The first action-packed trailer for John Wick spin-off film Ballerina has got fans asking the same question about Keanu Reeves' iconic hitman

The Baba Yaga is back – and there’s a very obvious explanation as to why

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Full spoilers follow forJohn Wick 4.

John Wick is back! Well, sort of. You see, the first trailer forBallerina, the next spin-off project set in theJohn Wickuniverse, will see Keanu Reeves' iconic hitman make a surprise return to the big screen.

Confused? Don’t be. I’ll explain more about how and why everyone’s favorite gun-fu master will feature in the forthcoming Ana de Armas-led action film later. Hey, this isn’t a movie centered on Wick himself, so why allow him to steal the spotlight in this article?

Anyway – yes, the first trailer forBallerina: From the World of John Wickis here, and it looks every bit as thrilling, action-packed, and dramatically character-driven as the franchise’s first four films. You can check out the inaugural teaser for one of next year’snew movies– it’s set to debut in theaters on June 6, 2025 – below:

I can’t speak for everyone, but it looks very impressive from where I’m sitting. Indeed, I was quite disappointed that we didn’t see more of de Armas taking names and kicking ass in 2021’sNo Time to Die, aka the final time Daniel Craig inhabited the role of legendary spyJames Bond, or inThe Gray ManonNetflix. I didn’t watch the Cuban-Spanish actress beat up guys left, right, and center inApple TV Plus' malignedGhostedmovie, either, because I heard it wasn’t very good. So, I’m eager to see de Armas prove she’s got the mettle to deliver the goods as the main attraction in an action flick.

But enough of my fawning – what’sBallerinaabout? Here’s a brief plot synopsis, courtesy of a Lionsgate press release: “Taking place during the events ofJohn Wick: Chapter 3–Parabellum, the film follows Eve Macarro (de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.”

Not a lot to go on, then, but the trailer suggests Macarro will embark on her own revenge-fuelled mission to track down those who murdered her family. She says as much in the movie’s first teaser, so expect lots of bone-breaking, bullet-laced, and improvised action throughout.

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How is John Wick alive in Ballerina?

Okay, so back to the question on everyone’s lips: what’s Wick doing inBallerina? After all, the final moments ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4implied that the titular hitman died after his tear-jerking and suspense-filled duel with Donnie Yen’s Caine.

The short answer is thatBallerinais a pre-sequel. As Lionsgate’s story brief reveals, its narrative runs concurrent to the one depicted inJohn Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Obvious as it is to say, but Wick is still alive and kicking at this point on theJohn Wicktimeline, which is why he’s able to make a cameo appearance in the de Armas-fronted spin-off film.

Reeves' Wick isn’t the only fan-favorite character we’ll see again inBallerina. The late Lance Reddick, who passed away in March 2023, will also make his final big-screen appearance as Charon, the concierge of the New York branch of global hitman safehouses known as collectively as The Continental. Ian McShane’s Winstone, who manages The Continental New York, is also returning for this spin-off flick. Joining de Armas and the aforementioned trio in Ballerina are Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus.

Ballerinais the firstJohn Wickfilm offshoot we’ll see, but it isn’t the franchise’s first spin-off. Indeed, that wasThe Continental, a three-part miniseries that debuted onPeacock(US) andPrime Video(internationally) in late 2023.

Unfortunately,The Continental: From the World of John Wickwasn’t as great as I’d hoped. You can read more about why that’s the case in myreview ofThe Continental, or see how the prequel show tried to do something different bytrading in John Wick’s signature gun-fu for expressive “disco noir”.

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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.

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