The much anticipated action-packed Ballerina premiered in London yesterday.

Set during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, BALLERINA follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), a ballerina-turned-assassin trained by the Ruska Roma, who uncovers secrets from her family’s past.

Eve is a powerful, new voice in this world. She’s in a domain dominated by ruthless assassins, but she’s highly trained and seeks vengeance her way, ultimately changing the terms of her epic, adrenaline-fueled quest.

The film brings together familiar faces and exciting new characters. Returning icons from the John Wick world are: The Director (Anjelica Huston), the formidable leader of the fearsome training ground / ballet school, the Ruska Roma; as well as Winston (Ian McShane) and Charon (Lance Reddick) as, respectively, the head and concierge of the hotel for assassins, The Continental New York. 

At the same time, we’re introduced to intriguing characters new to the franchise, including the mysterious Daniel Pine (Norman Reedus), with whom Eve has a fateful encounter at The Continental Prague; and The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne), the domineering head of a cult-like army of killers.

Under the direction of action maestro Len Wiseman (Live Free or Die Hard, the Underworld films), BALLERINA puts a new spin on the action franchise’s hallmark elements, including high-level chases, never-before-seen propulsive set pieces, striking international locations, intricate fight choreography, and an arsenal of inventive weaponry — from ice skates and katana swords, to ice axes and flamethrowers. 

As the story opens, young Eve’s father is murdered. She is orphaned and sent to the Ruska Roma, a shadowy institution that uses its rigorous training in ballet to mask its true curriculum: contract killing. 

Years later, the now adult Eve rejects academy head The Director’s insistence that she refrain from seeking revenge for her father’s murder. Eve travels to The Continental in New York seeking help from Winston and Charon to uncover information about her family. As she digs deeper into the mystery of her past, Eve finds herself near a remote Austrian mountain village, Hallstatt, which is populated entirely by professional assassins — all of whom are targeting her. Eve has no choice but to fight her way out, using what she has been taught by the masters at Ruska Roma. 

While Eve’s story is set in the world of John Wick, Wiseman was intent on making her very much a singular character, with a perspective different from Wick’s. The filmmaker was already well versed in stylish world-building and in pushing the action to the limit, and he embraced the challenge of bringing to life a new character in a familiar universe. 

“One of the things I really liked about the BALLERINA script,” Wiseman remembers, “is that it’s kind of the opposite of John Wick’s story. Wick is trying to get out of his life as an assassin; Eve is wanting in — she wants to be a killer. I was interested in exploring the circumstances under which someone chooses that life.”

Producer Chad Stahelski, who directed all four of the John Wick features and is the architect of the franchise, remembers that he began thinking that the John Wick universe could exist outside the central character when he came across an original script with a lead character who was a ballerina by a young writer, Shay Hatten, whose strong style and mix of action and revenge impressed the filmmaker and action specialist. “It was around the time when we were shooting John Wick 3 — Parabellum,” he recounts, “and I was big into ballet at the time. I was trying to put a ballerina sequence into the film, as part of the Ruska Roma, where John Wick comes from. I read Shay’s script and thought, ‘Oh, that kind of fits into this world.’”

Producer Erica Lee remembers meeting Hatten and being similarly impressed by his work. This led her to persuade Lionsgate to buy his spec script. “Shay’s voice is really extreme and wacky and fun,” Lee notes. “He writes set pieces you’ve never seen before.”

“The original draft of BALLERINA was nuts, and we wondered if we could incorporate it into the John Wick world,” she continues. As it turns out, the franchise’s filmmaking core team — Lee and her Thunder Road partner Basil Iwanyk, Stahelski, and Keanu Reeves — were brainstorming ways to expand that universe.

Meanwhile, Hatten’s talent earned him a role as a contributor to the John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4 scripts while the filmmakers considered the right place for BALLERINA. 

One of the earliest decisions the team made was where this film would fall within the John Wick timeline. After wrapping John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, they revisited BALLERINA and dove into developing and refining the story, staying true to John Wick world’s sensibilities and style while making BALLERINA a piece of that world, with its own flavor and titular anti-hero. 

INTRODUCING EVE MACARRO

One of the key elements to the success of the John Wick films is Keanu Reeves’s Zen-like charisma and unique athletic prowess, which have enabled the series to deepen Wick’s story and elevate the action to more spectacular levels with each chapter. 

A female-led story in the Wick world would require a similarly gifted performer. The filmmaking team handpicked Ana to expand the world of Wick. From her previous work in Knock Knock (2015) with Keanu and No Time To Die (2021), they knew she could take on the physical and emotional role of Eve. 

“There was a kind of fire in Ana that I wanted to meet and work with,” Wiseman recalls. “At the onset, I told Ana that since Eve is just beginning her journey as an assassin, the character is going to, at times, get her ass kicked. Ana’s reply was, ‘Cool. Okay, I’m in.’ During production she’d show me her bruises from the action and stunts, and they became like merit badges.”

“She’s perfect for the role in many ways,” Wiseman shares. “What I love about this franchise series is that it is more of an actor-based action, and so we see the actors doing more of their own performance and choreography. And she was game with that.” Ana was more than  game. She was all in. It wasn’t just the filmmakers who wanted the rigorous training, but Ana insisted on it. From day one, she pushed for intense combat training and practical stunt work to honor the John Wick legacy of precision in filmmaking and cutting edge action. 

“It was really intense training for quite a long time,” Ana says. “There was a lot of strength training and then just hours and hours at the stunt facility at 87Eleven with the most amazing stunt crew. We just worked our way up to getting me ready to take on this kind of action at the level that I needed to be at.”

“It was a good progression of the training with that like from very basic things, which were a great foundation for the training and then you know getting more specific into designing the choreos and leaning into my strengths.” 

Ana de Armas’ journey to BALLERINA is a remarkable story of determination. Born in Cuba, Ana moved to Spain early in her career to star in Spanish-language films. Her first English-speaking role was opposite Keanu Reeves in Knock Knock (2015), a film she shot while literally learning English on set. Now, a decade later she reunites with Keanu as she solidifies her place as a full-fledged action star in BALLERINA. Among her many action roles leading up to BALLERINA, some include the sci-fi actionfilm Blade Runner 2049 (2017), earning her first Golden Globe nomination for Knives Out (2019), and a star-making turn in the 25^th installment of the James Bond franchise No Time to Die (2021), where she blew audiences away and proved she could carry cinematic action. Aside from her action roles, in Blonde (2022), she took on the iconic role of ‘Marilyn Monroe’ earning Oscar, SAG, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations.As a result, Ana has become known as one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood. Ana brought that same intensity and discipline to her role as Eve Macarro. Her performance is both the emotional and physical core of the film, channeling everything that makes the John Wick franchise iconic. 

De Armas admired the John Wick films, but also knew that BALLERINA was a story that could stand on its own. “We wanted Eve to be approachable and realistic. She had a very traumatic childhood that changed the lens through which Eve sees life.” 

Adds Wiseman, “Eve is seeking many things at the Ruska Roma, and really finds herself there. We experience, with Eve, some new layers, and how that organization works — this time from the point of view of someone who’s brand new to it and experiencing how to train and move up the ranks.”

Because BALLERINA takes place during the time of John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum — in which John makes a plea for help to his former teacher, Anjelica Huston’s The Director — it was only natural that her authoritative character was at the heart of BALLERINA. “Anjelica was essential,” says Lee. “She’s a mother figure to Eve, but they also have a uniquely intense relationship.”  

Huston was delighted at the prospect of returning to the world of John Wick as The Director. “It’s such an incredible franchise, both in popularity but also artistry — the action, choreography, stunts, locations, and talent,” she says. “And I had such a fun time working with Keanu and Chad in Parabellum.”

De Armas and Huston worked closely together throughout the film. Reflecting on their dynamic, Huston shares, “The Director takes Eve in as a young girl and trains her, and I think genuinely cares for her. She’s a special child.”

Speaking about de Armas specifically, Huston adds, “To watch her learn ballet and combat and to fight in these elaborate action sequences was like watching a beautiful dance. She’s fierce and powerful, and I think audiences are going to love her and root for her.”

The film opens with a pivotal moment in Eve’s life: the murder of her father. David Castañeda plays Javier, Eve’s fiercely devoted dad. “I think the fear of trying to maintain young Eve’s world as safe and as protective as possible, while knowing that eventually the truth is going to come out about who she is and what world she lives in, it’s a fight-or-flight moment. And obviously, he goes into somewhat of an autopilot to protect his daughter,” Castañeda explains.

With her father gone, Eve is taken in by The Director. Wiseman elaborates, “Eve had lost her family, so The Director becomes somewhat of a surrogate mother. But Eve eventually heads out on her own mission, against the wishes of The Director, whose true allegiance is not to her young charges but to the Ruska Roma itself.”

Sharon Duncan-Brewster joins the cast as Nogi, an instructor at the Ruska Roma Ballet School. Fierce yet thoughtful, Nogi shows Eve the ways of an assassin. She teaches Eve to turn her weaknesses into her deadliest weapons.

“When I first read the script, I thought, this is a really interesting take on the John Wick world — told from a female perspective, with so many strong, kick-ass women on screen together. We’ve seen that dynamic so many times with men, but not often with women,” says Duncan-Brewster.

Describing Nogi’s bond with Ana de Armas’s character, Eve, she shares, “Her first perception of Eve is that she’s this strong, determined survivor who has, in a way like Nogi, come from a world where she cannot be anymore. And so, there is an understanding of being left on your own, an orphan. And then becoming your own strength, and your own identity. And I believe as they grow, their relationship does strengthen, and there’s a slight maternal connection.”

Eve’s childhood with The Director seems to mirror John Wick’s mysterious past, which underlines the connection between the two women. When Wick comes to the Ruska Roma in John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, he approaches the organization with a deep familiarity. Lee notes that in that film, “You get this glimpse of what John was like as a boy, and how he was raised.” 

It is Winston who paves the way for young Eve’s entrance to the Ruska Roma. He recruits Eve — who’s still in shock from the assassination of her father — to the school. Years later, the now adult Eve, seeking answers and revenge for her family tragedy, visits Winston on his home turf.

Reflecting on the role of his iconic character both within this project and the larger John Wick universe, Ian McShane notes that Winston somehow “knows everything and maintains his hotel as a safe space for assassins.” 

As a hospitality manager in this ruthless world, Winston seems to avoid getting his own hands too bloody. Still, he maintains a firm grip on this unique lodging, which is only one of several across the globe, including locations in Osaka, Prague, Rome, and Casablanca. 

Regardless of Winston’s true affiliations and allegiances, he continues to be a central part of the franchise. McShane embraces how Winston brings gravitas to the action-packed films, observing, “Winston has a grounding effect. He’s rather pithy. You don’t really know who he is. This gives his scenes with Ana de Armas a mysterious tension.” 

There is also a poignant appearance from fan-favorite Charon, the stoic concierge at The Continental, portrayed by Lance Reddick. 

During production, Reddick told Wiseman on set that the film “feels very Shakespearean.”

“The original Wick deals with individuals trying to assert their individuality within the boundaries of cultural restrictions,” Reddick continued. “But this takes it to the level of family. It made me think of Lear and Hamlet and the Greek tragedies. And the action is off the hook.”

During production of BALLERINA, John Wick: Chapter 4 — which sees Charon meeting a heroic death — had not yet been released. Since the new filmwas rolling back the clock in the timeline to John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, BALLERINA gave Reddick the chance to play the part of the dignified man behind The Continental front desk one more time. Sadly, the Wick family had no idea they would also soon lose the gentlemanly actor himself. Reddick passed away on March 17, 2023, just weeks after principal photography had wrapped. It was a terrible loss to the Wick cast and crew.   

Says McShane, who worked closest with Reddick, “We were so lucky to be able to work with Lance. He was a valued colleague and friend and remains a mainstay of the franchise.”

EXPANDING THE JOHN WICK UNIVERSE

A new and exciting addition to the John Wick universe is Norman Reedus, the popular star of the AMC series “The Walking Dead”and its current spinoff, “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.” Reedus was already friendly with Keanu Reeves, the two having bonded over their passion for motorsports. More significantly, the laid-back Reedus was a natural fit for the role of Daniel Pine, an assassin rife with contradictions and delicious idiosyncrasies. 

A longtime John Wick fan, Reedus tells us, “I like everything about those films, including the characters, lighting, and action. I remember the first time I saw Keanu, as Wick, flick a cartridge out of a pistol. I was like, ‘Oh my god, rewind, rewind.’”

“I’m honored to join the John Wick world,” Reedus continues, “and I can confidently say there’s nothing like it or its passionate fanbase.”  

In preparation for his role, Reedus did a full rewatch of the four John Wick films. “One of the things I really like about this universe is that nobody lies. The idea of the honest assassin is just one of the many rules that makes these movies unique. Everything about them is cool and badass. You want to watch them repeatedly.”

Wiseman, who had previously collaborated with Reedus, wanted the actor from the onset. “Norman has a specific quality that just fits in perfectly with the John Wick world,” he says. “Norman doesn’t think he’s cool — and that’s what makes him cool.”

An encounter between Daniel and Eve in The Continental Prague reveals another enigmatic figure, Lena. It was a role that proved challenging to cast, as there are several layers to the character that are slowly peeled away in the third act. “We wanted someone who felt senior to Ana,” says Lee. “When you meet Lena, you don’t know who she really is.” 

When Catalina Sandino Moreno read the script, she was intrigued by the businesslike Lena: “We meet her at The Continental, and she is this very determined, cold-blooded woman who is just doing her job,” she notes. 

Moreno adds that Lena, like Eve, is an orphan, leading her to form a strong bond with those who have adopted her. “Lena grew up with great devotion to this insular tribe, led by The Chancellor.”

The film’s central antagonist, The Chancellor, has created a cult-like village in the middle of the mountains. He’s a force of nature who can manipulate an entire community and is not above putting a hit on members of his own family. 

Veteran actor Gabriel Byrne, who takes on the formidable character, says with a laugh that joining the Wick world gave him instant credibility with the younger members of his family. 

“Being in the vicinity of this franchise has upped my cool quotient immeasurably.” 

Despite his vice-like grip on his community of killers, The Chancellor is a multidimensional character who, in his mind, Wiseman insists, “is providing the optimal atmosphere for those who work for him. Why give up on things like falling in love and having a family, just because you’re an assassin? It’s The Chancellor who makes that possible for his people.”

Beyond the enthusiasm of his nieces and nephews, Byrne sparked to the role of an elusive cult leader. “You’re not quite sure what universe The Chancellor operates in,” Byrne explains. “Even the most villainous people have human sides to them. There’s no such thing as an out-and-out devil-type villain. Even the ones we hear of in real life are human, and that’s what makes them scary.”

YEAH, WE’RE THINKING HE’S BACK …

After reading the script, John Wick himself, Keanu Reeves, joined the project. Keanu typically undergoes six months of intensive training before he’s ready to step onto a John Wick set ready to carry a dense action-packed film. But with BALLERINA, Reeves had the unique opportunity to contribute significantly to the film without as much pressure — or pain.

“It was an interesting prospect for him because it’s Wick, but it’s not Wick,” says Lee. As soon as he stepped on set, Reeves was “deeply involved like he always is,” she adds. Reeves collaborated with Wiseman and contributed ideas by suggesting action sequences and tweaking dialogue, all of which enhanced the film. “No one knows John Wick better than Keanu,” says Wiseman. 

The new story, says Stahelski, also provides a different perspective on John. “If you go back to the first film, John is a bit of the bogeyman,” he notes. “So, it’s interesting to experience John from Eve’s perspective. He’s still John Wick, and still a force to be reckoned with, but in another way. It’s a slightly different Wick, because we’re seeing him through the eyes of Eve.”

ACTION CINEMA — ELEVATED

Given Reeves’s storied prep and action skillset, de Armas had some big shoes to fill. The rigorous training Reeves endured for each film aligns with the methodology of 87Eleven, the industry-leading action design company co-founded by Stahelski. 87Eleven’s stunt team is one of the most seasoned and celebrated in the business, and while Stahelski and his associates have dozens of films to their credit, the John Wick films have become the jewels in their crown. With authentic fight scenes and innovative choreography as a baseline, extremely rigorous actor training comes with the territory. 

Anisha Gibbs, a stunt performer and trainer who doubles the role of Lena and other assassins in BALLERINA, explains that 87Eleven is proud of pushing actors to do a lot of their own stunts. “I think it’s important to the John Wick world for the actors to really want to embody the role and to put in the training.” And the results, she says, are evident on the screen.

De Armas proved more than able to rise to the formidable challenge. She admits that the physical demands of the role were initially quite intimidating. “I had some experience in action films, but I don’t think I knew the level of discipline that was required for this film,” she confesses.

De Armas appreciated how 87Eleven’s approach helped her push past physical and mental limitations and gain a new skillset. “It is a process that, despite its physical challenges, was really inspiring. It was also a mental discipline I was not familiar with.”

The physical training for the role also served as good character exploration. What better way to get into the mindset of an international assassin than to train to fight? “It put me in the headspace of the character,” de Armas muses. “The process also helped me understand the evolution of Eve, how to improve myself, and grow confidence.”

Inspired by Reeves’s dedicated and disciplined approach to the action and stunts, de Armas dove right into getting into fighting shape. “I love watching Keanu work and how dedicated he is. He lets other actors find their way into the action which is very inspiring. While working with him, I was just thinking “I hope I can do that as well, at the same level.””  

Stahelski admired de Armas’s ability to make Eve a richly complex and surprising figure. “Ana is vulnerable and tough at the same time. She can instantly transition from Eve being happy and gentle to, like, ‘Oh, I would not want to make her angry.’”

Stahelski adds that de Armas’s training regimen began with “trying to get behind her eyes a little bit and see what’s going on inside — how Ana moves, and how she was going to react in certain situations. So, it was just getting to know Ana and customizing the choreography for her. Yes, she undergoes the expected training in firearms, acrobatics, and martial arts, but the result feels like it’s a custom fit for Ana.”

The stunt team was similarly impressed by de Armas’s attitude, natural talent, and grace. In BALLERINA, the world of the Ruska Roma is an amalgamation of dance and combat. The actor praises the team for their support, which empowered her to push herself harder and stretch her comfort zone: “Making this picture pushed me over my limits, for sure,” de Armas confirms.

Stunt coordinator Jackson Spidell and supervising stunt coordinator Stephen Dunlevy have a long history with Wick. Along with their action-stunt team, they challenged themselves to look at ways to put a new spin on the series’ epic action and gun fu.  

As the film’s title character is a female assassin, there were several women on the stunt team. In addition to Lena double/trainer Anisha Gibbs, Cara Marie Chooljian, served as de Armas’s primary fight double and additional trainer. Rounding out the cadre of stunt women was Erika Keck, Chau Naumova, and Enikő Korcsmáros, who perform some of Eve’s most memorable moments, like being thrown from a moving vehicle and fighting in the ice bar.

NEVER-SEEN-BEFORE ACTION SEQUENCES

Audiences can expect all the hallmarks of the John Wick franchise that helped redefine the action genre—high-speed chases, intricate fight choreography, and a lethal arsenal of inventive weaponry. But BALLERINA introduces something new: a distinct style of combat shaped by not only Eve’s perspective but Ana de Armas’s physicality.

Because the film revolves around a female protagonist, the production team fully embraced the physical reality of de Armas’s frame to create fresh and unique choreography for the fights. De Armas appreciated this approach, stating, “I wanted the action to be believable and not larger-than-life.”

Instead of overpowering her adversaries with brute strength, Eve gets creative, utilizing whatever is around to defend herself. De Armas describes Eve’s modus operandi as: “Be smart and turn a disadvantage into your weapon. She knows how to use her surroundings to get out alive.”

Eve’s scrappy anger seems to boil over at certain points, which helped the team take big swings and stage risky moves. This approach leads to a lot of creativity in the action design, because any object could become a weapon. 

The expression of that creativity is evident in the diverse arsenal Eve employs, from ice skates that become makeshift nunchakus to swords, grenades, a flamethrower, and even pots and pans. It’s a brains-over-brawn style of combat: Eve doesn’t rely on brute strength but on sharp strategy, scrappy instinct, and raw willpower. If it’s within reach, it’s a weapon. In Eve’s world, nothing is off limits.

A fight in a restaurant kitchen between Eve and a mountain village female assassin was one of the crew’s favorites. This is where Eve gets creative in using pots, pans, and knives as weapons as she maneuvers through the restaurant. Chooljian explains, “Eve finally gets to fight someone equally, because it’s another woman. It is somewhat rare to see an all-out battle between two women in an action film.”

Another key fight moment is when Eve has a scene in a dance club. De Armas viewed it as a “coming of age fight. Eve is transitioning from the ballet school and heading out into the real world. She gets mad at herself, she’s making mistakes, and becomes frustrated. You see the progress of her learning all the skills she needs to do the job.” This scene is a captivating sequence. In choreographing the movement, there is always awareness of how the action best serves the story. 

Sooyoung Choi plays Katla Park, the high-profile target of Eve’s first mission at the dance club. “When I first read the script, I was instantly drawn to the story because it is obviously an action movie, but it also shows the relationship between father and daughter,” Choi shares. She adds, “And this is my first American production, and this is my first experience shooting overseas.” Reflecting on her role in the franchise, Choi says, “It’s really exciting to see Korean characters in the John Wick world…and to see the representation and impact it will have.”

One of Ana’s favorite fight sequences is the grenade fight, which takes place after her character travels to Prague on her mission. She finds herself in a gun shop, and a fight breaks out. Speaking of that scene, Ana says, “I’ve never seen that before. It felt very unique. Something I like a lot about Eve is that she knows how to use her environment. She can turn any object into a lethal weapon.”

She continues, “And in that case, it’s something that I thought was a great idea to have in a situation where she cannot find one gun that she can shoot, and all she has with her is a box of grenades. And the way that fight came out is wonderful. It was a long shoot, but I thought it was just very refreshing and surprising. It’s very unique. And this that we’re doing now is also pretty amazing.” 

EVE MEETS WICK 

Eve first encounters John Wick while she is still in training to become an assassin, feeling ready to transition into the professional world. During their first interaction, Wick tries to dissuade her from pursuing the assassin’s life, advising her to quit. As Ana de Armas explains, “But she won’t. She doesn’t listen. They are very similar in that way.” 

Later in the film, Eve and John Wick meet again for an intense face-off, setting up one of the movie’s most exciting moments. “He’s the one that, especially if you’re a student at the Ruska Roma or that’s who you’re trying to become, he’s the one that you look up to.” 

The Eve vs. John Wick fight was actually one of the first action scenes filmed. “It was kind of intense because that was the first real fight that we did,” recalls Chooljian. “It’s a huge moment in the film, and we said to Ana, ‘We’re gonna throw you into the water. Go ahead, fight Keanu Reeves, fight John Wick.’”  

De Armas rose to the challenge. With Reeves’ experience and de Armas’ ability to pick up choreography quickly, the production captured an incredible moment on film. Chooljian adds, “They have different approaches, but they’re both perfectionists. If what they did is not perfect, they want to do it again.”  

Eve’s stunts escalate after her face-off with John Wick. Standout action sequences include her inventive use of ice skates in a frozen-over boathouse, an epic (and explosive) fight involving a flamethrower, and a moving-vehicle shootout on a snowy road. Ana had never performed stunts involving fire and had to overcome her initial fear. The team took a methodical approach to familiarize her with the flamethrower, helping her wield it safely.

DESIGNING THE WORLD OF BALLERINA

The John Wick films have a distinct style and beauty and are all about world-building. While the previous films spanned New York, Rome, Morocco, Japan and Paris, BALLERINA offers an entirely new element to the series: snow-covered Eastern Europe. 

“Wick fans love world-building,” Erica Lee notes. “I think that we’ve given them a lot of new things and elements and worlds and locations for them to sink their teeth into.” She continues, ”Eastern Europe was somewhere we hadn’t really explored in the Wick franchise.” 

The filmmakers were able to bring back key collaborators from previous Wick films while also introducing new talent to the world of Wick. In addition to a new director, the DP, production designer, and composers were also new additions.

Production Designer Phil Ivey highlights the balance between continuity with the Wick films and tapping into a new aesthetic for BALLERINA. “The important thing was, yes, it has to fit within the John Wick world, and it needs to feel like a John Wick film, but it needs to have its own vibe. People have been watching these films for a while. They’re coming to this to watch something else. So, it’s a case of us putting our own spin on it.”

Ivey continues, “Instead of New York, and Rome, and Morocco, or Jordan, we’re set in Europe—with snow. So, color temperature changes immediately, the tonality, and materials. We’re into stone, timber, and that kind of thing. So, very different from the other John Wick films, but I think stylistically, in terms of some of the lighting and so on, we share the same world.”   

The film’s location base was Prague and surrounding areas in the Czech Republic, with a road trip to Hallstatt, Austria, and additional action sequences filmed in Budapest, Hungary. 

Hallstatt is an idyllic village perched on a glacial lake, surrounded by mountains, to stunning effect. Production designer Phil Ivey and Wiseman fell in love with the look of the fairytale-like spot. “I was obsessed with Hallstatt,” the director confirms. “I had tracked it via Google Maps when we were scouting locations. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen before: a town built into a hillside, so it has these amazing layers.”

Hallstatt has a robust tourist season, so it was not possible for the production to move in for several weeks of filming. The solution, says Ivey, was “to sort of make a jigsaw puzzle.”  He reveals that they stitched together places in the Czech Republic to create the illusion of more screen time in Hallstatt: “We scoured the whole of the Czech Republic, and then it was a matter of putting that puzzle together, seeing what is going to work best together, how we augment those locations, and make it feel like a cohesive world.”

As a fan of the John Wick world himself, Ivey sparked to the script and connected easily with Wiseman. “We share a very similar aesthetic,” Ivey notes. That shared vision was helpful in molding the film’slook to the series as well as giving it a signature style. 

Ivey enjoyed using the interiors to explore character, like expanding upon The Director and her Ruska Roma school, first glimpsed in John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum.“I wondered,” he remembers,“‘How do they live? What goes on there? What is their dormitory like?’” 

Ivey also designed a home with a kind of diabolical hunting lodge chic for The Chancellor, using design elements to reveal more about the dark figure. “The environment provides additional insights into the character,” Ivey maintains. “The sets become a subplot and tell you immediately what that character’s about.” 

More striking visuals are provided by the costumes. Costume designer Tina Kalivas says she wanted them to look “tailored, slick, sharp, expensive and crazy, but glamorous.” It was important for BALLERINA to establish a look different from the prior films, though Kalivas used The Director’s scenes from John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum as a starting point for her designs. 

Kalivas also observes that the Wick look is “all about tailoring, so we started off with tailored pieces. Eve’s look is functional for an assassin, but underneath is a base layer of a bodysuit, which is a nod to her being a ballerina.” 

Wiseman had a specific vision about the inhabitants of Hallstatt. Kalivas explains, “Instead of being this kind of traditional ski look, the people of Hallstatt were more tailored and dressed up.” Creating sleek and sharp lines “was a great way of communicating the assassins. Their looks also hinted at their isolation, and that they perhaps were out of touch with current trends.” 

Of course, there was one more character Kalivas loved styling: John Wick himself. “It was thrilling to be able to create a John Wick suit because it’s iconic,” she says. Building upon the work of past designers, Kalivas made sure to work with her favorite tailor and get the highest quality wool fabric for her iteration of the suit, adding a small secret monogram: “We embroidered ‘John Wick’ inside his pocket, so that was fun.”

IN THEATERS

Stahelski summarizes his closing thoughts by recalling an early scene in the first film, John Wick. “I remember when audiences experienced John burying his puppy, they went silent. I thought that was either really good or really bad. A little later, John transitions into full assassin mode, and the audience went nuts. I think there’s a great mix of big action and get-behind-Eve moments in BALLERINA that will make you want to ride that same kind of roller coaster.”

And see it in a theater; nobody wants to ride that roller coaster alone.”

Ana de Armas agrees the film will deliver for longtime fans of the franchise. “I think they’re going to feel right at home,” she says. “They’re going to see this film and they’re going to feel like it’s a very organic extension of the franchise. It just feels like the perfect way of exploring this world from a different perspective.” 

“Great action and set pieces…It’s just going to be a lot of fun and very exciting all the way through.”

Wiseman shares his appreciation for the action genre, and what he hopes to achieve with the film. “It’s part of a franchise, of course, which is always a bit of a challenge, because I wanted to create something new within that world that we all know. BALLERINA is a new take — a different perspective — exploring a new character’s introduction to that world.”

“Eve is transforming into an assassin, which is a different entry point than we’ve seen before,” Wiseman continues. “I think audiences are going to love how Ana plays Eve, and they’re going to have a great time embarking on this journey with her.”