The recently delayed John Wick spinoff movie Ballerina has added two new faces to its cast as it embarks on fresh reshoots. Recently pushed back from June 2024 to June 2025, the upcoming spinoff is set to star Ana de Armas as a dancer-turned-assassin seeking vengeance against the people who killed her family. Set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and before the John Wick: Chapter 4 ending, the movie is also expected to feature appearances by Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, and Anjelica Huston.
Per a new report from Deadline, Ballerina has added The Umbrella Academy’s David Castañeda and Dune: Part 1’s Sharon Duncan-Brewster in undisclosed roles. These latest cast additions come as Ballerina undertakes a series of reshoots to craft whole new action sequences for the movie. Chad Stahelski, director of the main John Wick movies and franchise’s chief architect, is also coming in to assist director Len Wiseman on the reshoots.
While reshoots are a common practice in the movie industry, Lionsgate’s decision to film and insert new action sequences into Ballerina would suggest the movie is destined to undergo some significant changes ahead of its release. Far more than the typical last-minute pickups, the revelation of two new cast members hints at the true scale of work being undertaken by Stahelski and Wiseman to refine the upcoming spinoff.
However, adding two new cast members does not necessarily mean the movie seeks to introduce brand-new characters at the last minute. Instead, it is also possible that Castañeda and Duncan-Brewster could be taking over existing roles from actors unable to commit to this latest round of reshoots. Without further details about whom the actors could be playing, it would be premature to assume their addition points to bigger changes beyond the need to craft new action scenes.
With the existing John Wick movies proving an ever-increasing box office boon for Lionsgate, it is easy to understand their interest in ensuring that Ballerina lives up to the franchise’s other films. Moreover, despite the mixed responses to last year’s The Continental, the amount of effort being put into refining Ballerina is potentially indicative of the studio’s faith in the spinoff’s true potential. With any luck, Ballerina’s newest cast members can help elevate the movie to the same heights as the main John Wick movies.
