BALLERINA: Len Wiseman may Direct Shay Hatten’s Script for JOHN WICK’s Spin-off Film

John Wick Spin-off Film Ballerina in the Works

The John Wick film franchise has been a massive surprise hit for those involved. It put directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch on the map as directors in Hollywood and gave Keanu Reeves a new series of films to star in.

With John Wick approaching its fourth film, the creative team behind it are wisely looking towards the moment when the franchise comes to a successfully end yet its world continues. A spin-off involving the “ballerinas” of the Russian underworld that utilizes the Continental hotels is one means to that end.

John Wick used his Russian wrestling training in killing people as a paid assassin. I can only imagine that a ballerina version, studying at the same “school” but in a different branch, would use her ballerina skills in a similar lethal fashion.

Discussions are already under way for Ballerina. A screenplay for the potential film has already been written by Shay Hatten. Len Wiseman ‘s name has come up to direct the film.

Ballerina‘s plot synopsis: the film “involves a young woman who is raised to be an assassin, pursuing revenge on the hit men who killed her family.”

The film will follow the same ballerina previously played by New York City Ballet Soloist Unity Phelan in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Whether Phelan will be able to reprise that role in the spin-off film remains to be seen.

Unity Phelan John Wick Chapter 3 Parabellum Photo

Unity Phelan John Wick Chapter 3 Parabellum

Stahelski recently said this about Ballerina during an interview:

Question: It’s since been reported that Ballerina has a director in Len Wiseman and maybe even a star in Chloë Grace Moretz. What can you say at this point?

I’m a producer on Ballerina, and Len’s name came up; I think Basil Iwanyk, who’s the main producer on Ballerina, brought it up. I actually have known Len for a while. I worked for him when he was directing Live Free or Die Hard. I worked for him as a stuntman on the show. So, I met him a while ago, and I love Len. He’s very creative. He’s a very visual director. He has a great sense of style. It was very interesting. I think Len had contacted Basil about it and said that he’s got a take. I think he had read Ballerina first. You’d have to check with Len, but I think he’d read a version of Ballerina and somehow got it in his head. He had a take that he wanted to pitch to Basil about how Ballerina fit into the John Wick world and how he could really spin it and put his taste on it. So, Basil and Thunder Road heard the pitch, and they wanted me to hear it. So, I went to dinner with Len, and he pitched me on his ideas and what he wanted to do with it. I already think he’s a really good director, and I think he gets the tone. I think he understands action, and I think he’s got a good visual style. And right off the bat, I was like, “Oh, we’ve got to get this guy. He gets it.” So, right now, I know that him and Shay are developing Ballerina. I’m not exactly sure what stage it’s at, but it’s something I know that both Lionsgate, Thunder Road and myself would like to see happen sooner rather than later. And from what I’ve heard recently, they’ve got a good angle on it and they’re actively developing.

Question: Is there an understanding that the Wickian brand of action design will be upheld?

The director has a lot to do, especially someone as stylistic and as good as Len is. Having him on board and approaching some of the action design from a slightly different perspective, meaning the set pieces, the character involvement, how and what he wants to do during the action sequences, makes it kind of fresh. So, we’re not just copying ourselves over and over again with gun-fu or something like that. And because the character is different, we’re going to get a different take on things. But as far as the level, the competence or the style of action? Yes. I plan to be there to assist whenever I can. And our 87eleven stunt team will be very actively involved in helping Len in all his action needs.

Personally, I would rather see an actual ballerina in the role like Phelan or Sarah Hay, than a Hollywood actress.

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