Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, now playing in theaters.From the World of John Wick: Ballerina ends with many possible avenues for the future dangerous missions of Ana de Armas’ Eve Macarro, and with the recent confirmation of John Wick 5, people can’t help but wonder if the spinoff will lead directly into the sequel. Ballerina‘s timeline is alongside and between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. Both Keanu Reeves’ infamous John Wick and Eve’s whereabouts and status after John Wick 4‘s ending are unknown, but the spinoff’s heroine could certainly show up in other movies.

Regarding whether Ballerina‘s ending sets up or impacts John Wick 5, director Len Wiseman said to The Hollywood Reporter that he was only focusing on Ballerina as its own project. Per these comments, Ballerina doesn’t intentionally affect John Wick 5 at all, as the ending was simply left ambiguous to stoke theories and allow for various future storytelling possibilities — but even Wiseman was always thinking about the possibilities for where it could go. Check out his comments below:

THR: The movie ends with the audience wanting to know what’s next for Eve. Do you know what’s next for her?

Wiseman: In fantasy-type thinking, yes, but I really just concentrated on this film. I wanted this film to be the best that it could possibly be, but it’s hard not to wonder. Often, when I am asked that, I’ll say, “No, I want to wait and see what happens.” And that’s true to a point, but when you’re developing something and you get so immersed in a character, you have to build out what their story is before and after the movie you’re making. That’s how you really understand the character, so that’s always on my mind.

The movie ends a bit ambiguously on purpose. Who’s putting the contract out on her? I’d like to hear theories about where it goes. I definitely have my theory. I would love it if it were to continue, and I think it would surprise people where we would go with it. So we’re just waiting for what the reaction is to this one, but yes, I totally have fantasy plans about where Eve would go.

THR: So no one ever said, “Hey, tee this ending up for John Wick 5 to pick up where you left off”?

Wiseman: No, not at all.

What The Director’s Comments Mean For Ballerina’s Connection To John Wick 5

There Were No Plans To Set Up John Wick 5, But Ballerina Probably Still Does Anyway

Ballerina wasn’t meant to be an MCU-style world-building block; it was its own story about another relentless and skilled individual in this setting whose arc is in conversation with the themes of John Wick, but nothing else. Len Wiseman concentrated on telling that story, which does feature John when he is sent to kill Eve, which emphasizes the thematic parallels. Thus, audiences should watch this movie now without considering the context of the franchise’s future, and they will see how it fits in with sequels later.

Ballerina is likely to impact John Wick 5 in some way, just not because of the director or studio’s long-term design. Since Ballerina ends with Eve having a contract put on her, and she is now an agent outside the system, much like John, it is plausible that they will meet and help each other out again. Having established Eve in the franchise, she could appear as a side character in John Wick 5. From the sound of it, Wiseman has some ideas about what’s next for Eve, but he never had creative control over the next installment.

Our Take On How Ballerina Will Affect John Wick 5

Eve Is Out In The World Now, & John Wick 5 Probably Won’t Ignore Her

Ballerina‘s reviews stress that it is a good outing, but has a hard time living up to the glory of the John Wick movies. But Ana de Armas is a highlight, and Eve’s narrative is an engaging narrative of another difficult experience in this world. It would be fascinating to see them flip the script, with Eve pᴀssing through John’s movie; as John is done fighting the High Table, Eve could also be a window into how these problems persist. Thus, whether it was planned or not, Ballerina sets up John Wick 5 to continue to explore how different people navigate this stringent hierarchy.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter