John Wick - Ballerina
The movie stars Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, a ballerina who becomes an assassin. She's out for revenge after her father is killed and has to fight a lot of bad guys. The cast also includes Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick (his last movie role), Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves.
The idea for a fifth John Wick movie started in 2017. Shay Hatten wrote a script that was meant to be a spin-off. Len Wiseman became the director in 2019. Chad Stahelski, who usually directs the John Wick movies, helped as a producer.
They started picking actors in 2022, with Ana de Armas, Gabriel Byrne, and Norman Reedus joining the cast. Anjelica Huston, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves came back to play their characters from previous movies. Tyler Bates, who did the music for other John Wick films, also returned.
Filming began in November 2022 and finished in January 2023. They filmed mostly in Prague and Budapest. They also did some extra filming in February 2024.
Ballerina was released in theaters in the United States on June 6, 2025. It was supposed to come out a year earlier. Critics generally liked the movie, praising the action, the way it looked, Ana de Armas' performance, and the story. The movie cost $90 million to make and has earned over $128 million worldwide.
What's the story?
Eve Macarro's parents were assassins. Her father, Javier, was part of the Ruska Roma, and her mother was in a cult. When Eve was little, her father took her away from the cult, which led to her mother's death. The cult tries to get Eve back, and in the process, her father dies helping her escape.
Winston Scott, who owns the New York Continental Hotel, takes Eve to the Ruska Roma. She trains there for 12 years to become a ballerina and an assassin, using the name Kikimora. She meets John Wick once, who advises her to leave the violent life. Eve finishes her training and becomes a bodyguard.
After a job, Eve is attacked by a cult assassin. She wants revenge and asks the Director about the cult. She learns about a cult member named Daniel Pine staying at the Prague Continental Hotel. She finds Pine hiding his daughter, Ella, from the cult. The cult attacks, and Pine entrusts Ella to Eve. Pine is shot, and Ella is kidnapped. The Continental staff punishes the assassins who attacked.
Eve buys weapons and tracks the cult to Hallstatt, Austria. She is captured and learns that Pine is the Chancellor's son and Ella is his granddaughter. The Chancellor reveals that Eve has a sister named Lena, who is also a cult member. Lena kills the Chancellor, but Eve escapes. The Chancellor declares war on the Ruska Roma because of Eve. The Director hires John Wick to eliminate Eve. John finds Eve but spares her, giving her until midnight to kill the Chancellor. Eve fights the cult, with John helping from a distance. She rescues Ella, who is reunited with her father. Winston talks to Eve, who seeks refuge at the New York Continental Hotel. While watching a ballet, Eve learns there's a $5 million bounty on her head and leaves.
The Cast
- Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro
- Anjelica Huston as the Director
- Gabriel Byrne as the Chancellor
- Lance Reddick as Charon
- Norman Reedus as Daniel Pine
- Ian McShane as Winston Scott
- Keanu Reeves as John Wick
The movie shows Eve's journey as she becomes an assassin and seeks revenge, facing powerful enemies and making difficult choices.