The Continental will soon be accepting more guests.
Lionsgate, the home of the ‘John Wick’ franchise, won a bidding competition two years back for the screenplay ‘Ballerina,’ hoping to turn it into a spin-off in Wick’s stylish universe. Well, that wish has taken one step closer to fruition today, with the announcement of Len Wiseman as director.
Wiseman is coming off of the unfortunately cancelled DC Universe series ‘Swamp Thing,’ and last directed a feature film in 2012, with the remake of ‘Total Recall.’ Other credits include the two films in the ‘Underworld’ franchise and 2007’s ‘Live Free or Die Hard.’
The premise of the spin-off is below:
“‘Ballerina’ focuses on a young female assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family.”
The screenplay is from Shay Hatten, co-writer of ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ and Zack Snyder’s upcoming film ‘Army of the Dead.’
Per Deadline, no other casting announcements have been set, and it is not confirmed yet whether or not Keanu Reeves will make a cameo appearance.
The ‘John Wick’ franchise has thus far seen three installments, with the latest, ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,’ releasing last May and grossing $323 million worldwide. The next installment, tentatively titled ‘John Wick: Chapter 4,’ is currently set for release on May 24, 2021, while Ballerina has no announced release date yet. The spin-off is being fast-tracked, which may suggest a 2020 release.
Source: Deadline