Ballerina: Gabriel Byrne to join Ana de Armas in the star-studded John Wick spinoff

Last Updated on February 4, 2023

Ballerina

I hope Gabriel Byrne likes ballet because he’s the latest actor to join Ana de Armas for the John Wick spinoff, Ballerina. At the start, Ballerina was a twinkle in the eye of John Wick fans worldwide. No one ever imagined the project would explode into a full-on spinoff starring some of Hollywood’s greatest players. Famous for starring in The Usual SuspectsMiller’s CrossingHereditaryCool World, and much more, Byrne is a seasoned film industry vet who brings charisma and gravitas to every role.

Byrne is one of many stars joining Ana de Armas for the film, including Keanu Reeves (John WickThe Matrix), Norman Reedus (The Walking DeadBoondock Saints), Anjelica Huston (The Addams FamilyThe Witches), Ian McShane (Deadwood, American Gods), Lance Reddick (Resident EvilWhite House Down), and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of GraceA Most Violent Year).

Len Wiseman (UnderworldTotal Recall) directs from a script by Shay Hatten (Army of the DeadDay Shift). Ballerina focuses on a young woman (Ana de Armas) with killer skills who sets out for revenge when assassins kill her family. You know, that old chestnut.

Last month, Ballerina producer Erica Lee told The Hollywood Reporter, “The idea of Ballerina was formed around the scenes with Anjelica in John Wick 3. Anjelica Huston is an icon and is nothing less than Hollywood royalty. The world of Wick is always made richer by her commanding screen presence.”

Ballerina isn’t the only John Wick-related project in the works, as a younger version of Ian McShane’s character will also be featured in The Continental, a three-night special-event TV series that will explore “the origin behind the hotel-for-assassins, a centerpiece of the John Wick universe, through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott (Colin Woodell) who is dragged into the Hell-scape of a 1975 New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the New York’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the iconic hotel, which serves as the meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals.”

Meanwhile, John Wick: Chapter 4 will debut in theaters on March 24, 2023. It’s a great time to be a John Wick fan. Enjoy the ride, folks!

Source: Deadline

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He's also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You'll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.