Norman Reedus is the Latest Addition to ‘John Wick’ Spin-Off ‘Ballerina’
The ‘Walking Dead’ star’s role is unknown for now, but he’ll be sharing the screen with Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston and more.
Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in AMC's 'The Walking Dead.'
Unlike the usually frenetic pace of the ‘John Wick’ movies themselves, the pace of information about casting for the in-production movie spin-off film ‘Ballerina’ has been more of a slow, consistent drip feed.
And the latest word on the ensemble is that ‘The Walking Dead’ mainstay Norman Reedus is now aboard.
“We’re huge fans of Norman, and we’re confident that the fans will be just as excited as we are that he’s joining the ‘Wick’ universe,” producer Erica Lee. “He’ll make an incredible addition to ‘Ballerina.’ ”
Nothing is known yet about exactly what role Reedus will be filling, but the movie stars ‘No Time to Die’ and ‘Knives Out’ actor Ana de Armas as the title character.
Len Wiseman, better known for the likes of the ‘Underworld’ franchise and ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, is in the director’s chair for the movie, which has a script from 'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ co-writer Shay Hatten.
‘Ballerina’ will follow the Ballerina character glimpsed briefly (and there played by Unity Phelan) in ‘Parabellum’ and tracks a young assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family. Which does feel apt for something set in John Wick’s world.
Ian McShane in 'John Wick: Chapter 2'
So far, the movie’s cast has started to feel like a reunion for ‘Wick’ performers, as several veterans of the main film series are confirmed to be showing up. Ian McShane, for example, will be back as Winston, the manager of the Continental hotel, part of the chain of luxury facilities which offers accommodation and assistance to assassins such as John Wick.
Lance Reddick is once more playing Charon, the concierge of the main Continental in New York, while Anjelica Huston will show up as the Director, the head of the Ruska Roma crime organization who raised Wick and trains young women like the Ballerina.
More recently, ‘Maria Full of Grace’s Catalina Sandino Moreno has also boarded the movie, though like Reedus, she’s a new character in the story.
And talking of John Wick, the Keanu Reeves character who kicked (and punched and shot) it all off, is reportedly making a cameo in the new film.
Many of the ‘Wick’ regulars will also show up in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, which is much further along. ‘Ballerina’ has yet to chalk up a release date, while ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ is headed our way on March 24th next year.
As for Reedus, he recently wrapped up a 12-year run on ‘The Walking Dead’, the zombie-crammed survival series that became a massive pop cultural sensation. He hasn’t left that world completely behind, though, as he’s filming a spin-off series focused on his character, Daryl Dixon.
Movie-wise, he’s part of the cast for Jeff Nichols’ new movie, ‘The Bikeriders’, which also features Tom Hardy, Austin Butler and Michael Shannon. That one has been shooting since October but doesn’t yet have a release date on the books.
Anjelica Huston to reprise her role as the Director, starring opposite Ana de Armas in 'Ballerina,' the new film set in the 'John Wick' universe. Photo: Lionsgate.
