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Get Ready for Ballerina: Ana de Armas Kicks, Twirls, and Kills Her Way Through the John Wick Universe
Holy smokes, action fans! Forget everything you know about ballet—Ana de Armas is about to redefine it with bullets and bloodshed in Ballerina, the John Wick spin-off landing in theaters June 6, 2025. Have you seen that final trailer yet? I've watched it about five times already, and I'm still picking my jaw up off the floor. It's got everything: stunning fight sequences, genuine emotional depth, and yes, enough Keanu Reeves to keep us all happy.
Directed by Len Wiseman (you know, the guy behind those stylish Underworld movies), the film follows Eve Macarro, played by de Armas. She's a deadly assassin with ties to the Ruska Roma—the same mysterious organization that molded John Wick into the boogeyman we know and love. After her family gets murdered (because what's a revenge thriller without a tragic backstory?), Eve goes on what can only be described as a kill-crazy rampage that somehow crosses paths with Wick's ongoing war against the High Table. Classic.
A Deadly Dance
Look, I've seen a lot of action sequences in my day, but what de Armas is doing here is something else entirely. Word has it she trained for six grueling months—ballet in the morning, martial arts at noon, weapons handling in the afternoon. And it shows! There's this one scene in the trailer where she literally pirouettes into a throat punch that made me wince and cheer at the same time.
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Weaponized Ballet: Remember Black Widow's fighting style? This makes that look like a kindergarten recital. De Armas isn't just doing ballet-inspired moves—she's turning actual dance techniques into methods of murder.
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Continental Connections: Yes, Keanu shows up! And not just for a quick cameo, from the looks of it. Wick seems to be something of a reluctant mentor figure here, which I'm 100% here for.
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Emotional Stakes: There's this moment in the trailer where Eve breaks down while cleaning blood off her hands that gave me chills. This isn't just mindless action—there's some real trauma being processed through violence here.
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Global Backdrops: I counted at least four distinct international locations in the trailer alone. That Tokyo sequence with the neon-lit rooftop fight? Chef's kiss. And don't get me started on that cathedral shootout—gorgeous and sacrilegious in the best way possible.
The supporting cast reads like a Hollywood dream team. Anjelica Huston brings her gravitas, Gabriel Byrne oozes menace, and—in what brings a lump to my throat—we get one final appearance from the late Lance Reddick as Charon. And wait, is that Norman Reedus lurking in the shadows? The Walking Dead fans are going to flip!
| Character | Actor | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Eve Macarro | Ana de Armas | Protagonist, assassin |
| John Wick | Keanu Reeves | Mentor figure |
| Winston | Ian McShane | Owner of the Continental Hotel |
| Charon | Lance Reddick | Continental concierge |
More Than a Spin-off
Let's be honest—we've all been burned by cash-grab spin-offs before (I'm looking at you, Hobbs & Shaw). But Ballerina seems different. It's not just slapping the John Wick brand on a generic action flick; it's thoughtfully expanding this weird, wonderful world we've grown to love.
I'm particularly impressed by how they're handling the balance. Remember how Rogue One managed to feel both connected to and independent from the main Star Wars saga? That's the vibe I'm getting here. Wiseman is doing the heavy lifting as director, but having John Wick co-director Chad Stahelski involved in the reshoots is a stroke of genius—keeping that signature style consistent while allowing for new blood.
A New Era for Female-Led Action?
Could Ballerina do for female-led action what the original John Wick did for action cinema as a whole? I'm cautiously optimistic. What struck me most about the trailer is how Eve isn't just "Female John Wick." She's got her own distinct style and motivations.
And can we talk about that fight style? It's not the typical "small woman uses speed and agility against big men" trope we've seen a million times. There's a brutal efficiency to it that feels fresh, with the ballet elements adding visual flair without sacrificing believability. In a post-Atomic Blonde world, that's no small feat.
Conclusion
I don't know about you, but June 6, 2025, can't come fast enough for me. Ballerina looks like it might be that rare spin-off that honors its source material while carving out its own identity. Ana de Armas has already proven her action chops in No Time to Die, but this looks like it could be her John Wick moment—the role that cements her as an action icon.
Between the stunning choreography, the emotional depth, and the expansion of the John Wick lore, I'm all in. Who's joining me opening weekend? I'll be the one in the front row, wincing at every bone-crunching ballet move while silently calculating how many years of training I'd need to pull off even one of those stunts. (Answer: more years than I have left on this earth, probably.)
