Fan-Favorite John Wick Character Confirmed For Spinoff
We are deep in the throes of the franchise era in the cinema; we moved on from musicals and westerns into buddy cop and romantic comedies, and finally beyond raunchy comedies and spoofs. Our new fad in cinema is to make every successful property into a franchise, and the John Wick crew is following that trend with multiple spin-offs, including The Continental and Ballerina. Of course, with any good spin-off, there is overlap between the properties, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, Lance Reddick is making the jump from his role as the concierge, Charon, in John Wick to appearing in Ballerina.
Charon first appeared in John Wick as the concierge of the Continental Hotel’s New York facility, where he expressed pleasure in seeing Keanu Reeves‘ Wick character again. He later showed a personal connection to the assassin when offering to look after his dog when the establishment does not provide boarding services. He also shows a deep loyalty to Winston (Ian McShane) when he stands by him, and assists John Wick in defending the hotel from destruction when ordered by The Adjudicator, putting his own life on the line to protect his two friends.
Lance Reddick’s character takes his name, Charon, from the ancient mythological being that ferries the dead across the river Styx, being paid by coins for the service. Given that coins are used in the underworld assassin organization and his ability to use the weapons in John Wick 3: Parabellum, he may be more than just a concierge. It isn’t a stretch to think that he used to be a former assassin like John Wick and graduated to a quieter life in the best way he could.
The newest film in the John Wick franchise, Ballerina, stars Ana De Armas as a member of the ballet house featured in the third installment. While it was clear that Anjelica Huston served as the leader of the opera house, it was also apparent that the ballet was a cover for training assassins and where John Wick hailed from originally. There isn’t much known about the spin-off so far, but we do know that the story will center around De Armas’ character seeking revenge, following her parents’ murder at the hands of assassins.
Another thing we know for sure is that more of the cast is returning to the fold in addition to Lance Reddick, including Keanu Reeves, Angelica Huston, and Ian McShane. The four pillars of the original trilogy (which is expected to keep expanding) are certain to bring consistency to the spin-offs, making it one of the more cohesive franchises out there. Ana De Armas is also no stranger to franchises, as she showed her physical prowess in Daniel Craig’s final James Bond film, No Time to Die, which has only heightened fans’ anticipation for her performance.
Lance Reddick most recently appeared in the Netflix zombie game adaptation Resident Evil and has ten projects coming up, including John Wick 4 and Ballerina. He is known for a commanding presence aided by a deep voice and a somehow calming demeanor. No matter how big or small his appearance is, it isn’t a John Wick movie without Reddick.
