John Wick fans have more to look forward to after the successful release of its fourth installment as the spinoff film Ballerina promises to give Keanu Reeves more than a cameo role. Led by Ana de Armas, Ballerina will take place between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4.
The much-awaited spinoff will feature returning cast, such as Anjelica Huston as The Director, Ian McShane as Winston Scott, and the late Lance Reddick as Charon. Surprisingly, Reeves’ addition to the Ballerina cast was a last-minute decision.
Ballerina Writer Reveals Keanu Reeves’ Role In The John Wick Spinoff
Speaking with Collider, Ballerina co-writer Shay Hatten discussed Ana de Armas’ character and background story in the movie and what sets her apart from John Wick:
“Ballerina starts by introducing a character who kind of went through some of the same training as John in the ballet academy… but then she ends up going to a whole new corner of the world and a new kind of isolated community that really is unlike anything we’ve seen in these previous John Wick movies.”
Fans would be eager to know how much they will see Reeves in the spinoff as previous reports called his role a cameo. Producer Erica Lee revealed that the actor worked for “about a week” on the set while Reddick filmed his part “for a day.” Hatten commented on Reeves’ role:
“We got him to be in it for a good chunk. He’s a real character, and it’s not just kind of a one-piece cameo. He’s got… Well, I shouldn’t say too much, but he’s in the movie in a way that I think people are going to be really excited by.”
The writer also shared the process of making the script with Emerald Fennell, who contributed to the original screenplay Hatten worked on:
“I wrote the original script, then was rewriting it. And I think it was when Ana [de Armas] came on, Emerald came on and did a pass at it. And then I came back on later and read her draft, and I was like, “It’s great,” because she’s a genius. So it was like she kind of, I think, put a lot of ideas in there that, as is the nature of the thing, some of them stuck and are in the movie, and some of them we kind of developed away from again as it was going into production.”
With the success of the John Wick franchise, it seems that the Ballerina spinoff will receive the same anticipation from fans and critics alike.
What Fans Could Expect From Ana de Armas’ Ballerina?
Helmed by Len Wiseman, John Wick’s Ballerina is aiming to premiere either in the spring or summer of 2024. Ana de Armas will portray Rooney, a ballerina on a mission to avenge the murder of her family. The role was previously played by Unity Phelan in Parabellum. She will also be joined by franchise newcomers Gabriel Byrne, Norman Reedus, and Catalina Sandino Moreno.
Because the John Wick franchise features globe-trotting quests in each installment, fans could also anticipate that Ballerina will take them to a place that has never been explored. Hatten noted that it is “service by story,” and “wherever it makes sense for the story to go, we’ll go to that part of the world.”
John Wick: Chapter 4 is now showing in theaters worldwide.
Source: Collider
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