The following contains spoilers for From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, now playing in theatersFrom the World of John Wick: Ballerinahas some fairly obvious reshoots, which contribute to some of the best (and the most frustrating) elements of the film. A spin-off of theJohn Wickfilms,Ballerinafeatures some returning characters like the Director and Winston, but is largely focused on new faces like Eve. Despite this, one of the big draws for some audiences was the announcement that Keanu Reeves' John Wick was part ofthe cast forBallerina.
Although John does play an important (if minor) role inBallerina’s ending, it’s noticeable that John really doesn’t need to be there. That’s because in at least one version of the script, John Wick seemingly wasn’t there. John’s inclusion in the third act ofBallerinaseems to have been a major source ofBallerina’s much-discussed reshoots, which added some more action to the film. While it’s always fun to see John and the action speaks toBallerina’s strengths, these reshoots (and the way they bluntly intersect with the plot result in one of the film’s weaker elements).
Ballerina’s Reshoots Were Used To Increase The Film’s Action
Ballerina’s Third Act Got A Lot More Action Thanks To Some Late Reshoots
Ballerinawent through some pretty big reshoots, adding more of the film’s impressive action while introducing some plot holes into the narrative. TheJohn Wickspin-off was directed by Len Wiseman and features some pretty big set-pieces, including a 1-on-1 duel between Eve and John Wick. However, reports ahead of release suggested that the film had gone through extensive reshoots after production was completed. While this isn’t uncommon, the large interest surroundingBallerinafollowing the success ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4intensified that focus on the film.
As reported byScreen Rant, John Wick franchise director and creative overseer Chad Stahelski spoke about the need for reshoots. Stahelski noted that Wiseman “got Ana and they got the vibe right… [Wiseman] had really no money and time compared to what I had on John Wick: Chapter 4.” However, when the production faced challenges like weather issues,Stahelski and his team came in to assist with the productionand lend their help on the reshoots for a few weeks, helping the film get “some of the bigger shots that it deserved.”
Ballerina’s Reshoots Definitely Increased John Wick’s Role In The Ending
John Was Originally Only Meant To Have A Smaller Appearance In Ballerina
One of the most obvious additions to the film is the increased presence of John Wick. Although John and Eve briefly encounter one another earlier in the film (in a way that cementsBallerina’s placement in theJohn Wicktimeline), the pair now have a fight spurred on by the Director ordering John to kill Eve and prevent a war with the Cult. However, John sympathizes with Eve and not only spares her life, but also helps her fight the Cult from afar as a sniper. As Stahelski explained toTHR, John and Eve’s duel “wasn’t in the original script.”
WhileStrahelski was initially reluctant to bring John Wick backfor the scene, the filmmaker ultimately decided that it was the best way to get extra eyes onBallerinaand help add some momentum to Wiseman’s film. Lionsgate agreed, leading to John Wick’s increased importance inBallerina’s third act.The reshoot nature of the sequence is fairly obvious, as it doesn’t impact much of the overall plotline of the film but adds some new fight scenes, including a well-constructed duel between Eve and John (that is very contained and relatively easier compared to the film’s bigger sequences).
John provides sniper cover for Eve as she tracks down the Chancellor, taking up a spot on a nearby building.This is also a clever way to hide the reshoots in the middle of the already completed action, as Reeves was able to be filmed largely alone (except for a handful of henchmen he dispatches) in a way that still fit into the overall narrative. Although John helps Eve, he’s not crucial to her survival, save for one moment during her flamethrower duel with Dex. As quickly as John arrives, he easily departs the plot afterwards.
Ballerina’s Action Does Benefit Greatly From The Reshot Scenes
Ballerina’s New Action Scenes Are Pretty Fun
The thing about the reshoots inBallerinais that they definitely improved the film. Many of the movie’s biggest defenders (and even some of the harsher critics) agree that the film’s creative approach to action is one of the highlights of the film. There’s a real creativity to the fight scenes, especially once Eve reaches the Cult’s town of Hallstatt.The reshoots were focused on infusing some more action into the film, which is always a welcome addition to a movie likeBallerina.
The addition of John Wick — particularly the way the villains all panic when they realize who he is — is a great moment of levity amid the spectacle of the fight-heavy third act. It also helps tie the two films together closely and underscores how John and Eve work as foils, John’s sympathy for Eve’s plight and eventual decision to assist her, feeling perfectly in-character. The reshoots may be obvious inBallerina, butStahelski and his team helped Wiseman nail theJohn Wicktone and style to stick the landing.
Ballerina’s Reshoots Likely Caused The Film’s Major John Wick Plot Hole
It Doesn’t Make Much Sense How John Shows Up For Ballerina’s Third Act
The problem with the reshot scenes featuring John Wick is that it break the narrative. At this point in the timeline, John Wick has been excommunicated by the Ruska Roma during the events ofJohn Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. That scene is even revisited inBallerina, revealing Eve encountered John as he was leaving. ForBallerina’s climax to work, however,John has to be allied with the Ruska Roma and willing to follow the orders of the Director to kill Eve. In the established continuity, John won’t realign with the Ruska Roma until the events ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4.
[Ballerina] crunches [Eve’s] entire story within a short timeframe to fit into the earlier John Wick timeline.
Even then, John makes peace with his surrogate sister Katia in the German branch of the Ruska Roma instead of returning to the Director. The only way this could fit into the established timeline is if it happened after the High Table made peace with John but before he turned on them by sparing Winston at the Continental. However, that would mean thatthe apparent time-skip that comes between missions for Eveafter her first on-screen assignment was only a matter of days, crunching her entire story within a short timeframe to fit into the earlier John Wick timeline.
The reshoots may have madeBallerinamore entertaining overall, butit also introduced some problems for audiences that just don’t gel with the arc of the John Wick timeline. It complicatesBallerina’s placement in the timeline, also complicating her decision to stay at the Continental, given that it is promptly destroyed inJohn Wick: Chapter 4. It’s something that future films in theJohn Wickseries will have to address, hopefully in a potential sequel toBallerina.
