That flamethrower fight in ‘Ballerina’ – Here’s how they did it!

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As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but get excited about the latest John Wick spinoff, ‘Ballerina’, now gracing our cinema screens! In an exclusive interview, director Len Wiseman has revealed some intriguing details about the action sequences, particularly the thrilling flamethrower versus flamethrower scene that’s sure to set our hearts racing.

In his own words, Wiseman shared that the grenade sequence is significant because it was one of the earliest action scenes he wrote and found particularly amusing. When brainstorming for the script’s development, he wondered about a snowball fight with explosives, which eventually became a gunfight with grenades. The process of designing this sequence was enjoyable since it involved setting up multiple trap doors for stunt players to navigate before the pyrotechnics went off, allowing them to maintain a single shot with Ana. Essentially, the scene presented an original and unique concept that had not been showcased on screen before, making it an exciting proposition when pitching action sequences to studios.

How did live flamethrowers on set not cause damage to the set or harm the cast and crew, given their potential danger? Director Wiseman explains that they collaborated with one of the best stunt teams, 87eleven, making the set a safe environment. Although there were some visual effects added, the sequence was primarily practical, meaning it was controlled, but still very risky, especially having both flamethrowers active at once. He compares this to working with helicopters, which can be terrifying on set due to their loud noise and close proximity to cameras during stunts. Similarly, flamethrowers have a dangerous feel to them, but they aim for sequences that are unlike anything seen before.

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2025-06-07 02:23