Ballerina is the first spinoff film connected to the John Wick movies, and its cast, plot details, and more signal an exciting new direction for the action franchise. Springing from the mind of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4 writer Shay Hatten, Ballerina was first teased in 2019 when its тιтle character appeared in the third movie. Ballerina opens the door for more mayhem and more exploration of the franchise as a new hero takes the spotlight. While it’s a spinoff, Ballerina is still intricately tied into the timeline of the John Wick universe.

What makes the John Wick movies stand out from the usual blockbuster fare is its clever use of action and the emphasis on simple-but-effective storytelling that boils the plot down to its basic essence. From all accounts, Ballerina promises to do the same thing with its sleek action tale, and with many of the creative minds behind John Wick attached to the project, it will surely fit nicely into the continuity of the series. With several upcoming John Wick movies and spinoffs to be expected, Ballerina will be the first step in expanding the action franchise’s cinematic universe.

From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina Latest News

A New Trailer Arrives During The 2025 Oscars

With only a few months to go until the action spinoff is due to arrive, the latest news comes in the form of a new trailer for Ballerina. The action-packed teaser aired during the 2025 Academy Awards, and features many of the same explosive beats as its predecessors. However, while also fleshing out the visually stunning nightclub fight scene, the trailer features an extended clip of Keanu Reeves as John Wick. Though Wick only appears for a short moment, it highlights just how connected the spinoff is to the larger franchise.

From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina Release Date

The Film Will Now Release In 2025

Ballerina was first given a June 7th, 2024 release date, but that plan has since changed as the film undergoes additional pH๏τography for new scenes. Despite completing principal pH๏τography in 2023, Ballerina will now premiere on June 6th, 2025, a full year after it was originally scheduled.

From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina Cast

Ana de Armas Leads The Cast

The long-speculated casting of Ana de Armas in the lead role of Eve was eventually confirmed in early 2022, and she was brought in to replace dancer Unity Phelan who played the part in a brief cameo in John Wick: Chapter 3. Several John Wick characters will be returning in Ballerina, including Keanu Reeves as the black suit-wearing ᴀssᴀssin on a mission, and franchise stalwart Ian McShane as his H๏τelier ally Winston Scott.

Also reprising her John Wick role is Anjelica Huston, who appeared in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum as the enigmatic head of the Ruska Roma crime syndicate, known as “The Director.” Notably, Lance Reddick will appear in the film as his long-running character Charon, with Ballerina being one of the last projects he worked on. John Wick series newcomers Gabriel Byrne (Hereditary) is set to play the main villain, the Chancellor, while Norman Reedus (The Walking ᴅᴇᴀᴅ) plays Pine, and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Che) appears in the film in an undisclosed role.

The entire known cast of Ballerina includes:

Actor	Ballerina Role
Ana de Armas	Eve
Anjelica Huston	“The Director”
Lance Reddick	Charon
Ian McShane	Winston Scott
Keanu Reeves	John Wick
Gabriel Byrne	The Chancellor
Norman Reedus	Pine
Catalina Sandino Moreno	Unknown
David Castañeda	Unknown
Sharon Duncan-Brewster	Nogi

Where Does Ballerina Fit Into The John Wick Timeline?

Does John Wick & Ballerina Connect?

Though the exact details regarding the spinoff’s plot are still under wraps, John Wick actor Keanu Reeves revealed when Ballerina takes place in the larger franchise timeline. The тιтle character, Eve, was seen briefly during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, and the spinoff starring the dancing ᴀssᴀssin will fit snugly between the third and fourth films in the main series.

Though Ballerina won’t move the John Wick timeline further ahead, it will possibly expand and recontextualize the events of John Wick: Chapter 4. With Ballerina blazing the trail for all future John Wick spinoffs, it could set the stage for other tangential stories within the franchise.

From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina Story Details

What Will Happen In The Ana de Armas-Led Spinoff?

The films in the John Wick series aren’t really known for their complicated plots, and it is likely that Ballerina will be just as effectively simple with its storytelling. The plot will center on dancer/ᴀssᴀssin Eve, who embarks on a mission of revenge to take down the people responsible for killing her family. The character’s recasting served several purposes, as Ana de Armas not only brings a level of star-power to the role, but the part also requires an accomplished actor who can sell the emotional side of Eve’s tragic backstory.

Ballerina is expected to have considerable overlap with the ongoing storylines of the main John Wick series, and that includes the franchise’s тιтle character. Ballerina will explore John Wick’s origins from a different perspective, according to the film’s writer, and that will not only help to maintain continuity, but it will also connect the fledgling spinoff with the more recognizable parts of the franchise. It’s the John Wick character who sells tickets at this point, and even if he is peripherally involved in the main storyline of Ballerina, the spinoff will feel like a more complete installment of the franchise.

From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina Trailer

Watch The Full Trailer Below

With the spinoff’s 2025 release date set, a full trailer for Ballerina was revealed in September 2024. Opening with a scene featuring a young Eve being recruited by Winston, the trailer then kicks into high gear as she gets into several explosive action scenes. After showing off returning characters like Charon and The Director, the trailer ends with a tease featuring Keanu Reeves’ return as John Wick.

A few months after the first trailer dropped, a lengthy BTS featurette for Ballerina was revealed in December 2024. The extended clip show features interviews with cast and crew members (including the late Lance Reddick), as they describe not only the process of making the movie but building the character of Eve as well. Many of the movie’s explosive action sequences are highlighted, including a fiery showdown involving flamethrowers. Underneath all the action, the teaser offers a deeper look at who Eve is, and why she isn’t just a clone of John Wick.

Airing during the 2025 Academy Awards, a TV spot for Ballerina arrived in early March 2025. Though it largely covers a lot of the same ground as earlier trailers, the TV teaser does show more footage from the nightclub fight scene, and perhaps more importantly, reveals John Wick. Though Reeves’ heroic icon only appears for a brief moment, the trailer clearly tries to link the spinoff to its franchise roots.