ John Wick until it finds its own version of an iconic part of the original movies. Since the ending of John Wick: Chapter 4 saw John die, and Reeves has shared disappointing updates about John Wick 5, it seems the franchise needs someone else to take the bullets and blows in the future. While there are several upcoming John Wick spinoffs in the works, the franchise has yet to find a true replacement for Keanu Reeves’ iconic ᴀssᴀssin. The next John Wick movie could solve that issue, if it meets one key condition.

The next John Wick film, the upcoming movie Ballerina, could put Ana de Armas in the franchise’s driver’s seat in Keanu Reeves’ stead. Ana de Armas already has more than enough star power in her own right from films like Knives Out and Blade Runner 2049, and she could prove to be just as big of a star as Reeves is. While Donnie Yen’s Caine spinoff also has some major star power attached to it, de Armas’ Ballerina could have an edge just by virtue of timing. Additionally, if it can recreate one major factor, Ballerina could succeed in replacing Keanu Reeves.

The John Wick Franchise Is Setting Up Ana de Armas As Keanu Reeves’ Replacement

Ana de Armas’ Eve Was Trained By John Wick & Ballerina Feels Like A Successor

Even months before its June 6 release date, it looks like Ballerina is preparing Ana de Armas to replace Keanu Reeves. Ballerina will be the first movie in the John Wick universe to focus on someone other than John, which almost makes de Armas’ Eve the de facto successor to John’s legacy. The trailers for Ballerina have also teased that John is going to personally train Eve as an ᴀssᴀssin, which seems like a hint that he’s going to pᴀss the metaphorical torch to her. Eve has almost everything she needs to take John’s place, except for a good support system.

Ana de Armas’ Ballerina Needs A Network Of Great Allies To Replace John Wick

John Wick Had Winston, Charon, The Bowery King, & More, & Ballerina Needs Its Own Version

If Ana de Armas’ Eve has a sH๏τ at taking John’s place as the face of the John Wick franchise, she’s going to need help, both figuratively and literally. One of the best parts of Keanu Reeves’ John Wick movies, aside from his character, was the characters who supported him on his journey. Ian McShane’s Winston, Lance Reddick’s Charon, and Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King all helped John in the movies, and their respective star power helped John Wick succeed. All three of their characters had some of the best moments in the franchise, and they added so much to John Wick.

Luckily for Ballerina, it looks like it already has the makings of a great group to lend their support to Eve. Both Norman Reedus and Anjelica Huston have signed onto the cast of Ballerina, and they could end up filling the roles that McShane, Reddick, and Fishburne did in John Wick. Huston’s character, known only as “The Director,” could easily be a mentor figure to Eve who helps her navigate the world of ᴀssᴀssins, just as Winston did for John. Reedus’ character, Daniel Pine, could easily provide more on-the-ground support by giving Eve weapons or intelligence, like Charon and the Bowery King did.

Ballerina Can Pᴀss The Torch From John Wick’s Original Cast To The New Group

John Wick & His Allies Will Be In Ballerina & Could Help Establish Eve’s New Crew

Not only does Ballerina already have the makings of its own iconic group surrounding Eve, but it could even have some help establishing them as a fitting replacement for the cast of John Wick. Three of the biggest figures in the John Wick movies – McShane, Reddick, and Reeves – are all set to appear in Ballerina. If they’re already going to be in the movie, they could easily help Eve build her own network of supporters and “pᴀss the torch” to their own replacements. If anything could help Eve’s network of supporters hit the ground running, it’s in-movie endorsements from those already beloved characters.

If McShane, Reddick, and Reeves do end up pᴀssing the proverbial torch to de Armas and her supporting cast, Ballerina actually seems like it has a great chance to be the solution to John Wick‘s Keanu Reeves problem. Ballerina should have everything going for it: a star-studded and young cast, an immediate and direct tie-in to the main John Wick movies, and more than enough potential to keep going for years. Even other John Wick spinoffs, like Donnie Yen’s Caine film, won’t have as much momentum from the start as Ballerina already seems to.