Vengeance has always been a driving force at the heart of the billion-dollar John Wick franchise — and in the Ana de Armas-led spinoff Ballerina, set for release in June 2025, the actress confidently steps into the shoes of a Wick-like killer out for revenge.
The first full trailer for Ballerina, released today, features de Armas as Rooney, a young Ruska Roma dancer whose kewpie doll face belies a stone-cold killer underneath the sweet-looking exterior. The stakes in the Wick movies are always fairly simple and straightforward — retired hitman goes on a rampage, for example, when his dog is murdered — and it’s no different here: Basically, Rooney sets out to avenge the murder of her family.
That makes for a simple and elegant narrative framing for the spinoff, which takes place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.
Expectations for Ballerina, I should add, are sky-high. Not only does the trailer reveal appearances in the movie by Keanu Reeves and Norman Reedus; we also get returning Wick players like Ian McShane, the rogue-ish manager of the Continental, as well as Lance Reddick, the Continental’s stalwart concierge. Furthermore, Ballerina follows on the heels of John Wick 4, which earned $40 million worldwide — the highest-grossing installment in the franchise. I dare you to check out the Ballerina trailer, below, and not hear Winston’s catchphrase in your head as you watch (“and away we go”).
