Ballerina (2025 film)

Did You Know?

• Marco Beltrami and Anna Drubich were initially hired as composers in April 2023 but were replaced by Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard in September 2024.
• The first trailer was released on September 26, 2024.
• Producer Erica Lee stated in March 2023 that the studio has plans to develop a sequel with de Armas returning as Eve.

Plot

Eve Macarro was born to Javier, an assassin for the Ruska Roma crime syndicate, and his wife, a member of a mysterious Cult. When Javier took Eve away from the Cult as a child, her mother was killed. The Cult, led by its Chancellor, raided their home to reclaim Eve; Javier died ensuring her escape. Winston Scott, the manager of the New York Continental, then brought Eve to the Ruska Roma—a society of assassins disguised as ballet dancers.

There, Eve met their Director and agreed to join their ranks. For the next twelve years, she trained as a ballerina, killer, and protector. During a visit from John Wick, he suggested a way out of this life. Eve completed her training by executing a former Ruska Roma member, earning the title of Kikimora.

Her first mission was a success: she guarded a client named Katla Park. Two months later, while on another job, Eve killed a Cultist marked like the ones who murdered her father. She asked the Director about the Cult but was told to drop it due to an old truce between the Cult and the Ruska Roma. Defying the Director, Eve went to Winston at the New York Continental.

He explained that the Cult was more savage than other crime groups, killing for sport, not just profit. He told her that a Cultist named Daniel Pine was hiding at the Prague Continental with a large bounty on his head. Eve went there and found Pine protecting his daughter, Ella, from the Cult. Another Cultist, Lena, raised the bounty, drawing many assassins to Pine’s room.

Pine gave Ella to Eve, promising future information about the Cult. As they tried to leave, Cultist Dex shot Pine, and Lena knocked Eve unconscious, kidnapping Ella.

Cast

Ana de Armas stars as Eve Macarro, a ballerina training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma. According to co-star Ian McShane, the character is under the protection of Winston and Charon at the New York Continental Hotel during the film. Victoria Comte portrays young Eve. Anjelica Huston plays the Director, leader of the Ruska Roma.

Gabriel Byrne appears as the Chancellor, leader of a dangerous cult of assassins based in Hallstatt. Lance Reddick reprises his role as Charon, the concierge at the New York Continental; this was his final screen appearance, released posthumously two years after his death in March 2023. Norman Reedus plays Daniel Pine, an assassin and the Chancellor's son escaping the Cult. Catalina Sandino Moreno portrays Lena, an assassin working for the Chancellor and Eve's long-lost older sister.

Anne Parillaud appears as the Prague Concierge in a cameo cut from the theatrical release. Ian McShane returns as Winston Scott, owner of the New York Continental Hotel. Keanu Reeves reprises his role as John Wick, a legendary assassin on the run from the High Table. Sharon Duncan-Brewster appears as Nogi, Eve's mentor.

Robert Maaser plays Dex, the Chancellor's right-hand man. Jung Doo-hong appears as Il Seong, who attempts to capture Katla. Waris Ahluwalia plays the Eye, a cultist overseeing the town. David Castañeda portrays Javier Macarro, Eve and Lena's father.

Abraham Popoola stars as Frank, a high-end arms dealer based in Prague. Ava McCarthy plays Ella Pine, the Chancellor's granddaughter. Juliet Doherty portrays Tatiana, a former trainee of the Ruska Roma. Daniel Bernhardt plays the Scarred Eye Assassin. Rila Fukushima makes an uncredited cameo as Petra, Eve's final test.

Production

Shay Hatten wrote a spec script about a ballerina-assassin after seeing the trailer for John Wick: Chapter 2. Lionsgate bought it in July 2017 and had Hatten rework it to fit the John Wick universe. Thunder Road produced the film, and some of its ideas appeared in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, which includes a ballerina character. Hatten’s script made the 2017 Black List of top unproduced screenplays.

Len Wiseman came on as director in October 2019 after pitching his vision to producer Chad Stahelski, who Wiseman had directed as a stunt performer in Live Free or Die Hard. In May 2020, Lionsgate began looking for a lead actress, using Chloë Grace Moretz as a benchmark. Stahelski said his 87Eleven stunt team would collaborate closely with Wiseman on the action. Ana de Armas entered talks for the title role by October 2021, and Lionsgate officially announced the film at CinemaCon in April 2022.

At de Armas’s request, Emerald Fennell was brought in to revise the script by July 2022. Filming started November 7, 2022, in Prague. Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, and Gabriel Byrne joined the cast in December. The movie was in post-production by February 2023.

Reception

Ballerina grossed $58.1 million in the United States and Canada and $82.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $140.2 million. In its opening weekend, it was projected to gross $28–30 million from 3,409 theaters. It made $10.5 million on its first day, including $3.75 million from Thursday previews, and debuted to $24.5 million, finishing in second behind Lilo & Stitch. In its second weekend, the film made $9.4 million, falling to fifth place.

Ballerina received generally positive critical response. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of 'A–', while those surveyed by PostTrak gave it an 87% positive score, with 79% saying they would definitely recommend it. Alison Willmore of Vulture wrote that while the film does not start off as a real John Wick movie, it ends as one. Clint Gage of IGN noted that it takes time to find confident footing but becomes one funny, bloody and creative fight scene after another.

Justin Clark of Slant Magazine criticized the film for lacking a mythology of its own or substantive ties into the John Wick chronology.