John Wick 5: Does Ballerina Set Up The Upcoming Sequel?

This article contains spoilers for "Ballerina" and the John Wick franchise.

The head hotshot of "Ballerina," Eve (Ana de Armas), might be able to stand her ground against a cult and its leader (Gabriel Byrne), but it's clear after her tense altercation with a man sent to kill her that she can't get the best of John Wick (Keanu Reeves). At least, not at this point, anyway. As revealed in Len Wiseman's spin-off shoot-'em-up set in the world of the "John Wick" franchise, the story of "Ballerina" takes place between the third and fourth films, long before the showdown the end of "John Wick: Chapter 4." That's a long time for Eve to go it alone and become more of a killer than she already is, perhaps just in time for when the Baba Yaga comes back from the dead for a fifth film.

Confirmed at Cinema Con this year, "John Wick 5" is a go, with Reeves reprising his role as the lethal assassin who loves cars and puppies and putting bullets in the heads of any leather-jacket-wearing henchman that's looking at him the wrong way. At this point, plot details are at a minimum, which is standard, given that the films barely have any (no offense, John). Even so, considering how Eve's exit in her own movie was laid out, the ballerina might have a perfect shot at teaming up with Mr. Wick (real name: Jardani Jovonovich) when he returns, and he might be glad she does.

The ending of "Ballerina" saw Eve entirely removed from the Ruska Roma after disobeying the orders of The Director (Anjelica Huston) and going after her father's killers. Much like how things ended for John in "John Wick: Chapter 2," the gunslinger was alone with a bounty on her head. In a situation as difficult as this, it makes sense for Eve to try and get all the help she can get, which could include a dead man that we're thinking might be back.

Whatever bullet-riddled story John might find himself in next, it'd be a perfect opportunity to bring Eve back into action and reunite with the man who allowed her to complete her mission. When "John Wick 5" picks up, which could be years after the events of "Chapter 4," Eve might have learned a handful more tricks and become more lethal than she already was. It would not only make for a logical crossover for an old ally to help John, but it would suit the trend for the last two films.

From "Parabellum" onwards, the "John Wick" franchise has made an effort to bring big names into the fold, starting with Halle Berry as Sofia and then later with Donnie Yen as Caine, whose characters both formed an uneasy alliance with John in their respective films. Failing that, of course, there might be another route for Eve to take that could find her crossing paths with the aforementioned blind man, who's far more lethal than he appears.

As it stands, "Ballerina" is the first project to be fired off from the batch of spin-offs Lionsgate has in the chamber that they intend to help flesh out for the world of Mr. Wick. An animated prequel, detailing John's "impossible task" that earned his freedom before the events of the first film, is in development, but there's also a standalone film set to center around Donnie Yen's character, Caine, that the legendary martial arts star himself is rumored to direct.

Just like Eve and John, Caine's story will most likely be fueled by vengeance, of which he'll unfortunately be on the receiving end after killing the father of Akira (Rina Sawayama). In that case, it would be a brave and interesting choice to see if Eve, the ostracized kikimora, stops whatever bullets might be heading Caine's way, or if she simply asks the blind man with an edge if he's been in touch with the Baba Yaga lately. If they play this right, Lionsgate could very much build out their growing JWCU with some characters that can either align with or go against John Wick as things develop. What is absolutely sure, though, is that we're going to need more guns (lots of guns), and maybe a fill-up on a flamethrower.