Ana de Armas Leads the Charge in John Wick’s Ballerina

Only three weeks remain until From the World of John Wick: Ballerina crashes into theaters to lead John Wick franchise to a new height. The Ana de Armas–starring spin-off from the stylish crime saga is arriving on June 6, 2025, and just in time for summer blockbusters. In the latest trailer from Lionsgate, a fight, dance sequence is set that will no doubt leave fans screaming for more.

Ballerina is set during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the 2019 sequel that found Keanu Reeves’ titular hitman on the run from a $14 million bounty. After slaying notorious crime lord Santino D’Antonio (Pedro Pascal) in front of the Continental Hotel, John Wick was declared “excommunicado” by the High Table and forced to make a mad dash across New York City in search of allies. In an effort to clear his name, Wick then ventured to the Ruska Roma, the headquarters Tocriminal organization.

Helmed by a mysterious woman known as the Director (Anjelica Huston), the Ruska Roma was also home to a group of orphaned ballerina-assassins. The Director trained them in combat from a young age, honing their moves so that they could kill with elegance and a grace befitting their profession. A scene in Parabellum showed one of the young ballerinas (played by Unity Phelan) rehearsing a dance sequence on stage. That character was Eve Macarro, who is the protagonist of Ballerina.

Fans will be glad to know that several key players will be returning to this offshoot film. In addition to Huston as the Director, longtime John Wick actor Ian McShane is on board to reprise his role as Winston, the manager of the Continental Hotel. In a poignant note, the late Lance Reddick is set to make a final appearance as Charon, the hotel’s highly efficient concierge. Reddick died in March 2023 and left a big void in the hearts of many.

But this is Ana de Armas’ world now. Other actors rounding out the cast include Gabriel Byrne as the Chancellor, the main villain of the film; Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Nogi, Eve’s “handler” and mentor; and Norman Reedus as Daniel Pine. Catalina Sandino Moreno and David Castañeda are also part of the Ballerina ensemble, though their roles have yet to be revealed.

The Full Force of an Old Flame

In September 2024, Lionsgate shared the first trailer for Ballerina, which was a close-up look at Eve and her past. A flashback revealed that Eve was orphaned as a child and was “indoctrinated” by the Ruska Roma. The second clip, released in March 2025, took the trailers to the next level with the film’s first look at John Wick. The brief meeting between him and Eve had fans atwitter.

Filmed in a cold, snow-swept landscape, the high-stakes encounter showed the two share a cool ease of familiarity. The question of how they met was no doubt on every viewer’s mind, but it also promised that the two assassins would have plenty of screen time together. Fans will have to wait until June 6 to see how their relationship and shared history unfolds.

In this final look, John Wick is only a cameo in the larger story, though it unfolds one. He is seen in a private moment, preparing to take his shower. Eve steps into frame from behind him, with the camera switching to her perspective as she aims a gun at his head. From there, the trailer jumps into a mash-up of scenes from the film, with dance sequences and action cuts interspersed to create a dynamic glimpse at the movie.

Bold Moves from a Familiar Tune

De Armas’ work on the film is also on full display. She’s engaging and feisty, with an infectious smirk. In an Easter egg nod to a previous Wick film, one cut has her riding a horse while gunning down a group of enemies. For action sequences, de Armas gets to show off her chops in the franchise’s hallmark stylized ballet fighting. Scenes of her brandishing knives in near balletic movements and her balletic rolls abound.

The playfulness of these set pieces is briefly interrupted by a line in the final minutes. “This isn’t done until they’re dead,” Eve says matter-of-factly, cementing just how serious and dark the revenge plot of Ballerina will be.

Ballerina is, in many ways, different from the John Wick films that have come before. Audiences are being treated to a saga through a female assassin. The franchise’s style and signature choreography will remain, but the focal point is a woman who has been under the John Wick franchise’s radar this whole time.

If nothing else, however, fans can expect this June 6 release to give Keanu Reeves’ Wick a well-deserved rest while de Armas takes over the spotlight. In Ballerina, audiences will have a full dance card of emotional sequences and wide-scale action choreography that has been missing since 2019.