Keanu Reeves Producing a Female-Led John Wick Spinoff
Six months after John Wick Chapter 3 was released, Lionsgate announced there will be a female-led spin-off for the film franchise.
The spin-off that will be directed by "Underworld" and "Live Free or Die Hard" director Len Wiseman.
Keanu Reeves will reportedly by the executive producer of the new film, with Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee and Chad Stahelski as co-producers.
The movie, being called 'Ballerina,' is set as a new action film about a ballerina who also grew up to be an assassin. Unity Phelan played the character of a ballet soloist based in New York City in the previous John Wick film.
The said character is looking for revenge after the murder of her family. She is a product of the same academy where we have met John Wick for the first time. The character's training hub was already showed during John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, and that is only what the viewers know so far.
The decision to create a female John Wick spin-off film was first announced in 2017. According to Variety, the current action script by 25-year-old Shay Hatten, who is the same writer behind the previous John Wick film, is being compared to the 1990's 'La Femme Nikita.'
Hatten worked on the script while also doing business for Robert Downey Jr.'s Team Downey. Lionsgate also started the project by getting a 'yes' from Basil Iwanyk, John Wick's franchise producer.
In 2017, Hatten handed the 'Ballerina' script to Lionsgate, but there is no update yet on when the production and shooting of Ballerina will begin.
Currently, Reeves has been linked to the reboot of 'Matrix' and to 'The Continental,' another John Wick spin-off series about the place where international assassins gather. These films are expected to premiere not until the release of John Wick Chapter 4 in May 2021.
Chad Stahelski, the director of the 'John Wick' franchise, is also joining on the Executive Producers team. Stahelski will also be part of 'The Continental' behind the scenes.
John Wick's cameo in Ballerina is not yet confirmed, but his participation as Keanu Reeves behind the camera is already being looked forward to after grossing more than $323 million worldwide in his recent John Wick Film. The previous movie has also become Lionsgate's highest-grossing movie in more than five years.
Recently, Reeves was rumored to be casted for the Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. People have been talking how Reeves might get to be the actor in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' next to Benedict Cumberbatch.
DC is also reportedly trying to cast the actor back for the sequel of 'Constantine.' However, whatever role he might receive in the future, Reeves' schedule is full-packed as of this moment.
Meanwhile, Stahelski said in an interview that they are currently brainstorming for a more creative element to make the show even more unique than the previous John Wick spin-offs. They have confirmed that the movie is already in progress.
Casting is still not yet known, but the fact that 'Ballerina' already has Wiseman as the director and Reeves as one of the producers makes it already worth the wait.
