Ballerina Director Breaks Down Bringing Keanu Reeves’ John Wick Into the Spinoff

by


Len Wiseman, director of “From John Wick’s Universe: Ballerina”, discusses the clash between Eve Macarro and John Wick in the spin-off movie. In a chat with ComicBook to publicize “Ballerina” (hitting theaters on June 6th), the filmmaker shared insights into his process for creating this fight scene, aiming to meet fan expectations. Wiseman mentioned that careful planning was crucial for executing the action piece, involving preliminary sketches. He aimed to make the sequence stand out by drawing inspiration from one of Hollywood’s iconic genres.

Wiseman explained he aimed for the initial piece to evoke a sense of a classic Western standoff. He initially started by roughly sketching it out…the initial image was crucial to him as it needed to create that feeling of a Western showdown. In the design process, he carefully planned and sketched everything first…but what mattered most was making a powerful impact.

The movie titled “Ballerina” unfolds in the time gap between “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” and “John Wick: Chapter 4.” In this spinoff, Ana de Armas portrays the character Eve, embarking on a personal quest for vengeance. However, despite focusing primarily on Eve in “Ballerina,” promotional materials have emphasized Keanu Reeves‘ return as John Wick. The trailers hint at their upcoming encounter, as John is summoned to handle Eve before she creates further chaos.

Following four progressively successful primary installments, “Ballerina” marks the first offshoot in the John Wick series. Lionsgate has ambitious aspirations for the franchise’s ongoing development. Alongside John Wick 5 starring Reeves, a spinoff focusing on Donnie Yen‘s character Caine is also underway. Furthermore, the studio is actively working on an animated prequel that delves into the “impossible task” mentioned in the original film, which John had to complete.

In the movie Ballerina, rather than relying on the popularity of John Wick as a mere fan service, it’s heartening to learn that director Wiseman aimed to give the character’s role significance. The fight scene between John and Eve, reminiscent of a classic Western showdown, suggests it serves purposes beyond just the thrill of watching Keanu Reeves reprise his role as Baba Yaga. Instead, it appears this intense encounter is rooted in compelling narrative and character-driven reasons. As Eve continues to rack up casualties, squaring off against John Wick could be the ultimate challenge for her abilities and resilience. Wiseman’s depiction of the scene suggests that it plays a crucial role in the film, and having John Wick involved lends a sense of gravity to the situation.

In “Ballerina,” we get to view the world through Eve’s eyes, providing a fresh perspective on a character audiences already know. Initially, John appears as the antagonist, pursuing Eve with the intention of halting her actions. This twist adds an engaging element to the series, offering a novel take on a scenario viewers have encountered frequently. Given John Wick’s reputation for being formidable, there’s cause for concern regarding Eve’s safety. The trailers have piqued interest, and we hope the movie lives up to expectations.

Read More

2025-05-15 19:09