Whenever a studio pushes back a release date, there’s an assumption that the movie in question has problems. Sometimes a movie is shifted on the release schedule to avoid bigger competition, and sometimes feedback at test screenings results in heading back into production to get things just right. The latter appears to be the case with the John Wick spinoff Ballerina, now being presented as From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. Initial press suggested that producer and captain of the John Wick franchise, Chad Stahelski, was coming in to shoot additional scenes to ramp up the film’s action, but a new report seems to be indicating that Stahelski may have reshot most of the film, which was ostensibly directed by Len Wiseman.
According to a report from The Wrap, which is analyzing Lionsgate and its troubled year at the box office, it’s suggested that the reason given for the Ballerina’s delay, which was slated to open over the summer before being moved to June 2025, may not have been entirely accurate. At the time of the delay, it was reported that Stahelski, who spearheaded the first four John Wick movies, was brought in to just shoot additional action scenes. However, according to the new report, citing three insiders familiar with the production, Stahelski reshot most of the film because Wiseman’s cut just didn’t live up to the standards of the franchise. The reshoots took place in Prague over two to three months, and Wiseman wasn’t on set for any of them, according to the report.
Due to the length of the shoot, Stahelski had to delay development on Highlander, a revival of the cult-classic ’80s fantasy franchise. That project was announced to solid fanfare from fans of Stahelski’s work on the John Wick series, but he also has another job within the Keanu Reeves-led franchise, as he’s been tasked with overseeing all the John Wick IP, including any potential sequels or spinoffs. The IP and its integrity are so important, given the positive reception and growth of the first four films, that the studio reportedly can’t risk Ballerina flopping, even if that means a bit of a delay in Stahelski’s other projects. As one insider put it, “Chad is going to do Highlander, but cleaning up Ballerina pushed him by five months for sure.”
The John Wick Franchise Has Action-Standards to Live up to
It’s possible that Stahelski, should this report be true, initially thought he was coming in to film additional scenes, but this shifted when viewing Wiseman’s first cut as a whole. Choosing Wiseman was likely done for good reason, given that he has action film experience due to his work with the Underworld franchise, Live Free or Die Hard, and the Total Recall remake. That being said, the John Wick franchise has set a new action movie standard, and it may have been something that was outside of Wiseman’s depth, and Stahelski was tasked with getting it back on track. As of now, this is all speculation, since the studio and those who worked on the film have yet to comment on the new report, but given the big delay, there could be truth to it.
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Living up to the John Wick standard is something actor Ian McShane, who portrays Winston in the series, commented on when he was asked about Ballerina’s delay soon after it happened. At the time, the actor said, “It’s not reshoots, it’s new shoots. They’re shooting for Ballerina, which is the spinoff with Ana de Armas of the John Wick franchise. You know, it’s like they’ve got to protect the franchise. And obviously I did it, when was it? We did it about a year ago, we did the movie Ballerina and they’ve looked at it, and Chad’s [Stahelski] come in, the guy who directed all the John Wick movies, and they want to make it better. Because they have to protect it.”
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is a spinoff that is set between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. Ana de Armas portrays Eve Macarro, a ballerina and assassin who sets out on a mission to avenge her father’s death after she trains in the traditions of the Ruska Roma. In addition to de Armas, the film also stars Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves.
- Release Date
- June 7, 2024