Ballerina Changed the John Wick Franchise: The First Spin-Off Falls Short of Expectations. A year ago, the John Wick franchise ventured beyond the story of Keanu Reeves for the first time. The spin-off Ballerina starring Ana de Armas failed to replicate the success of the main series. This has affected Lionsgate’s future plans.
A year ago, the John Wick franchise faced its first real challenge: in June 2025, the first spin-off, Ballerina, premiered with Ana de Armas in the lead role. This project was Lionsgate's attempt to expand the universe by focusing on a new character and moving away from Keanu Reeves's familiar image. However, the results were mixed: despite Reeves's appearance in a supporting role, Ballerina failed to replicate the success of the main films.
Ballerina introduced viewers to Eva Makarro—the daughter from a Russka Roma family, seeking revenge for the death of her loved ones. Director Len Wiseman emphasized dynamic action scenes and new elements of the assassin world, including a ballet academy led by The Director. Ana de Armas, who gained fame after Knives Out and No Time To Die, underwent intensive training for the role, but even that did not help the film reach the level of the franchise's main installments.
At the box office, Ballerina grossed $140.2 million—the lowest result for the series since 2014. Its Rotten Tomatoes score was 75%, also the lowest among John Wick films. For comparison, the fourth installment earned $447.3 million and received a 94% positive rating. These figures show that audiences still associate the John Wick brand primarily with Keanu Reeves, while new characters have yet to generate the same level of interest.
The failure of Ballerina has not halted Lionsgate’s plans to expand the franchise. Another spin-off is already in production — a film about Caine starring Donnie Yen, returning as the blind assassin from John Wick: Chapter 4. Unlike Ballerina, this project centers on a character already familiar to viewers, which may drive interest in the new film. The plot will develop the storyline introduced in the post-credits scene of the fourth movie, focusing on the confrontation between Caine and Akira.
The future of Ana de Armas herself within the John Wick universe remains uncertain. The ending of Ballerina left Eva Macarro’s story open for continuation, but there have been no official announcements about the actress’s return. According to publicly available sources, Lionsgate may consider bringing the heroine into the fifth main installment if interest in the character grows. For now, the focus remains on projects featuring Keanu Reeves, who is still the leading face of the franchise.
For reference: the John Wick franchise launched in 2014 and has grossed over $1 billion worldwide across four films. In addition to Ballerina, the prequel series The Continental premiered in 2023 but was canceled after its first season. In the coming years, new films and a video game based on the universe are expected to release. The Ballerina situation has shown that expanding the franchise requires a cautious approach and a strong link to original characters.
