(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Donnie Yen in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Preview:
Donnie Yen is due to start production on his untitled ‘John Wick’ spin-off.
Cameras should be rolling in April.
‘The Batman’s Mattson Tomlin wrote the latest draft of the script.
Announced at Lionsgate’s event during last year’s CinemaCon event, the yet-to-be-titled ‘John Wick’ spin-off based around the blind assassin Caine, as played by action legend Donnie Yen is now moving towards production.
With Yen directing as well as starring, the movie is scheduled to start shooting next month.
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Per Deadline, the movie will also feature ‘Wick’ fan-favorite, Rina Sawayama, who plays Akira. More details will be coming soon.
What’s the story of the ‘John Wick’ Caine spin-off?
Donnie Yen as Caine in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
With ‘The Batman’s Mattson Tomlin writing the most recent draft of the script, the movie will follow Caine’s story as the hitman is now freed from his obligations to The High Table.
‘John Wick’ Caine spin-off: Donnie Yen talks
Donnie Yen in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Here’s Yen’s statement on the new movie:
“What drew me to Caine is the contradiction. He carries love, responsibility, and sacrifice in a world built on consequence. That creates a very different kind of action hero. This film is an opportunity to push the genre forward. My goal is to create the most definitive martial arts-infused action film ever made, one that honors what audiences love about ‘John Wick’ while bringing a new emotional depth and visual language to the story. As both director and actor, I’m excited to shape this chapter in a way that reflects everything I’ve learned over decades in action cinema, while building something that feels entirely new.”
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘John Wick’ Franchise:
Scott Adkins as “Kris Chaney” in the action film ‘DIablo’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Scott Adkins about his work on ‘Diablo’, creating the story with Marko Zaror, his role as a producer on the project, the short shooting schedule, his character, working with actress Alana De La Rossa, executing the action sequences, what he learned from working on ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, why he’s happy the Oscars will soon offer a stunt award, and what it was like working with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on next year’s ‘The RIP’.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video above to watch our interview.
Scott Adkins as “Kris Chaney” in the action film ‘DIablo’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about how this project came together and your roles as an actor, co-writer and producer on the film?
Scott Adkins: I was working on ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ with Marko Zaror. We spent a lot of time together because we’re good friends anyway and we started talking about a potential movie that we could star in together. We came up with this idea and then we got Ernesto (Díaz Espinoza) involved, who’s the director, and he does a lot of films with Marko in Chile. So, the three of us came up with a story and then we brought in Matt Samson and developed the story some more and got him to write it. My manager, Craig Baumgarten, also produces movies. So, we took it to him. He took it to some people like Clay Epstein, and we found a place to shoot it in Colombia because we wanted it to be in South America. Originally, we were thinking Chile. So, we ended up in Colombia shooting it with a great production team. We got a lot of support and had a fantastic stunt team behind us that really wanted to work with me and Marko because they’re not used to doing as much fight-based stuff. But we got some great stunts in there like car hits and high falls and all the rest of it. They were fantastic. We ended up with an amazing actress, Alana (De La Rossa), who’s Colombian, and she’s the heart of the movie. It’s a great cast. We didn’t have a lot of time to shoot it, but we’re very happy with the result.
MF: Is being a producer on projects you appear in something you want to pursue moving forward?
SA: Honestly, it’s a massive headache that I could do without. I’m a creative producer. I like to create my projects. But when it comes to dealing with the banks, the finance and the day in day out of dealing with all of that … Ignorance is bliss. I’d rather not know what’s going on behind the scenes because sometimes it’s stressful. So really, I’m a creative producer. But it’s nice to be in a position where if there is a problem and something needs to be addressed, I can pull the producer card out and go, “Hang on a second.”
Scott Adkins as “Kris Chaney” in the action film ‘DIablo’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.
MF: How would you describe your character Kris Chaney, and did he change from development to production?
SA: Well, honestly, as simple as it sounds, me and Marko were just riffing on an idea of ‘No Country for Old Men’ and how we could do our version, where I’m like Josh Brolin and he’s Javier Bardem. You can see that now. You see the movie and you’d understand where I’m coming from. We just wanted a chase movie where I’m pursuing him, he’s pursuing me, and what is it? Is it a bag of money? We ended up coming up with the idea for it to be the girl, and everything came from there. As far as my character goes, he is a bit of a blank page, and you learn about my character through the eyes of Elisa. The audience learns about me the way that the story goes, as she does. So, the film’s very much from her perspective. That’s where we went with it. I think the film’s got a lot of heart and really, we were very lucky to get Alana to play the part. Without her being such an amazing actress, it would not be what it is.
MF: Did you have time to rehearse with actress Alana De La Rossa or did you have to dive right in due to a short production schedule?
SA: Well, this is it. She doesn’t know me, so we didn’t need a bond. But we did get some rehearsal time and she quickly proved that she was the best actor in the room. So, I was like, “Okay. Just do that.” But there’s not a lot of backstories because to do that, the way the story is, it would be too expositional. We just got to talk about it and it’s just a lot of talking. It’s more about who these characters are and how they relate to one another on the journey that they’re on. We discussed having some flashbacks to flesh out the backstory, but we just felt it didn’t need it. These characters, that’s who they are. This is the situation they’re in, and this is the journey they’re going on.
(L to R) Alanna De La Rossa as “Elisa” and Scott Adkins as “Kris Chaney” in the action film ‘Diablo’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.
MF: Does having a compressed shooting schedule give you a feeling of urgency on the set, and does that translate onto the screen in the action sequences?
SA: You can’t second-guess yourself. If you decide something, you’ve got to go with it because there’s no time to do anything different. You’ve got to hopefully turn up with a tight script that’s ready to shoot if you start making a lot of changes. You always do, but you don’t want to make too many. As far as the action goes, it must be structured. There’s no room for rehearsal, there’s no room for improvisation. Marko designed the action, and it’s pre-vised in a gym. It’s pre-vised in a gym when we’ve got time and we’re not spending as much money to do it. Then we get to the location and then time is money. So, you’ve just got to shoot those pieces, and you want to stick to the structure of what that is, really.
MF: Can you talk about coordinating and shooting the action sequences with Marko Zaror?
SA: We wanted it to be gritty and realistic, to a degree. We want to put a bit of flash in there sometimes, but we didn’t want people flying around on wires or doing somersaults because it would take away from the tone of the movie. It’s important to know what the tone of the film is and stick to it with the action. So, the camera work fits in with that. It’s got a high shutter frame rate and gives it that gritty ‘Saving Private Ryan’ feel. It’s important to us to just let the camera show the action and not just turn into an edited mess. We’re quite good at that. We know what we’re doing. The one thing we don’t have and that we need is time, especially with the action sequences, because it just takes time to get the various angles. You can always do better, but it’s knowing on a budget like this, that, “Okay, that’s the best we’re going to get. Can we live with it? Okay, let’s move on.” Because we want quality action, but we also want a lot of it. When you’ve only got 22 days to shoot the movie, you can’t have everything the way you want it. But me and Marko are obviously very used to doing that sort of stuff.
(L to R) Scott Adkins as “Kris Chaney” and Marko Zaror as “El Corvo” in the action film ‘Diablo’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.
MF: Can you talk about how action sequences and fight scenes have changed since the ‘John Wick’ series, and having worked on that franchise yourself, do you feel pressure to enhance the action and fight scenes that you are involved with?
SA: Yeah, it’s got better and better. Hollywood’s got better at making actors without martial arts experience look like they have martial arts experience. So, you can’t get away with just being a badass and not really being able to act anymore because that can make Brad Pitt look like a badass these days. Fight-wise, it’s hard not to copy people. When somebody comes along like Gareth Evans and creates a new style, you want to lean into that, ‘John Wick’ comes along with that style, and you want to lean in. It is hard to reinvent the wheel, but sometimes guys do it. Then when it does happen, it’s hard not to copy them because anything less looks dated. I’m really impressed when people find a new style, which I can’t say that I’ve come across yet. It’d be interesting to see what the new style is, whatever that will be.
MF: As someone who works closely with the stunt team, how do you feel about the recent news that the Academy Awards are introducing a stunt category in the future?
SA: It’s about damn time. These guys put their lives on the line. Obviously, they try to be as safe as possible. But nobody ever died sewing a costume as far as I’m aware. So, I think it’s high time that it happened. I’ll be interested to see how they structure it, because there’s so many different facets of stunt work. I think maybe that’s why it hasn’t happened for a bit. But yeah, I’m looking forward to it and these guys, they deserve it.
MF: Finally, you also have ‘The RIP’ coming out next year with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. What was it like working with them and making that movie?
SA: Wow, what a thrill. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, incredible actors. Extremely smart guys. I played Ben’s brother in the movie. Joe Carnahan‘s the director. He wrote an incredible script. I don’t want to say too much about it, but it’s just a thrill to be working with the caliber of talent that I was able to work with. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Editorial Note: Don Kaye conducted this interview and contributed to this article.
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What is the plot of ‘Diablo’?
After his release from prison, one man makes it his mission to right a terrible wrong by revealing a secret that could end his life. Scott Adkins stars as Kris Chaney, a warrior who seizes the daughter of a Colombian gangster to fulfill a noble promise to the young girl’s mother. When her father enlists both the criminal underworld and the terrifying psychotic killer El Corvo (Marko Zaror) to exact his revenge, Kris will need to draw upon everything he has ever learned — in and out of lockup — to stay alive and keep his word.
(L to R) Ana de Armas as Eve and Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
The ‘John Wick‘ franchise has become one of the most popular action franchises of all time!
Starring Keanu Reeves, ‘John Wick’ and its three sequels have made more than $1 billion at the box office and has spawned a TV series, a documentary, and a new spinoff called ‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina‘, which stars Ana de Armas, as well as Reeves reprising his iconic role.
In honor of the new movie, which opens in theaters on June 6th, Moviefone is counting down every ‘John Wick’ movie and TV show ever made, from non-lethal to most deadly.
Ana de Armas as Eve in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Larry D. Horricks.
Taking place during the events of ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’, the film follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.
(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Super-assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn.
Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’. Photo: Lionsgate.
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is forced out of retirement by a former associate looking to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to aid him, Wick travels to Rome and does battle against some of the world’s most dangerous killers.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.
Ana de Armas as Eve in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Larry D. Horricks.
‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina’ has shades of what made the previous ‘John Wick’ films great, especially in the second half, but suffers from a boring first half and tonal issues throughout. The first half meanders through exposition and trying too hard to fit into the ‘John Wick’ universe, while the second half succeeds in delivering the type of action sequences we expect from the franchise. Director Len Wiseman fails to inject the first half of the film with any urgency, and instead relies on the second half’s action sequences to sell the movie.
Not surprisingly, Ana de Armas shines in the action sequences, but her character’s backstory is muddled by the slow tone of the first half. We also are meant to follow her as she learns to become an assassin, but this becomes tedious as we want our hero in a ‘John Wick’ movie to be kicking butt and not getting her own butt kicked. The returning ‘Wick’ actors are all welcomed but not given much to do, except for Keanu Reeves in the second half, but even his character seems wasted in a way and brings into question how this movie fits into the larger ‘John Wick’ franchise timeline.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Ana de Armas as Eve and Director Len Wiseman in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Larry D. Horricks.
The film begins with a flashback revealing how a young Eve Macarro (Victoria Comte) watched as the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne), a member of the High Table, murdered her father before she escaped, and was taken to the Director (Huston) by Winston Scott (McShane). Through an opening credits montage, we learn that Eve was trained by the Ruska Roma crime syndicate as both a ballet dancer and an assassin.
The story then picks up at the beginning of ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’, with de Armas now portraying Eve, as she watches the notorious John Wick (Reeves), a former member, now on the run, seek refuge from the Director. After a brief encounter between the two, Wick leaves and the story then jumps ahead several months. Eve is now working as an assassin but struggles with her first assignment. She soon discovers that her target has the same mark on his hand as the man who killed her father.
Looking for revenge, and against the orders of the Director, Eve searches to find Daniel Pine (Reedus), who is trying to protect his own daughter and is also being hunted by the group that killed Eve’s father. Eventually she discovers that the Chancellor is behind her father’s death, and she travels to the remote town of assassins that the Chancellor leads. However, to protect an alliance the Director has with the Chancellor, she hires John Wick to stop Eve from killing him, even if that means John must kill her himself.
Ana de Armas as Eve in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Larry D. Horricks.
I consider Len Wiseman a serviceable director having made decent films like the ‘Underworld’ franchise and ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, but he is by no means a great director, and hardly my first choice to take over the franchise from Chad Stahelski, who’s brilliant work with the action sequences set the tone for the entire franchise. Wiseman was clearly out of his depths working on a ‘John Wick’ spinoff, and the pacing, tone, and the uninspiring action sequences in the first half of the movie prove it.
But the second half of the film does deliver the fast-paced tone and vibrant action of the previous films, so how did that happen? Well, if rumors are true, Wiseman was replaced during production by producer and ‘John Wick’ director Chad Stahelski, who re-shot most of the movie, particularly the second half’s action sequences and the scenes with Reeves. If this is true, it would explain why the movie feels like two different films. It’s not as bad of a “Frankenstein assembled movie” as say, ‘Justice League’, but it is still quite glaring and I’m not sure why the studio didn’t just hire Stahelski in the first place?
While the tone and pacing are all over the place, and the story itself contradicts the timeline established in the previous movies, if Stahelski did reshoot half the film, it was well worth it and saved the movie from being a complete disaster to a decent action film that gets exceedingly better in the second half.
Cast and Performances
Ana de Armas as Eve in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Murray Close.
Taking over for real life ballerina Unity Phelan, who played Eve in a cameo in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’, Ana de Armas brings a lot to the role. She is captivating on screen and brings true emotion to her character but is also fantastic in the action sequences. However, the poor pacing and confusing tone of the first half of the film does the actress no favors.
The concept of a ‘Ballerina’ movie, so I thought, was to establish a “Female John Wick” in this cinematic universe, but the first half of the film feels more like “Female John Wick Begins”, with the character still finding her way as an assassin. That might have worked in any other film, but this is a ‘John Wick’ movie, and if Eve is going to go up against “Baba Yaga” himself, I would have wanted the character to be a match in experience and fighting skills to Wick.
Once she does face off with Wick towards the film’s finale, she is able to go toe to toe with him, but that doesn’t exactly align with the character that was established earlier in the movie. But regardless, de Armas is a very strong actress, and despite the film’s shortcomings, carries the movie well, especially in the later action sequences. The character is a great addition to the franchise but will perhaps be better used in a supporting role in a possible ‘John Wick: Chapter 5’, rather than in her own series.
(L to R) Ana de Armas as Eve and Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
It’s always great to see Keanu Reeves playing this character, but except for a cameo appearance in the beginning, he is not given much to do until the end. While the inclusion of his character was meant to bridge the gap between this film and the original series, it does take the audience’s attention away from Eve, and this really should be her story.
Reeves inclusion at the end also feels like a desperate move to link the films, and the timeline of how this happens might be confusing for some. My guess is that the end of ‘Ballerina’ takes place between the end of ‘Parabellum’ and the beginning of ‘Chapter 4’, but it’s hard to really know. Having previously worked together on ‘Knock Knock’ and ‘Exposed’, Reeves and de Armas do have strong chemistry together, which shows in their scenes.
As for the rest of the returning ‘Wick’ characters, none of them are given much to do. Anjelica Huston is good as the Director, but after the beginning of the movie, is relegated to “phone acting” in most of her subsequent scenes and the history of the character is never really explored.
(L to R) Ian McShane as Winston Scott and Ana de Armas as Eve in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
The same could be said for Ian McShane’s Winston Scott, who is de-aged for his opening scene with a young Eve, and then not really revisited till the end of the movie. I would have liked the film to explore his connection to Eve more and have that play a bigger role in the story. But it was a treat to see the late great Lance Reddick return one more time as Winston’s right hand man Charon, even if his role is a glorified cameo.
Gabriel Byrne’s Chancellor fits well into the seedy world of ‘John Wick’ and is a strong advisory to Eve. The actor walks the thin line between generic bad guy and a real emotional and physical threat and does his best to overcome the script’s shortcomings. ‘The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus is also a good addition to the franchise, but his role was cut short, and I really would have liked it if the film had explored his character, relationship to his daughter, and encounter with Eve more. As it is, Reedus only has one scene but does the best he can with it.
Final Thoughts
Ana de Armas as Eve in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Murray Close.
In short, ‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina’ was not as bad as I feared, but not as good as I had hoped. While the first half is slow and does not feel like a ‘John Wick’ movie, the second half is more of what I expected, and is worth watching. But despite some great action sequences and strong performances from both de Armas and Reeves, the movie fails to truly resonate for ‘Wick’ fans and non-fans alike.
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What is the plot of ‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina’?
Taking place between the events of ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ and ‘Chapter 4’, Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), a ballerina-assassin, begins to train in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma and sets out to exact revenge for her father’s death.
Who is in the cast of ‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina’?
Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro
Anjelica Huston as the Director
Gabriel Byrne as the Chancellor
Ian McShane as Winston Scott
Lance Reddick as Charon
Norman Reedus as Daniel Pine
Keanu Reeves as John Wick
(L to R) Lance Reddick as Charon, Ian McShane as Winston Scott and Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Larry D. Horricks.
List of Movies and TV Shows in the ‘John Wick’ Franchise:
Ana de Armas stars in ‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ana de Armas about her work on ‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina’, what ‘John Wick’ fans can expect from the movie, shooting the action sequences, reuniting on screen with Keanu Reeves, and joining the iconic franchise.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with de Armas, Ian McShane, Norman Reedus, and director Len Wiseman.
Ana de Armas as Eve in ‘Ballerina’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Moviefone: To begin with, what would you say to ‘John Wick’ fans sitting down right now to watch this movie in a theater to prepare them for the action-packed experience they are about to have?
Ana de Armas: Just get a lot of popcorn and get ready for a wild ride. I mean, if they like the ‘John Wick’ (movies), this is right down their alley. It’s a perfect addition and extension of the franchise and I think they’re going to be really surprised and they’re going to have a blast.
Ana de Armas as Eve in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Larry D. Horricks.
MF: Can you talk about preparing physically for the action sequences and working with the incredible stunt team at 87eleven Productions?
ADA: It was wonderful. I enjoyed every second of it. I also was in a lot of pain at times, but it was part of the process, and it just transformed me. It pushed me to my limits, it changed my body, it changed my endurance, my discipline, and the way I just approached my everyday life during filming. It was just great to feel like you’re getting good at something, like you’re learning new stuff. I love that, learning new skills and that you’re capable of doing these things. It was fun.
(L to R) Ana de Armas as Eve and Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
MF: What was it like reuniting with actor Keanu Reeves on screen after making ‘Knock Knock’ and ‘Exposed’, and having his blessing for joining the franchise?
ADA: It was great. It was special. Ten years after we met, we’re here working together again. ‘John Wick’ and the franchise is what it is because of him and what he’s done. I have so much respect for him as an actor and the work they’ve done with the movies. Just to have him on set on my film now supporting me and like you said, giving his blessing to this extension of the franchise, it was a dream come true. Have him walking, wearing the John Wick suit again and in such a cool scene between the two characters, was just amazing.
(L to R) Lance Reddick as Charon, Ian McShane as Winston Scott and Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Larry D. Horricks.
MF: Finally, you are now officially a member of the ‘John Wick’ cinematic universe. What does it mean to you personally to join this franchise and be part of its legacy?
ADA: It’s amazing. It’s something I never thought was going to come my way and it just means a lot. I love just being a part of it. Whatever happens with ‘Ballerina’, whatever we go from now, I just know that I am a part of something special.
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What is the plot of ‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina’?
Taking place between the events of ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ and ‘Chapter 4’, Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), a ballerina-assassin, begins to train in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma and sets out to exact revenge for her father’s death.
Who is in the cast of ‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina’?
Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro
Anjelica Huston as the Director
Gabriel Byrne as the Chancellor
Ian McShane as Winston Scott
Lance Reddick as Charon
Norman Reedus as Daniel Pine
Keanu Reeves as John Wick
Ana de Armas as Eve in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Larry D. Horricks.
List of Movies and TV Shows in the ‘John Wick’ Franchise:
(L to R) Josh Oreck and Chad Stahelski attend ‘Wick Is Pain’ Screening At Beyond Fest at Aero Theatre on May 08, 2025 in Santa Monica, California. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with ‘John Wick’ franchise director Chad Stahelski and ‘Wick Is Pain’ producer Josh Oreck about their work on the new documentary, revisiting the origins of the franchise and Stahelski’s career, utilizing existing behind-the-scenes footage from all four films, Stahelski’s long friendship with Keanu Reeves, how the ‘John Wick’ fighting style changed the industry, making a painfully truthful documentary, and the legacy of the popular franchise.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski attend ‘Wick Is Pain’ Screening At Beyond Fest at Aero Theatre on May 08, 2025 in Santa Monica, California. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
Moviefone: To begin with, Chad, I was surprised to learn from the documentary that you had a really hard time making the first ‘John Wick’. Was it difficult for you to revisit those moments for this documentary?
Chad Stahelski: I think the first time Josh showed me all the footage again, but you have a very different experience when you’re watching it alone. When you watch it alone, it makes your palms sweat and it makes you have a psychosomatic response of, “Boy, I made a lot of mistakes.” But watching it with a few people that were there, like Josh, we all watched it together and it’s okay, it’s kind of comedy. You just watch and realize many mistakes, and it brings back all the good nostalgia. It’s always like anything, right? After college, you don’t remember all the stressful tests and all the things. You remember the good times and it’s like that. Now that it’s over and we were somewhat successful, there’s no stress, so it’s very fun to watch. At the time, no, it was not very enjoyable to live through.
(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski on the set of ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo: Niko Tavernise for Lionsgate.
MF: Was it cathartic in a way to revisit that time in your life now after all the success you’ve had with the franchise?
CS: In a way, a little bit cathartic. Success builds confidence a little bit, right? So, the only thing I really had, and my parents were like this, my brothers, we have a strong sense of that gut instinct of, “Hey, if I really believe in this, good.” If you have an argument with someone, you can sleep at night, you are in the right. If you had an argument with someone and you couldn’t sleep at night, you were probably in the wrong. You learn to trust your gut a little bit. As a competitor and as a performer, I always kind of trusted my gut more than anything. So, when you’re dealing with all these creative talks and you’re pitching, “Well, we’re going to kill a puppy and we’re going to make it like Odysseus. It’s going to be a Greek mythology, and we’re going to have him fight a female assassin, and then he’s going to go ride a horse and kill 1,000 people.” There’s a lot of people that are going to tell you that may not be the best way to take your career. “Those aren’t the best ideas, those are silly, those are stupid, that isn’t going to work. People aren’t going to watch it. That’s too much, that’s not enough.” Even people on your team are telling you twenty different directions, and it’s so easy to get lost in a creative process that’s as much collaborative as it is making a film. If I was a painter, I would paint what I see in my head. My brush stroke controls it. In a movie, I must go through a minimal of 200 to 300 people to make even the most basic of decisions. To get a movie greenlit, make the movie, do the stunts, get it finished and sell it, it’s 1,000 people, to be generous, right? Now, each one of those has their own version of the movie in their head, and each one of those is going to tell you, some have influenced, some don’t. So, how do you know? That’s where the phrase ‘Death by a thousand cuts” comes in. If I do a little of what you think and a little of what he thinks and a little of what they think and a little of this, I start to lose what I think. So, what I’m saying is, I’ve kind of always followed my instinct on ‘John Wick’. A thousand people are telling me what I should do, do I think about it? Yeah, you should think about it. But then again, the decision’s still mine. You must know when to say, “I’m doing it this way.” Or “Maybe I should try this.” Look, it’s cathartic in the way that I’ve learned to process. I’ve learned to try everything, listen to everybody, but make the decision based on what I feel. Looking back over ten years and four films, there’s two or three things in each movie I regret, and I now know, thanks to Josh and his documentary, those are the three or four things where I listened to somebody else. I’ve learned that all the moments when people cheer, cry and yell, it’s because they felt good. So, if nothing else, I’ve learned. If anything, I’ve gained confidence to trust my gut.
Josh Oreck attends ‘Wick Is Pain’ Screening At Beyond Fest at Aero Theatre on May 08, 2025 in Santa Monica, California. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
MF: Josh, having access to the behind-the-scenes footage from all four ‘John Wick’ movies, did you sort of use that as a blueprint for making this documentary?
Josh Oreck: Part of it was having this enormous trove of footage. Another part of it is just having had known Chad and Keanu since before that, since their ‘Matrix’ days where they had a different relationship that evolved into what we see in this documentary. Knowing that there was a bigger story to be told than what we had already done with the footage in the DVD extras and in the press materials for the movies. So, just knowing that there was both a more complicated backstory, for lack of a better term. Then also just stuff in our footage that we didn’t need to talk about, like the struggle to get financing, when the movie came out. We just needed to sell the movie and get people’s butts in seats. So, being able to come back to it and say there was so much of this journey that hadn’t been put to the screen was a good guiding factor there. Then, on top of it all, just there was so much good stuff that we wanted to still show. Finally, to be able to get Chad and Keanu to come in and having them be able to come back in and give some perspective to things was a really nice way of being able to relive ten years in an unusual fashion.
Chad Stahelski attends ‘Wick Is Pain’ Screening At Beyond Fest at Aero Theatre on May 08, 2025 in Santa Monica, California. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
MF: As much as this is a documentary about the making of ‘John Wick’, it’s also a documentary about Chad’s life and career. Josh, can you talk about that?
JO: I mean, I would probably just add a tiny bit to it. I would add the immense force of nature that is Keanu Reeves into that. I don’t think that it’s not trying to delve into his inner psychology, but he’s an immense presence here. The relationship between those two is front and center in this film and obviously goes back 25 years. But, I feel enormously privileged and I feel amazed by what I’ve seen in watching Chad go from someone who was a performer when I first met him, to being a director who’s firing at the highest level, making films that he wants to make, that people go to see, that, to me, are really pieces of great cinematic art. That’s an amazing journey that I’ve been able to document the entire bit of thus far, and it’s been a real privilege.
(L to R) Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves in ‘Wick is Pain’. Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
MF: Chad, can you talk about your long friendship with Keanu and how has that relationship grown and changed since making the ‘John Wick’ movies?
CS: I think any good relationship comes from a lot of shared interest, and I guess, respect for the other person. Having known Keanu for twenty years beforehand, seeing his work ethic. Remember, I’m younger and I met him when he was at the top of his career. I didn’t meet him till ‘The Matrix’. I was only 24 at the time, and I was just medium way through stunts, a medium level performer, kind of getting in. There wasn’t a lot yet for martial art guys to get in. It was a different time before ‘The Matrix’. Now, it’s like everybody’s a martial arts guy. But there were times that I looked at him going, “Oh my God, I’m going to have to train way harder. This guy’s good.” I was used to doubling people on different shows and the cast members hadn’t had a lot of experience in the fight world or wire work. I meet Keanu who works so hard. I was like, “Well, if he’s in the gym at 7:00am, I better be here at 6:30am. If he leaves at 4:00pm, I’m leaving at 5:00pm”. You just make a commitment that I’m going to work my ass off because he’s working his off. I just figured that’s the way you do it. This is the actor. If he’s trying this hard, I got to try that hard. Imagine that for 10 years of doubling this guy and always having that work ethic, trying to keep up with him. You see that and then you see the way he relates to people. You’ve heard the stories and what he gave for wrap gifts on ‘The Matrix’, all the stunt guys, and he’s legendary for being humble, having humility and having this gentleman-like persona. It’s all true. So now, you’ve got that, so you’re learning to be a good human at the same time. In those quiet moments when we’re not working, we’re all on location. So, you go see movies and you realize that Keanu Reeves is a true audience member. He’s not going there for a professional study. He’s going to a movie theater because he loves movies. He loves it in the theater. So now, I’m laughing, and he’s laughing. You realize you’re not at work, this is just who this guy is. He wants to work hard, but he loves movies, and we both love movies. So, when it came time to do a movie, he’s like, “I want to make an action movie with a guy that loves movies. I don’t want to work with a director that says he loves movies but doesn’t really love action movies.” We all have the same pitches. We’re not idiots. We know why action movies don’t work. We know why some things are cheesy. We know the studios or different entities; we know their games on how they screw things up. We’ve been in it. We’ve been part of those movies, and you can see it getting screwed up. You can see it not servicing the crowd. So now, we’ve got a few people together that all love the same things, that all want to avoid the same trappings, and that know avoiding those trappings is going to take a lot of extra work, a lot of extra time for a lot less money. So, how do we do it? I think that’s the bonding thing that everybody talks about and is that mutual respect, that force of sheer will that you have a common goal and whatever that goal costs, you’re going to pay it. Now you have that, you’re looking across the line at each other going, “Okay, you in? I’m in. Okay.” Once you have that connection, you can do anything, and that’s the team we tried to build over 10 years.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo Credit: Murray Close for Lionsgate.
MF: Chad, can you talk about creating the ‘John Wick’ fighting style and incorporating “Gun-Fu” into the franchise, and the way that it has changed the industry?
CS: I don’t know if we changed anything. I look at action design, or let’s just say fight choreography, just like fashion. Hey man, bell-bottoms were cool. They kind of made a comeback and will come back again. Cutoffs, the tank top. Who knows? I’m not a big fashion guy, but it’s all around. Look, Gun-Fu was around way before me. Maybe the name is new, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, they were doing. It’s like Aikido, Aiki-jitsu, Jiu Jitsu, it’s been around since cinema’s been around. Right? It’s just, we kind of, we were coming off the success of all the ‘Bourne’ movies and what they had done with that. Then ‘Taken’, the shaky cam and it was a very cool time. Look, we just wanted to do something different. We wanted to stand out, so we wanted longer takes and we couldn’t really do what we wanted to do with just punching, kicking and fast editing. We needed the slow editing style, longer takes, we needed the grappling and the close quarter gun stuff, so I didn’t have to edit back and forth. The technology had changed where we had what they either call plug guns or non-guns now that don’t fire blanks the way they used to. So, they’re very, very, very safe. We managed to do close quarter stuff like that. So, we took advantage of the time, the changing fashion sense of things, and kind of put that together with what we thought was a great character trait. John Wick is this husky, Sombo-esque Jiu Jitsu guy. He wants to get close and talk to you in it. We thought that was a cool way because Keanu had done all ‘The Matrix’s, and we just wanted to have a little bit of differentiation between us and Neo. So, rather than all the wire work, we went with really grounded hardcore stuff, and it gave us a way to shoot things and it gave us a way to characterize John Wick that he hadn’t seen Keanu do before. The most I can take credit for is trying to be clever of being different and utilizing techniques which hadn’t been seen in recent times. Did we invent it? No. Did we classicalize it? Maybe. But did we just bring it to the forefront of the fashion movement in action design? Yes, we’ll take a little credit for that. We were kind of clever in that way. But it was nothing more than a reinvention or a rediscovering of stuff that had been around.
Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick’. Photo: David Lee for Lionsgate.
MF: Josh, the documentary is incredible truthful and doesn’t sugarcoat anything. Was there any subject that felt too personal, or that you decided not to include for any reason?
JO: Well, I appreciate that. I think Chad really wanted to put it all out there at the service of what we’re trying to do, which is show how complicated it is to make a movie, and that involves a lot of personal sacrifices that people make. Chad talks about his own personal life being thrown into disarray because of working on these films. The core relationship between him and David Leitch was something that has been fraught, and we talk about it in the movie. I just think that we were lucky in that Chad was willing to allow us to tell these stories. I think it’s a cool thing, and it’s something that over time we’ll be happy that we didn’t avoid Chad talking about that his marriage broke up or things like that. But these things are things that happen because of this business that we’re in that’s really so consuming. So, we’re just trying to make something that’s true to the form.
Chad Stahelski attends ‘Wick Is Pain’ Screening At Beyond Fest at Aero Theatre on May 08, 2025 in Santa Monica, California. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
MF: Chad, was there any subject that you did not feel comfortable talking about or wanted to avoid?
CS: No. Look, there’s always a fine line to walk and that’s where Josh is great. You don’t want to be too much the a**hole, but you don’t want to be coated with sprinkles and rainbows. The whole thing, the goal of the documentary, at least from my point of view, is to show people there’s nothing glamorous about making a movie. The glamour happens after. That’s another day. That’s way down the road. It’s work. Is it satisfying work? Yeah, but it’s work. Now, do you consider it a job, or do you consider it your life? That’s up to you. I consider it my life. It’s my career, it’s where I choose to be. I like hard work. Movies are hard work. To make a great movie is hard work. Like in anything, if you devoted 18 hours of your day to your job right now, how do you think your relationship’s going to work out? Now, is that because of the job or is that because of you? That’s because of you. So, on one side, I don’t think doing ‘John Wick’ cost me a relationship. I don’t think it cost me friendships, so I don’t think that was the motivating thing. I can be a bit of an a**hole when I work, but you can’t separate them. So, you got to walk that line of, no, you don’t blame the work, you don’t blame the job. You blame how you are in the job or how you react to the work. The thing is, we can’t stop doing it. You can’t stop trying to be good. I can’t stop trying to be good. Because you’re having a bad day, you must work through it. Does it influence you? Is there a cost of it? Yes, but you chose that cost. I don’t blame anything. I was an a**hole. I made my mistakes. Name me a relationship where there isn’t antagonism or controversy or debate. Dave (Leitch) and I fight like cats and dogs. We had so many arguments. At the same time, I have a personal thing I’m going through. That’s not his problem, he has his career too. So, we had arguments. One of us has got to cover for the other one. There’s no one job or career that doesn’t have all this stuff. So, you don’t want that to be the focus of the film. It’s not about being dramatic like that, but you also don’t want to exclude it. So, I would say the bar for Wick’s pain is, what’s staying on brand for what we’re trying to say? Is it entertaining? Is it telling a bit of the truth? Is it trying to skew one thing or another? No, it’s just part of it. It’s life. It’s every other job. Making movies are tough. But it’s your choice. No one’s sending an invitation going, “You got to make a movie for us. We’re dying to have you.” You chose to do it and that’s a sacrifice you make. Now, you talk about looking back, is there anything I would’ve changed making the movie? Nope. I would take every mistake all over again because without making the mistakes, I wouldn’t be here. Now, if you asked me if there were a few life things I would’ve changed, yes, because I don’t think it would’ve affected my filmmaking. I think there are better ways to handle myself as a human being. That I would like another go at, but I can’t do that. So, yeah, live and learn.
Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick’. Photo: David Lee for Lionsgate.
MF: Finally, Chad, what do you think is the legacy of the ‘John Wick’ franchise?
CS: I think Keanu says it on the documentary. He defines what it is. My favorite part of the documentary is the last two minutes with Keanu. I used to do a lot of climbing and that’s the big metaphor we always use. No one climbs for the view. You can’t just climb for the view. You climb because you love the climb. Talk to any climber in the world that loves to climb, ask them if it hurts. They look at you funny. “What are you talking about? Of course, it hurts.” You’re pulling yourself up in sub-zero weather. It hurts. What does that have to do with it? What does pain have to do with the result? Why else would you climb a mountain? Because you love it. It’s not about the pain or loving pain. It’s about the achievement. It’s about the satisfaction. It’s about the love that you put into the pain while you get to the top. So, when Keanu defines what pain is, pain is love. Tell me friendship without pain. Tell me love without pain. Tell me success without pain. Where is this rule that greatness and success don’t cost anything? The difference between us and everybody else out there is I wake up expecting the day to be absolutely filled with shit and obstacles and pain, and that you don’t stay in bed. Maybe it’s the people that wake up expecting the day to go smoothly that look at every little thing as painful because it’s an obstacle. You’re trying to achieve things. You’re trying to get the audience, hundreds of millions of people to see stuff that you’ve come up with. I mean, did you think that was going to be easy? We just wake up knowing it’s going to be painful and not letting that get in the way. So, when Keanu says all this stuff is pain, of course it is, but we don’t see pain as a negative. Pain is the necessary step you must take to get through it. It’s the veil of success that you want to go through.
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What is ‘Wick Is Pain’ about?
Witness the never-before-seen footage and true story behind the ‘John Wick’ phenomenon – from independent film to billion-dollar franchise.
Who appears in ‘Wick Is Pain’?
Chad Stahelski as Himself
Keanu Reeves as Himself
David Leitch as Himself
Basil Iwanyk as Himself
‘Wick is Pain’ will be available on digital May 9th.
List of Movies and TV Shows in the ‘John Wick’ Franchise:
(L to R) Director Chad Stahelski and Bill Skarsgård as Marquis in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Preview:
‘John Wick’s Chad Stahelski is aboard to produce ‘The Professionals.’
Stuntman–turned–writer Madison Turner crafted the latest draft of the script.
It’ll follow hired killers who must figure out why they themselves are targets for murder.
If you’re a hired killer in a movie, chances are you’ll either A) try to retire, only for your past to catch up with you, B) discover a terrible conspiracy at the heart of your organization or government and have to go against your own, or C) somehow become a target yourself when you’re double-crossed somehow.
From the sounds of it, the script for ‘The Professionals’ will go the third route, but in a new way.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate has nabbed the rights to the screenplay, which is being described as ‘Clue’ meets ‘John Wick.’ And the latter title is particularly telling, as ‘Wick’ maestro Chad Stahelski has agreed to produce the movie via his 87Eleven company.
(L to R) Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves speak onstage at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2022 in San Diego, California. Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
‘The Professionals’ –– nothing to do with the 1970s/1980s cop show from the UK (though like ‘The Avengers,’ it could eventually undergo a title shift if it makes it over there) –– follows a group of contract killers stranded in an English countryside estate when one of them is murdered and the remaining group has to solve the death.
The script originated with Hunter Perot, the grandson of late business executive and presidential candidate Ross Perot, and it has now in the hands of Madison Turner, a stuntman–turned–scribe who is the son of Tierre Turner, a stunt performer and coordinator with credits on movies such as ‘Training Day’ and is currently on TV series ‘9-1-1.’
On the writing front, Turner scripted ‘Adam,’ an action vehicle for Anthony Mackie set up at Netflix. And he previously landed his Blacklist script ‘The Liberators’ at Warner Bros. with Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society and Safehouse Pictures attached to produce.
Will Chad Stahelski direct ‘The Professionals’?
(L to R) Director Chad Stahelski, Laurence Fishburne as Bowery King, and Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Though he’s clearly passionate about the script, Stahelski may not have time on his schedule to actually direct it. And he’s always been about giving others their chance to handle movies.
Right now, he’s gearing up to shoot the remake of ‘Highlander’ with Henry Cavill starring, and while nothing has been formally confirmed (besides Lionsgate mentioning it), he’s developing a fifth ‘John Wick’ outing.
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The ‘Wick’ world also takes up some of Stahelski’s producing time, since he’s the overseer of the franchise as a whole. Next up is the Ana de Armas–starring spin-off ‘Ballerina,’ directed by Len Wiseman and due in theaters on June 6th next year.
When would ‘The Professionals’ be on screen?
With no director in place, no casting and no shoot date, consider this one still in development limbo until cameras are rolling. If it casts up quickly and shoots soon, it could be with us before the end of 2025.
(L-R) Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves attend the Lionsgate CinemaCon presentation in support of ‘John Wick: Chapter Four’ at the Colosseum Theatre in Caesar’s Palace on April 28th, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Eric Charbonneau.
(L to R) Ian McShane as Winston, Keanu Reeves as John Wick, and director Chad Stahelski on the set of ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Preview:
Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski are involved in a new ‘John Wick’ TV series.
‘John Wick: The High Table’ will continue the movies’ story.
‘The Old Man’ co-creator Robert Levin is running the show.
While Lionsgate’s bosses seem convinced that more ‘John Wick’ theatrical releases will be on the way, it appears that the main duo involved in the movies so far –– star Keanu Reeves and director/producer Chad Stahelski –– are focusing their immediate efforts on the latest small-screen incarnation of the story.
According to Deadline, Lionsgate now has Stahelski and Reeves involved in a new series called ‘John Wick: The High Table’, which the company will produce.
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What’s the story of ‘John Wick: The High Table’?
(L to R) Director Chad Stahelski and Bill Skarsgård as Marquis in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
The new series picks up directly after the end of ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.
John Wick has left the world of the High Table in a tenuous position and a collection of new characters will look to make a name for themselves while some of the franchise stalwart characters remain committed to the old-world order.
A description of the new series promises to “combine new and old and thrust the ‘Wick’ universe into a new age.”
Who else is working on ‘John Wick: The High Table’?
Jeff Bridges in FX’s ‘The Old Man’. Photo: FX.
While Reeves right now is only attached to produce, with no plans to appear (after all, his character dies… probably in ‘Chapter Four’), Stahelski is on board to direct the first episode.
And the filmmaker’s involvement will be part of his big overall deal with Lionsgate, sealed in January, to oversee all aspects of the expanding Wick storytelling scene. He’ll produce via his 87Eleven Entertainment company.
On the creative front for the new show, Robert Levine, one of the co-creators of FX series ‘The Old Man’ (which certainly shared themes with ‘Wick’, is writing and running it.
What else is going on with the ‘John Wick’ movie universe?
Donnie Yen as Caine in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
The new show is just the latest way that Lionsgate is looking to utilize the sprawling ‘Wick’-verse, and the next version to actually appear will be ‘Ballerina’, due on June 6th next, year. The movie, set between the events of the third and fourth movie, stars Ana de Armas as a young assassin out for revenge and has Len Wiseman directing.
Though Lionsgate is producing the show, it is currently being shopped to networks. Peacock, of course, picked up the previous spin-off, prequel series ‘The Continental’, but the new show is up for grabs. So expect plenty of interest from the likes of Netflix and more.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘John Wick’ Franchise:
Donnie Yen as Caine in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Preview:
Donnie Yen is starring in a ‘John Wick’ spin-off.
His blind assassin character Caine is the focus.
Robert Askins wrote the script.
When you have an internationally known and respected action star in the latest entry of your popular franchise, it stands to reason that, should his character pop, you might end up going the spin-off route.
Such is the case with martial arts icon Donnie Yen, who graced ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ last year as Caine, a highly skilled, blind assassin. Yen is now the focus of another ‘Wick’ spin-off.
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What’s the story of Donnie Yen’s ‘John Wick’ spin-off?
(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Donnie Yen in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Lionsgate has yet to confirm the specific storyline for the new movie, though we do know it’ll continue the arc established in ‘Chapter 4’, as Caine was freed from his obligations to the High Table, the organization that purports to control the activities of hitmen such as Keanu Reeves’ John Wick.
What we do know on the narrative front is that Robert Askins, a Tony-nominated playwright who has also worked on such series as ‘The Umbrella Academy’ and ‘The Son’, has been hired to write the script.
Here’s what Lionsgate’s Adam Fogelson had to say about the new development:
“From the moment Donnie Yen appeared on screen in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, he captivated audiences and created an authentic, emotional connection that left an inedible mark and had fans asking for more. The ‘John Wick’ universe that Chad, Basil, Erica, and Keanu have built offers a tapestry of fascinating characters brought to life by the most extraordinary performers, and we’re excited to have one of the world’s biggest superstars on board to continue this journey.”
And here’s what Yen himself said:
“The reason these films resonate so deeply is because, like myself, Chad, Basil, and Erica push themselves to create action, fights, and stunts that are not only thrilling, inventive and artistic, but also expressive of character, story, and emotion. Caine is an incredible character with a haunted past, and I am excited to return to the role.”
Who else will appear in the ‘John Wick’ spin-off?
Donnie Yen in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo: Lionsgate.
No other casting was confirmed by the studio, though given that Reeves is reprising his role as Wick (albeit more as a cameo) in one of the other movie spin-offs, ‘Ballerina’ (due in theaters on June 6th, 2025), there’s still a possibility he could pop up in Yen’s film.
And this marks just the latest expansion of the ‘John Wick’ universe launched by the 2014 original movie –– in addition to ‘Ballerina’, we’ve already had TV prequel ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’, which streamed on Peacock and charted the earlier days of the titular hotel.
‘John Wick’ spin-off ‘Ballerina’ is moving back a year.
The Ana de Armas-starring movie is adding some extra actions.
Lionsgate is moving ‘The Crow’ re-imagining into the film’s slot this year.
Things are changing on the ‘John Wick’ spin-off front. While ‘Ballerina’, the Ana de Armas-starring new movie, had been scheduled for June 7th, will now move back a year.
But before you start worrying that the High Table has somehow found a way to hobble the main character, fear not: it’s for a good reason.
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What is happening with the ‘Ballerina’ movie?
(L-R) Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves attend the Lionsgate CinemaCon presentation in support of ‘John Wick: Chapter Four’ at the Colosseum Theatre in Caesar’s Palace on April 28th, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Eric Charbonneau.
According to Deadline, the change is happening so the ‘Ballerina’ team can add in some extra action scenes.
Chad Stahelski, who has directed ever ‘Wick’ movie since the first, has been promoted to oversee the wider franchise for Lionsgate, and is now going to help director Len Wiseman with boosting the action quotient of the new movie. Which makes sense, since the ‘Wick’ films are always full of stunts and set-pieces.
What’s the story of ‘Ballerina’?
Anjelica Huston as “The Director” in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.’ Photo: Lionsgate.
‘Ballerina’ will follow the Ballerina character, played by de Armas, glimpsed briefly (and there brought to life Unity Phelan) in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ and tracks a young assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family. Which feels fitting for a ‘Wick’ movie.
Wiseman, who has worked on the likes of ‘Underworld’ and ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, directed the new movie, based on a script by Shay Hatten (who wrote ‘Chapter Three’).
The action movie is now targeting a June 6th, 2025 release slot. Which might be a smart move, since it plants a flag on a date that is currently empty of competitors.
What is moving into ‘Ballerina’s old release slot?
Brandon Lee as Eric Draven / The Crow in ‘The Crow.’ Photo: Miramax Films.
If you’re wondering what you can watch instead of ‘Ballerina’, Lionsgate has a plan for that. The studio is moving the new version of ‘The Crow’ to the June 7th date this year.
Directed by Rupert Sanders, the new adaptation of the James O’Barr graphic novel stars Bill Skarsgård as Eric Draven, who is brutally murdered alongside his soulmate Shelly Webster (FKA twigs) when the demons of her dark past catch up with them.
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Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.
