John Wick Spin-off ‘Ballerina’ Will Have Fight Scenes That Are On “Another Level”, Says Ana de Armas

It’s not often you hear ‘ballerina’ and ‘fight scenes’ in one sentence, but that’s what the John Wick franchise is gunning for with its upcoming spin-off. Despite the title, Ballerina doesn’t revolve around ballet dancers or the craft itself; instead, it features a full-fledged ballerina-slash-assassin on the hunt for the people who murdered her family.

And just like the previous John Wick titles, this recurring theme of vengeance promises intense, brutal action, and main lead Ana de Armas has teased a glimpse of what’s to come. Speaking on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, she shared the difficulties faced while filming a fight scene alongside franchise star Keanu Reeves, which had left her “sore” and “bruised”.

“We’ve been in Prague filming for four months. We still have one more month to go. And I’m in pain. You know, my body, my back, everything hurts. I’m complaining, I’m sore, I’m bruised. Bond was fifteen minutes. This is a whole movie, another level,” the star said, referring to the epic fighting-and-shooting sequence she had to pull off in the latest James Bond film, No Time to Die.

“But the other day, Keanu and I were rehearsing our very difficult stunt scene, and this man is just rolling and throwing me and doing crazy stunts. And I’m like — I can’t complain anymore. Because he is doing it! He truly is the best.

Ballerina is set to be the fifth installment in the Wickverse and will reintroduce the character of Rooney, who first appears in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. The role was originally portrayed by ballet dancer Unity Phelan, but Armas is taking over the reins for this round. Joining her on the project are familiar faces in the form of Reeves, Ian McShane (Winston Scott), Anjelica Huston (“The Director”, and Lance Reddick (Charon). Cast in new undisclosed roles are Gabriel Byrne, Norman Reedus, and Catalina Sandino Moreno.

The movie is set between the timelines of Chapter 3 and the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 4, and will serve to expand the criminal underworld alongside TV show spin-off The Continental, which is being redeveloped into a three-part limited series. A firm release date for both entries has yet to be announced.

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.