From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina Plot Summary Ending Explained Review 2025

The film Ballerina, which has garnered fervent global attention, is a new addition to the John Wick universe, showcasing the essence of revenge and female-driven action. Under the slogan “Rougher, Sharper, Break the Rules of Revenge,” it tells the story of the protagonist Eve, who grows up undergoing rigorous training in the assassin-training organization “Ruska Roma,” created by the legendary killer John Wick.

Directed by Len Wiseman, known for the Underworld series, the screenplay and planning involved John Wick series writer Shay Hatten and the production team, meticulously expanding the universe. Lead actress Ana de Armas brings a powerful action performance and exceptional acting, vividly portraying a unique female assassin. Keanu Reeves appears as John Wick, further strengthening the connection to the universe, with a stellar cast including Anjelica Huston and Gabriel Byrne adding depth.

Ballerina captivates audiences with intuitive and precise action scenes, stunning art direction, and cinematography, earning enthusiastic responses not only from existing John Wick fans but also from lovers of action and noir genres. The seamless blend of exceptional martial arts choreography and drama has been praised for opening new horizons in revenge narratives, while the strengthened storyline of a female protagonist has boosted its box office potential.

Filming took place in Eastern European locations like Prague and Budapest, maximizing the mise-en-scène and atmosphere. Production began in Prague in November 2022 and continued until early 2023, followed by post-production and additional shoots, leading to its official release in June 2025. Years of reshoots enhanced its quality, and with an unprecedented scale and budget, this film has established itself as a standalone spin-off in the John Wick series.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina

Korean: 발레리나 2025 | Japanese: バレリーナ: The World of John Wick
Genre: Crime, Action, Thriller, Noir
Director: Len Wiseman | Screenplay: Shay Hatten | Adaptation: –
Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Chad Stahelski, Erica Lee, Shay Hatten, Kaley Smalley Romo, Louis Rosner, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Van Thompson
Cast: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves
Cinematography: Romain Lacourbas | Music: Tyler Bates, Joel J. Richard | Martial Arts: –
Filming Period: November 7, 2022 – February 2023 (including additional shoots)
Production Companies: Summit Entertainment, 87Eleven Entertainment, Thunder Road Films
Distributors: Lionsgate, Pancinema
Release Date: June 6, 2025 (North America)
Runtime: 125 minutes
Production Budget: $90 million
Break-even Point: –
Box Office: $131,357,176 (worldwide box office, as of June 22, 2025)
Rating: Not suitable for minors

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes: 76% Fresh, 92% Audience Score
IMDb: 7.0/10
Metacritic: Critic Score 59/100, User Score 6.6/10

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina Cast

Eve (Ana de Armas): The protagonist, trained rigorously to become a ballerina and skilled killer. Notable works: Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Knives Out (2019), No Time to Die (2021).
Winston (Ian McShane): A key figure in the John Wick series. Notable works: Death Race (1990), John Wick (2014).
John Wick (Keanu Reeves): The legendary killer. Notable works: The Matrix series (1999–), John Wick series (2014–), Constantine (2005).
Madame (Anjelica Huston): Director of the ballerina training institution.
Lance Reddick: Plays a fellow killer and antagonist.
Katla Park – Choi Soo-young: Park Il-sung’s daughter (Girls’ Generation’s Sooyoung makes a brief cameo appearance).
Others: Gabriel Byrne, Norman Reedus, etc.

John Wick Series Overview

It’s been over a decade since the John Wick series began, and it all started, absurdly, because of a pet dog.

John Wick 1 (2014)

Main Villain: Viggo Tarasov (Russian mafia boss)
Plot Summary: Retired legendary killer John Wick, grieving the loss of his wife, lives a quiet life until Russian mafia heir Josef steals his dog and car, igniting his rage for revenge. Viggo tries to avoid John, but John battles the armed organization, kills Josef, and pursues Viggo to eliminate him.

John Wick 2: Reload (2017)

Main Villain: Santino D’Antonio (Italian mafia, High Table executive)
Plot Summary: Following the first film, John seeks peace but is dragged back into the killer world by Santino’s blood oath. Refusing the contract sparks conflict, and after a bloody battle, John eliminates Santino but breaks the rules, getting excommunicated and hunted by assassins worldwide.

John Wick 3: Parabellum (2019)

Main Villain: None (the High Table, Adjudicator, and entire assassin world are enemies)
Plot Summary: Excommunicated, John fights for survival against all killers in New York and Casablanca. He resists the High Table with Winston’s (hotel manager) help but is betrayed, shot, and falls from the hotel, barely surviving.

John Wick 4 (2023)

Main Villain: Marquis de Gramont (High Table’s proxy, acting leader)
Plot Summary: John seeks ultimate freedom by facing the High Table’s powerful Marquis de Gramont. Intense duels with the blind Cain (Donnie Yen) and battles with various assassin groups showcase the pinnacle of the John Wick series’ action.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina

A spin-off starring Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), set between John Wick 3 and John Wick 4.

Cain

A spin-off film exploring Cain’s story from John Wick 4, set before its events.

John Wick 5 (Release Date TBD)

Keanu Reeves returns as John Wick, with Chad Stahelski continuing as director. Lionsgate officially announced production and Reeves’ return at CinemaCon in Las Vegas in April 2025. Currently in script development, despite the hinted death in John Wick 4’s ending, the team is exploring a “time jump” or new narrative for a seamless return.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina plot summary

Eve Macarro lies bleeding in a hospital, holding a spinning ballerina toy. Lost in thought, she recalls the peaceful days with her father, Javier Macarro. One day, armed men raid their home, and Javier hides Eve. He eliminates the intruders, but the leader, the Chairman, appears.

The Chairman claims Javier’s wife was originally from his cult, and her death was caused by Javier taking her away. He forces Javier to choose: commit suicide to ensure Eve’s safety, or kill the Chairman, resulting in both Eve’s and his own death. Javier decides to take his life but pauses at Eve’s call. He eliminates the intruders, escapes with his daughter, and a bomb kills the remaining attackers.

However, Javier collapses from wounds sustained in the fight…

In the hospital, Eve meets Winston Scott, who offers to send her to her father’s family. Agreeing, Winston takes her to the Ruska Roma house, where she meets the Director. There, Nogi explains the myth of Kikimora, a being that can be good or evil depending on the context.

Twelve years later…

After 12 years, Eve has grown into a ballerina and assassin under the Director’s brutal training at Ruska Roma. Years of training with Nogi have honed her martial arts, ballet, and assassination skills, pushing her toes to bleed. Amid grueling days, her only friend, a student named Tatiana, is expelled for not fitting the organization.

One day, legendary assassin John Wick visits Ruska Roma to seek the Director’s cooperation. Eve asks him how to gain real-world experience. John advises that choices are always hers and she must forge her own path. Days later, the Director assigns Eve her first mission: protect a woman named Katla Park. At a club, Eve spots Park Il-sung and his men targeting Katla, defeating them in intense combat with a hammer and safely evacuating Katla.

Two months later, while returning from a mission, Eve crashes into a van. Armed men attack her, but she swiftly subdues them. She notices an X-shaped scar on one’s wrist, identical to the mark of her father’s killer from her childhood. Holding the severed hand, she begs the Director for help, who acknowledges the mark as a cult symbol but refuses aid due to a non-interference pact between Ruska Roma and the cult.

Following clues, Eve heads to the Continental Hotel. She pleads with Winston, presenting the gold coin he gave her at their first meeting. Though hesitant, Winston directs her to track an assassin named Daniel Pine. At the Prague Continental, Eve encounters Pine.

In Pine’s hotel room, she meets his young daughter, Ella. Weapons are briefly drawn, but Eve explains her goal is to find the cult, easing tensions. Meanwhile, in the lobby, Lena contacts the Chairman, who orders Eve’s elimination. With a bounty placed, Pine’s room is invaded by cult members. Eve and Pine use traps to kill one enemy but are overpowered after a fierce fight, and Ella is kidnapped.

Later, Eve awakens tied up with cult members, spared for not directly killing their men. Two others with her are executed. Dragged back to Ruska Roma and imprisoned, Eve meets a mysterious assassin, Petra, in the next cell. Claiming to be Eve in ten years, Petra orders her to assemble a gun and aim at each other within a time limit. In a dramatic moment, Eve shoots first, passing the test. The Director orders her to abandon revenge, but Eve remains resolute.

Eve visits arms dealer Frank. As he explains weapons, cult members attack. In a gunfight, Frank is injured, but Eve defeats them all. Frank reveals the cult is hiding in Hallstatt, Austria’s mountains.

Arriving in Hallstatt, a haven for assassins, Eve is quickly spotted by cult members in a tavern. A desperate brawl and shootout ensue. Bartender Agneta calls for backup. Eve eliminates the enemies, grabs guns and grenades from a basement, but collapses from severe injuries. Her Ruska Roma tattoo is exposed, revealing her identity to the Chairman.

Eve confronts the Chairman and Lena, who is revealed as her long-lost sister. Javier took Eve for a better life, leaving Lena and their family behind, along with resentment and grief over their mother’s death. It’s also revealed that Ella is the Chairman’s granddaughter. Intending to train Ella as a killer, the Chairman locks Eve and Lena together, ordering his men to kill them. A grenade is thrown, and in the explosion, Lena dies, but Eve barely survives.

Enraged, the Chairman calls the Director, declaring Eve’s actions a declaration of war. The Director protests her lack of involvement, but the Chairman warns that if Eve isn’t dealt with by midnight, a full-scale war between the cult and Ruska Roma will begin.

As Eve prepares for the final battle, John Wick appears on the Director’s orders. They fight fiercely, but no clear victor emerges. John grants Eve her sole chance for revenge before midnight.

As midnight nears, the Chairman mobilizes every assassin to hunt Eve. She advances, mowing down enemies with a flamethrower. The Chairman’s right-hand man, Dex, counters with another flamethrower, but runs out of fuel. Eve uses a fire hose to block the flames and breaks through. From a distance, John snipes Dex’s tank, causing an explosion, and Eve seizes the opportunity.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina Ending Spoiler

As the Chairman and his group try to flee with Ella, Eve catches up and eliminates the remaining members. The Chairman rants that killing him won’t change the world, but Eve shoots him in the head without listening. She escapes with Ella. John informs the Director that Eve is alive and the Chairman is dead.

Ella reunites with Pine at the hospital, and Eve hides at the New York Continental before appearing at a ballet theater. Watching Katla dance on stage, Eve faces a harsh reality. Word spreads of a $5 million bounty on her head, and people in the theater check their phones for the alert. Calmly, Eve leaves the theater and continues her path.

Time passes, and during another mission, Eve encounters cult members, reigniting her thirst for revenge. The Director firmly refuses help due to the truce between organizations. Supported by Winston, Eve tracks Daniel Pine, linked to the cult. Cult members kidnap Eve and Pine, taking Ella again.

Ultimately, Eve reaches the cult’s hidden base deep in Hallstatt, Austria. The Chairman uncovers Eve’s identity and Lena’s as her lost sister. Javier’s choice to take Eve and leave Lena in the cult fuels guilt and resentment. To prevent all-out war, the Director sends John Wick to confront Eve in a duel, but Eve is granted time for revenge.

Eve wipes out the Chairman and his men. After killing the Chairman, she returns Ella to her father and, with the truce broken, becomes an enemy of the world, disappearing into the shadows with a bounty on her head.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina Ending explained

Ballerina is not merely a revenge action film but a coming-of-age drama about a female protagonist reclaiming her lost past and establishing her identity. The term “ballerina” symbolizes the combination of ballet’s graceful aesthetics and brutal assassination techniques, representing the contradictions and complexities of human nature.

Distinct from the iconic female action film Kill Bill starring Uma Thurman, Ballerina is a unique John Wick spin-off. As an expansion of the John Wick universe, Eve may appear in some form in John Wick 5 or Cain (a John Wick 4 spin-off). Notably, Ballerina’s timeline is set after John Wick 3 but before the climactic battle of John Wick 4.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina Review

Recently known as Tom Cruise’s girlfriend, Ana de Armas transforms into an action star in Ballerina with Len Wiseman’s signature dynamic action direction. The thrilling combat scenes, sophisticated art direction, and cinematography harmonize, earning praise for the immersive John Wick-style action.

However, the simplistic revenge narrative and predictable plot are somewhat disappointing. For John Wick series fans and action movie enthusiasts, Eve Macarro’s action as a female John Wick is an enjoyable popcorn flick. With a $90 million budget, it’s a blockbuster-scale production for the John Wick series. Notably, a second season of Ballerina was considered during production, but with underwhelming box office results, its future remains uncertain.

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