September 27, 2024 | 4:42pm
MANILA, Philippines — Oscar-nominated actress Ana de Armas enters the assassin underworld in “Ballerina,” a spin-off movie in the “John Wick” franchise headlined by Keanu Reeves.
A trailer released by Lionsgate begins with a bloodied young girl named Eve holding a ballerina figure encased in glass who is approached by Continental Hotel owner Winston Scott, played by Ian McShane.
Winston offers to take Eve to a dance school, and the teaser cuts to an older Eve, played by de Armas, staring at the encased ballerina.
Eve is training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma or the Russian Gypsies, which John Wick was previously a member of as shown in “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.” Even Winston was supposedly trained by the Russian Gypsies as teased in “John Wick: Chapter 4.”
“Ballerina” takes place between the two films, as seen in a quick scene where Eve spots John being escorted by “The Director,” played by Oscar winner Anjelica Huston.
“To stop the assassin, you must become the assassin. You will always be weaker, you will always be smaller,” says Sharon Duncan-Brewster’s fight instructor Nogi over Eve’s training scenes. “You want to win? Improvise. Adapt. Cheat.”
WATCH: Ana de Armas in ‘John Wick’ spin-off assassin movie
The trailer also shows Eve arriving at the Continental Hotel and greeted by the late Lance Reddick’s Charon, to the surprised amusement of Winston.
A slowed down version of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” plays in the background as Eve embarks on a mission to avenge her family. She also encounters Norman Reedus’ Pine and Gabriel Byrne’s The Chancellor over hyper action scenes in typical “John Wick” fashion.
One intense scene sees Eve wielding a water hose to combat a flamethrower, and the trailer ends with Eve speaking to John himself.
“You’re him, the one they call the Baba Yaga… How do I start doing what you do?” Eve asks.
John replies before the title card is flashed, “Looks like you already have.”
Len Wiseman directs the film, which was initially shot in 2022, but was delayed for nearly three years. Producer and “John Wick” director Chad Stahelski helped enhance the action on a script by franchise screenwriter Shay Hatten.
“From the World of John Wick: Ballerina” will hit theaters in June 2025 as a summer blockbuster. — Video from Lionsgate Movies’ YouTube channel
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