Ballerina Offers New Perspective on the John Wick Universe

Stunt Coordinator Stephen Dunlevy has elaborated on the distinctions between the action sequences in Ballerina and those in the John Wick franchise. 

Ballerina is the first spin-off of the John Wick franchise, which extends beyond the realms of the titular character. In Ballerina, we will follow the journey of a new character portrayed by Ana de Armas, who is undergoing training in the same ballet academy as John Wick.

During an interview with Screen Rant about John Wick: Chapter 4, Dunlevy provided a sneak peek into Ballerina’s unique action style. He explained that the characters in the movie play a significant role in shaping the fighting techniques. 

While Wick is a seasoned assassin, Armas’ character is still in her learning phase. So, stunt coordinators can’t use the same formula in both cases.

Read his comments below to learn more about Dunlevy’s thoughts.

You’re dealing with John Wick, with Keanu, that character. You’re dealing with a kind of grizzled, older combat veteran. He’s seen it all; done at all. So, he has a more refined style. Everything he does is [because] he’s survived it.

With Ana’s character in Ballerina, what you’re seeing is a younger, more rookie-ish assassin that’s coming through. She’s going to make mistakes, and she’s going to learn. Part of the amazing thing with those characters is the ability to adapt to the surroundings and to use weapons that are everyday objects and things like that.

What you’re going to see [is] her learning to adapt to her surroundings and her environments. And seeing, basically, where that training came from. John Wick has survived so long because of the foundation of training they’ve got, so you’re going to see her make mistakes and adapt and survive.

Stephen Dunlevy

The Ballerina will be the first film in the John Wick series to examine this universe from a fresh angle. 

Instead of following a character attempting to flee the world of assassins, viewers will witness the experience of a trainee, opening up uncharted territories within the John Wick realm. This will also help the viewers gain more perspective into John Wick’s backstory.

While the plot of Ballerina is also centered on vengeance, de Armas’ role entails seeking justice against those responsible for murdering her family.

Even though he is not the main character, John Wick will return alongside other characters like The Director. The latter suffered injuries from her involvement with John Wick in Parabellum.  

The spin-off presents an opportunity to delve deeper into John Wick’s background and explore how other characters perceive him in this world. Ana de Armas’ character may understandably have reservations about the infamous Baba Yaga due to his notoriety. 

However, she will surely draw inspiration from his unwavering determination to seek vengeance.

Although four John Wick movies have been released, there are still a plethora of unresolved queries concerning the protagonist and his world.

Ballerina has the potential to provide fresh perspectives on the origins of assassins in this universe, such as their training methods and the process of their recruitment. 

The action scenes and combat techniques employed by the characters will play a crucial role in highlighting their unique traits and the differences in their personalities.

About Ballerina

Ballerina is an upcoming American action thriller film directed by Len Wiseman, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Shay Hatten in collaboration with Emerald Fennell, from an original story by Hatten.

It is intended to be the fifth film and seventh installment overall of the John Wick franchise.

Starring Ana de Armas as Rooney, a ballerina-assassin previously portrayed by Unity Phelan in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), with Ian McShane and Keanu Reeves reprising their roles from previous films, filming began in November 2022, in Prague.