Which John Wick Movies To Watch Before Ballerina

With Ballerina releasing in theaters soon, here are the John Wick movies you need to watch before the spinoff film. The action franchise started from relatively modest roots in 2014 with the release of John Wick, starring Keanu Reeves as the тιтular legendary ᴀssᴀssin who comes out of retirement to seek revenge against the man who killed his dog, which was a final gift from his recently deceased wife. The franchise and its mythology have grown exponentially over the years, with three sequels directed by Chad Stahelski.

Directed by Len Wiseman, Ballerina will be the franchise’s first film to take the focus away from John Wick, introducing Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, the тιтular ballerina-turned-ᴀssᴀssin on a quest for revenge. Ballerina‘s cast includes several franchise stars reprising their roles, including Reeves as John Wick, Ian McShane as Winston Scott, the late Lance Reddick as Charon, and Anjelica Huston as the Director. However, just how much Ballerina is connected to the main John Wick movies remains to be seen.

How Ballerina Fits Into The John Wick Movie Chronology

It’s Set Between Chapters 3 & 4

Ballerina is set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, introducing de Armas as the former ballet dancer who undergoes training in the ᴅᴇᴀᴅly arts of the Ruska Roma to exact revenge against those who killed her father. During her quest, Eve checks into the Continental H๏τel, where she is under the protection of Winston and Charon. Ballerina‘s trailers reveal that Eve and John Wick will come face-to-face and eventually fight one another.

It’s also worth noting that some parts of the spinoff will take place during the events of Chapter 3, as one scene sees Eve watching John Wick as he visits the Director. The film also features flashbacks to when Eve was a young girl, played by Victoria Comte. However, much of Ballerina, including Eve’s quest for revenge and her run-in with John Wick, will be set between the events of Chapters 3 and 4.

Ballerina’s Setting Means Watching The First 3 John Wick Movies Before Is Encouraged

They Help Lay The Foundation For the Ruska Roma

Since Ballerina is set between Chapters 3 and 4, watching the first three John Wick movies is strongly encouraged. They help lay the foundation for the Ruska Roma, a powerful criminal organization and one of 12 that hold a seat at the High Table. John Wick was once an orphan from the tribe and was taken under the wing of the Director, who raised and trained him. As he grew older, he left and became a legendary ᴀssᴀssin working for the Tarasov Mob.

Ballerina will recontextualize this scene through Eve’s perspective, played now by de Armas, who watches Wick as he meets with the Director.

Ballerina also directly overlaps with the events of Chapter 3, in which John seeks help from the Director, the head of the Ruska Roma crime syndicate, at the Tarkovsky Theater. There, Eve (also known as Rooney and played previously by Unity Phelan) can be seen performing a dance recital. Before John leaves, he catches a quick glimpse of her. Ballerina will recontextualize this scene through Eve’s perspective, played now by de Armas, who watches Wick as he meets with the Director.

Seeing John Wick 4 Before Ballerina Won’t Hurt Either

Just In Case

Since it’s set directly after, seeing John Wick: Chapter 4 before Ballerina wouldn’t hurt either. The fourth film continues John’s story involving the Ruska Roma, as he seeks to rejoin the organization. Though he is initially rejected, he eventually earns their trust back, is reinstated through a branding ritual, and gains the family’s backing once again.

To fully appreciate Ballerina, watching the first three John Wick films is strongly recommended since they help lay the foundation for the Ruska Roma and Eve’s ties to the Director. Chapter 3 is especially important since it introduces Eve, known as Rooney. Seeing Chapter 4 before Ballerina wouldn’t hurt either, since it continues John’s story involving the Ruska Roma.

Ballerina releases in theaters on June 6.

Related Posts

Why Star Wars’ Mandalorian Movie Will Succeed Where The MCU Failed

Why Star Wars’ Mandalorian Movie Will Succeed Where The MCU Failed

The Mandalorian and Grogu looks set to succeed for Star Wars where the Marvel Cinematic Universe has recently faltered. As the first installment in the slate of…

“The Potential Is Clear”: Marvel Boss Kevin Feige Teases Mephisto’s MCU Future & Addresses Thanos Connections

“The Potential Is Clear”: Marvel Boss Kevin Feige Teases Mephisto’s MCU Future & Addresses Thanos Connections

Mephisto’s future with the Marvel Cinematic Universe gets addressed by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. After an endless amount of speculation, the MCU timeline finally brought one…

Watch Out For These 10 Movies Still To Come In 2025 That Could Show Up At Next Year’s Oscars

Watch Out For These 10 Movies Still To Come In 2025 That Could Show Up At Next Year’s Oscars

The 2026 Oscars are still a long time away, but it’s never too early to begin speculating about which of this year’s biggest hits could end up…

The Highest-Grossing Movie Of 2025 So Far Is Now An A24 Film

The Highest-Grossing Movie Of 2025 So Far Is Now An A24 Film

A24 has revealed the trailer for the English-language dub of Ne Zha 2. The film was originally in Chinese and became a big hit in its home…

Gerard Butler’s Hit With 76% RT Score Overtakes Tom Cruise Action Movie On 2025 Box Office Chart

Gerard Butler’s Hit With 76% RT Score Overtakes Tom Cruise Action Movie On 2025 Box Office Chart

The Gerard Butler-starring How to Train Your Dragon has now surpᴀssed a Tom Cruise action movie in the 2025 box office rankings. Directed by Dean DeBlois, the…

The MCU Just Confirmed 3 New The Fantastic Four: First Steps Villains Days Before The Movie’s Release

The MCU Just Confirmed 3 New The Fantastic Four: First Steps Villains Days Before The Movie’s Release

With The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ release date just around the corner, the MCU has treated prospective viewers to their first look at three of the movie’s…