Catalina Sandino Moreno Stars in New John Wick Spinoff Ballerina

Lionsgate reveals that Catalina Sandino Moreno (Barbarians) will star alongside Ana de Armas (Blonde) in the new John Wick spinoff, Ballerina.

“One of the challenges of casting Ballerina is making sure that the new roles are played by actors with as much power, emotional presence, and physical skill as Ana has,” Producer Erica Lee claims. Lee adds that she had worked with Moreno on John Woo’s revenge Christmas film, Silent Night, and knew Moreno would be at the top of their list.

Oscar-nominated actor Catalina Sandino Moreno has joined the John Wick Ballerina film. https://t.co/iWq0zkcqVD pic.twitter.com/kWurmbKiEi

— ComicBook.com (@ComicBook) December 7, 2022

Moreno is a Columbian actress that was Oscar-nominated for her acting debut in Maria Full of Grace, a film about a teen mom who becomes a drug mule to desperately make ends meet. According to a 2004 review by Roger Ebert, Moreno is a “bright-eyed, charismatic actress who engages our sympathy.” 

In addition, the Silent Night actress starred opposite Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones) and Tom Cullen (Weekend) in Charles Dorfman’s 2021 film Barbarians. She is also known for her work in several series, such as the Epix horror series From and Showtimes’s The Affair. To add to her list of accomplishments, she also garnered a starring role in the HBO series Room 104.

Now, the award-winning actress is set to star in the John Wick female-centric spinoff, Ballerina. This film follows a familiar revenge story of a young female assassin seeking revenge for the deaths in her family. While much of the film’s story and Moreno’s role are kept under wraps, based on Lee’s praise, we can expect an emotional and powerful performance from Moreno.

It will be a blast 🔥🔥#KeanuReeves #JohnWick #Ballerina pic.twitter.com/qZWvsFqkKB

— FandomWire (@FandomWire) December 5, 2022

However, despite the film’s secrecy, Reeves has revealed when Ballerina takes place in the John Wick timeline. He stated the upcoming film “takes place between John Wick Chapter 3 and John Wick Chapter 4.” Since Ballerina will take place in the John Wick universe, it’s exciting to see how the film’s direction will tie into the franchise’s lore and John Wick’s character.

Reeves also adds that Armas’s character is a “woman who has some very difficult circumstances and who’s looking for revenge. ” She had lost her father when she was a child. Thus, her father’s death is shrouded in mystery, except that the killer had a distinct tattoo. “And as we know in John Wick, if you have a tattoo, something’s going on,” Reeves comments.

Keanu Reeves about Ana de Armas’ character in John Wick’s spin-off ‘Ballerina’ :

“Someone killed her father. And so it’s her journey for actually understanding her past. She lost her father at a young age, and she doesn’t really know what happened.” pic.twitter.com/bH4rGE0f1o

— Ana de Armas Daily • fan acc (@anadearmasdaily) December 5, 2022

Ballerina will be directed by Len Wiseman, known for his design talents on blockbuster hits such as Godzilla, Men in Black, and Independence Day. Former writer and producer of Amry of the Dead, Shay Hatten, will write Ballerina’s script.

The film’s ensemble cast features Ian McShane (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum), who will be reprising his role as Winston, the manager of a hotel for assassins, the Continental. In addition, the Addams Family star Angelica Huston returns as “The Director,” a crime lord in charge of the Ruska Roma who had aided John Wick in the third film. Lance Reddick will also join the cast as Charon, one of the Continental hotel’s concierges. 

Fans of the John Wick franchise are sure to be excited about the new film Ballerina. The movie’s new addition to the film, Catalina Sandino Moreno, will surely deliver an impressive performance opposite Anna de Armas. Ballerina will be released to theatres on March 24, 2023. Meanwhile, fans can watch John Wick: Chapter 4‘s trailer below.