Keanu Reeves to Return as John Wick in Ana de Armas-led Spinoff “Ballerina”

Keanu Reeves is reprising one of his (many) iconic roles. Collider broke the story that Reeves is in Prague, prepared to reprise his role as John Wick in the Ana de Armas-led Ballerina, a John Wick spinoff.

Reeves will now join Ian McShane, who is also returning to the franchise as Winston, the manager of the Continental Hotel.

Lionsgate, the studio behind John Wick and Ballerina, have yet to confirm Reeves’ casting, but they did confirm that McShane is returning. Ballerina will find Ana de Armas playing a young assassin on a path of vengeance against those who killed her family. So yes, her motivation is just slightly more pressing than John Wick’s was in the very first movie, when he was avenging the death of his dog Daisy. That’s about all the information anyone has on the plot of Ballerina, nor is anyone quite sure how big of a role Reeves will have in the film.

Ballerina producer Basil Iwanyk did confirm that McShane’s role will be meaty. “We’re thrilled to have Ian McShane joining us for a pivotal role in Ballerina,” Iwanyk said in a statement. “He’s been such an integral part of the franchise since the original John Wick. It’s been fun to have him on this journey as the Wick universe expands.”

Ballerina will be directed by Len Wiseman from a script by Shay Hatten. We’ve already seen how capable De Armas is in an action role—she nearly stole No Time To Die right out from under Daniel Craig in her brief, thrilling turn as a Paloma, a CIA agent working in Cuba. Before we see her kicking butt in Ballerina, however, we’ve got Reeves and McShane teaming up once again in John Wick: Chapter 4, which is due in theaters on March 24, 2023.

Featured image: Keanu Reeves stars as ‘John Wick’ in JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM. Photo by Niko Tavernise. Courtesy Lionsgate.