John Wick Spinoff Bringing Back Another Franchise Character
Angelica Huston will reprise her role as The Director in the John Wick spinoff, Ballerina.
The John Wick spinoff, Ballerina, has cast another prominent star in Angelica Huston, who is returning to the Keanu Reeves-led franchise as The Director, The Hollywood Reporter recently revealed. Making her debut in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Huston left memorable impressions as the head of the Ruska Roma crime organization, who granted Wick safe passage in the film. According to Erica Lee, a producer on the project, “the idea of Ballerina was formed around the scenes with Anjelica in John Wick 3.”
The John Wick franchise, along with its Ballerina spinoff is a neo-noir action thriller that began with a focus on the character of John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, a former hitman who’s forced to return to the life he left behind. The franchise has led to three sequels, video games, comics, and appearances in other media. A fourth film, John Wick: Chapter 4, is set to be released on March 23, 2023. Reeves has been reported to be reprising his character, John Wick, in the spinoff Ballerina.
From a spec script by Shay Hatten, the John Wick spinoff Ballerina stars Ana de Armas as a skilled woman who must utilize said skills to seek revenge for the murder of her family by assassins. While Ballerina was written from the love Hatten shares of the John Wick universe, Lionsgate sees the potential in expanding the franchise with new stories set in the same world.
Also returning to the John Wick spinoff Ballerina is Ian McShane, known for playing a fantastic villain character in Winston, the manager of the Continental – a hotel for assassins that contains its codes and rules to be followed. When viewers last saw Winston, he appeared to be double-crossing Wick during the finale of John Wick: Chapter 3. While his role in Ballerina hasn’t been detailed, likely, Arma’s character will eventually arrive at the Continental.
Keanu Reeves is slated to return to the John Wick franchise as well in Ballerina. How big of a role the beloved character will play remains unknown, however, as much of the details surrounding the project remains under wraps.
While Huston’s role within the John Wick universe has been recent even with a return in Ballerina, her career spans many decades. Most likely known by viewers today for portraying Morticia Adams in The Addams Family and its sequel Addams Family Values. Additionally, Huston was praised for her performance as the Grand High Witch in Roald Dhal’s The Witches film adaptation.
Her recent projects include voice-over work for Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch while contributing to animated shows such as American Dad and Bojack Horseman. Angelica Huston is the daughter of director and actor John Huston, prima ballerina, and model Enrica Soma, which adds a personal element for Huston in the film.
Huston has long acknowledged that she is prominently known for her acting career, which stems from her father – thus, her Irish roots. Tapping into her mother’s Italian ancestry and profession is something she looks forward to. At 71-years old, she is showing no signs of slowing down as she rejoins the John Wick franchise once again with Ballerina.
