Ana De Armas' R-Rated Thriller With 75% On Rotten Tomatoes Deserves Its Streaming Success

Although Ballerina is part of the John Wick franchise, Ana de Armas’ spinoff earned all its streaming success independently. When Keanu Reeves made 2014’s John Wick, it is unlikely that the actor could have guessed just how big an impact the stylish revenge thriller would have on the action genre in years to come.

Reeves was rebounding from a string of high-profile flops, including 47 Ronin, Man of Tai Chi, and Knock Knock, when he took on a fun standalone thriller that ended up becoming the 21st century’s greatest action series to date. Without the success of the influential John Wick, a plethora of projects could not have happened, including Bullet Train and Atomic Blonde.

What Is Ballerina About?

However, the John Wick universe has also spawned plenty of official spinoffs, prequels, and other projects. Released in 2025, Ballerina is a John Wick interquel that takes place between the events of 2019’s second sequel, John Wick: Parabellum, and 2023’s acclaimed final conclusion, Chapter 4. Ana de Armas stars as Eve Macarro.

An aspiring ballerina, Eve is forced to instead become a deadly assassin to avenge the murder of her crime boss father. Like John Wick before her, Eve takes on scores of deadly assassins as she tries to take down the Cultists responsible for her father’s death. Ballerina’s stacked supporting cast includes Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, and the late Lance Reddick.

Ballerina Is A Worthy Successor To John Wick

While the cast of Ballerina is impressive, and stars like Ian McShane and Norman Reedus also appear in minor roles, the spinoff's appeal extends beyond its starry lineup. The movie recreates the best of the John Wick franchise’s slick but frenetic action, with seasoned director Len Wiseman perfectly capturing de Armas’ lethal efficacy.

After already impressing with a scene-stealing role in No Time To Die, de Armas acquits herself in the role of Eve with ease. Her performance bends the steely intensity of a cold-blooded killer with the grace of a ballerina, offering viewers a tragic glimpse of the life Eve might have led if she hadn’t been dragged into a bloody battle for vengeance.

What Ana De Armas Is Doing Next

Although de Armas’ Ballerina did underperform at the box office upon release, the spinoff was hardly an outright financial flop. As such, the actor’s upcoming roles remain exciting. According to Deadline, de Armas was in talks to join director Grant Singer’s Reenactment in November 2025.

Singer’s most recent movie, Reptile, was a Netflix hit that starred Benicio del Toro, and Reenactment is set to reunite the director with del Toro alongside Cameron Diaz and, pending talks, de Armas. Between Ballerina and No Time To Die, de Armas has more than proven her mettle in the action thriller genre, meaning this could be a perfect follow-up to her John Wick spinoff.