Summary
The fate of theJohn Wickfranchise will be decided exactly one year from today when the first spin-off film,Ballerina, arrives in theaters. Bearing the full titleJohn Wick Presents: Ballerina, this will be theJohn Wickfranchise’s first big-screen spin-off. The TV seriesThe Continental: From the World of John Wickarrived in 2023, but this is the first theatrical release for aJohn Wickproject not headlined by the Baba Yaga himself, Keanu Reeves. It’ll star Ana de Armas as Rooney, a ballerina-turned-assassin seeking retribution for the murders of her family.
Ballerinais being produced by long-timeJohn Wickfilmmaker Chad Stahelski and directed byLive Free or Die Hard’s Len Wiseman. It’ll take place betweenJohn Wick: Chapter 3 – ParabellumandJohn Wick: Chapter 4, revolving around the ballet company used as a front for the Ruska Roma crime syndicate (previously seen in the former). This movie will determine the future of theJohn Wickseries, becauseit will prove whether audiences are interested in seeingJohn Wickstories without Reevesor if Reeves is integral to the franchise’s success at the box office.
Ballerina Releases In One Year – And May Decide The Future Of John Wick Movies
Are audiences interested in seeing a John Wick movie without Keanu Reeves?
After a handful of delays,John Wick Presents: Ballerinawill arrive in theaters exactly one year from today on June 23, 2025, and it’ll determine whether or not this franchise has a future on the big screen. The producers are already planning a spin-off movie for Donnie Yen’s Caine, butBallerinawill be the proper test of theJohn Wickuniverse’s big-screen potentialand cinematic longevity. If it does well, thenBallerinacould easily become its own sub-franchise, perhaps even replacing Reeves’ movies as the main focus (especially sinceJohn Wick: Chapter 5remains unconfirmed, however likely it is).
The success ofBallerinawould also mean that the studio would likely want even more spin-offs to follow. If it flops, however, then there’s a good chance it’ll have the opposite effect and halt the development of any further spin-offs. IfJohn Wick: Chapter 5isn’t confirmed by that point, then it’ll probably become a much more pressing concern for Lionsgate overnight in order to make the most of that I.P. with the reliable part of the brand.The Continentalalready flopped, so there’s precedent for aJohn Wickspin-off’s failure, but that wasn’t a theatrical release.
Will Ballerina Be A Success?
All kinds of movies have struggled at the box office lately
It’s a little too early to know for sure whetherBallerinawill be a hit or a flop. The studio hasn’t even released a teaser trailer yet, so almost nothing is known about the movie. But it’s possible to speculate on how well it’ll do based on the current box office climate and the performance of similar female-fronted action films in the past. Since it’s introducing a new character, it’s unlikely to pull the kind of numbers that the third and fourthJohn Wickmoviesmanaged with Reeves at the helm.
A fairer comparison would beAtomic Blonde, anotherJohn Wick-adjacent female-led action thriller.Atomic Blondedidn’t scoreJohn Wick-sized blockbuster numbers at the box office, but it made a respectable enough profit for the studio to consider a sequel.Ballerinamight even outgrossAtomic Blonde, given its direct link to a beloved franchiseand the promise of Reeves cameoing as Wick. However, box office receipts in general have been down recently. Even solid fare with big stars and strong reviews, likeThe Fall GuyandFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga, have disappointed at the box office.
John Wick Presents: Ballerinawas originally scheduled to be released on August 17, 2025.
John Wick 5 Will Probably Happen Regardless Of Ballerina
Lionsgate wouldn’t let a guaranteed moneymaker slip through their fingers
WhetherBallerinadoes well or not, it’s safe to say thatJohn Wick: Chapter 5will eventually get made. The mainline series reached a natural stopping point with the heroic sacrifice that Wick made inChapter 4, sacrificing his life to free the High Table of the Marquis’ rule. ButHollywood has never been known to let a franchise end when its story reaches a natural conclusion; Hollywood doesn’t let a franchise end until it stops making money.Reeves-ledJohn Wickmovies make far too much moneyfor Lionsgate to let it end atChapter 4.
But what’s important is howBallerina’s success or failure will determine the context ofJohn Wick: Chapter 5. It’s either going to be produced as part of continuing a strong, growing franchise – maybe even as a launchpad for even more spin-offs – and could possibly give Reeves a(nother) final send-off, this time for good. Or, it might be that Reeves’ return is heralded as the savior of the failingJohn Wickfranchise, perhaps with greater expectations for a sixth movie.
John Wick
“John Wick” is a neo-noir action-thriller franchise centered around a retired hitman who returns to the criminal underworld to seek vengeance. Known for its intense and stylistic action sequences, the franchise has redefined modern action cinema with its choreographed gunfights, hand-to-hand combat, and intricate world-building. The series explores themes of loyalty, honor, and survival in a secret society of assassins.
