BALLERINA: A JOHN WICK Story – First Trailer (2024) Keanu Reeves, Ana de Armas | Lionsgate (HD)

Ana De Armas’ Ballerina shows tremendous promise in spearheading the successful expansion of the John Wick franchise, despite some seeing the failure of The Continental miniseries as an omen for future spinoffs. Being the first John Wick movie successor, Ballerina brings an electrifying new angle with its casting lineup, story clues, and more. Penned by John Wick 3 and 4’s screenwriter Shay Hatten, Ballerina first entered the spotlight when its lead appeared in the third film in 2019. Venturing further into the savage, yet sublime cinematic world, Ballerina cracks open the door for additional mayhem as another assassin grabs the reins.

Despite Ballerina’s potential, The Continental’s 2023 disaster looms large. The series marks the inaugural attempt at spinning off the John Wick IP, but growing the assassin’s on-screen realm has stumbled right out of the gates. Without Keanu Reeves reprising his iconic role and unable to match the acclaimed action sequences, the ending of The Continental disappointed critics. However, Ballerina has the ability to kickstart the trend. With Ana de Armas in the lead, all signs point to the film avoiding The Continental’s pitfalls. Backed by the John Wick creative team, Ballerina may just usher in a new era of successful expansions even after its predecessor’s catastrophic failure.