Ballerinais the first spinoff movie in theJohn Wickfranchise, and it didn’t take anything more than the trailer to prove how it’s going to carry the series forward into the future. After the shockingending ofJohn Wick 4,the future of this bloody and violent action franchise was somewhat up in the air, with audiences left questioning how the writers could even continue after such a twist.With Keanu Reeves seemingly retired from the role given Wick’s death, the series would need a new face to take over and give the saga some longevity,
AfterJohn Wick’s first spinoff projectThe Continentalopened to mixed reviews and failed to revive the franchise as intended, the importance of landing this new face became even higher than before. Luckily,the story ofBallerinaseems to be going in a fun direction that will bring an entirely new character to the forefront of the story, using Reeves’ older protagonist as a kind of mentor figure in this passing-of-the-torch spinoff.
Ballerina’s Trailer Highlights Ana De Armas As The “New Face” Of The Franchise
Her Character Will Seemingly Take Over From Keanu Reeves
InBallerina’s first trailer, it’s immediately clear thatAna de Armas’ new character Eva Maccaro will be taking overthe role that was previously held by Reeves’ protagonist. She’s the clear focus of the story, with the spinoff following her character as she fights her way to the top and overcomes the many forces that stand against her. The trailer even confirms the character’s importance by referring to Maccaro as “a new face” for vengeance, which could easily be interpreted as the “new face” of the franchise as a whole.
A Popular John Wick Theory Was Just Debunked By Ballerina After 5 Years
One theory about Ana de Armas’ character in the upcoming John Wick spinoff movie has been debunked, but some of the ideas could still work.
While it’s important to remember thatJohn Wick 5has been confirmed, it’s also worth noting that the sequel seems to have taken a backseat in the past year whileJohn Wickfocuses on establishing its spinoff.Ballerinais clearly the most important project right now, and Maccaro’s “new face” description suggests thatthere are plans in place to carry her forward into the future.John Wick 5could end up being the final movie in the main series, and ifBallerinaperforms well, Maccaro could even appear in the project to take the reins.
Ballerina Makes Ana De Armas Look Like A Great Keanu Reeves Replacement
It’s As Close To John Wick As Audiences Could Have Hoped For
Althoughfollowing up Keanu Reeves' legacy in theJohn Wickuniverse is difficult, Ana de Armas seems to be doing a great job inBallerina. The trailer shows plenty of dynamic action and sharp hand-to-hand combat, which proves that while the protagonist may be different, the film’s style is going to be very similar. One of the best parts of theJohn Wickmovies wasKeanu Reeves’ involvement in the stunts, which made it feel like the actor was really in tune with the character.
Deadline reported earlier this year that a new John Wick TV show about the High Table set after the events ofChapter 4is currently in the works.
Luckily, it seems like Ana de Armas will adopt a similar approach to her protagonist. While it’s unclear how much of the stunt work she’ll perform herself, the trailer proves that she’s not shying away from the fight scenes. This will hopefully make the transition between characters less difficult, as the franchise’s values and aesthetics will remain fairly similar between projects.
John Wick Will Struggle To Ever Fully Replace Keanu Reeves As The Face Of The Franchise
His Character Left A Legacy That Can’t Be Touched
Ultimately, whileBallerinalooks great, replacing Keanu Reeves in theJohn Wickuniverse is an endeavor that’s destined to fail. The actor has become so synonymous with this character over the years - attempting to oust him from the spotlight would never end well. That’s exactly whyBallerinamust take a different approach to succeeding him: not presenting Maccaro as his replacement or substitute, but rather as a completely new character of her own.Maccaro must be different enough from John Wickto distance herself from the original films.
Ballerinatakes place duringJohn Wick 3, so there’s every possibility that Keanu Reeves will play a large role in the upcoming spinoff. The trailer has confirmed his involvement, but to make the film succeed and have audiences fully accept Maccaro as the new face of the franchise, it would be a great idea to have them interact lots on-screen during the project. This way,Ballerinacan highlight the differences between the characters and assure audiences that Maccaro isn’t replacing Wick, but offering an alternative figure to take the reins and drive the franchise in a new direction.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina
Cast
Ballerina follows Eve Macarro during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, as she undergoes rigorous training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma. The film expands on the John Wick universe, charting Eve’s initiation into the clandestine world of professional assassins.
