1 Year Later, John Wick's First Action Movie Spin-Off Is Dominating Streaming

Few action brands have been as successful this century as the John Wick franchise. Starring Keanu Reeves as the titular retired hitman who is lured back into the criminal world, the franchise began with the 2014 first installment, which earned a modest $86 million at the global box office. However, it received such a strong audience reaction that a sequel was announced in May 2015. With the sequel doubling the box office haul, it was clear an exciting franchise was on our hands, with John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4 cementing the action IP's place in cinematic history with incredible critics' response and huge box office hauls.

In 2025, the choice to move the franchise into a new era manifested in the form of the first feature film spin-off, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. Reeves is now in his sixties, and being a fast-paced action star is not going to get any easier. So, instead of risking the end of the franchise coming before its time, the ever-brilliant Ana de Armas was chosen to take over the mantle as Eve Macarro, a ballerina-assassin. Taking place between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, Ballerina follows De Armas' Macarra, "who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma."

Sadly, Ballerina was unable to capitalize on the previous theatrical success of the franchise, becoming one of 2025's more disappointing box office flops. Against a reported budget of $90 million, Ballerina grossed only $137.2 million worldwide and put a dent in de Armas' potential to take over the franchise full-time. However, the film has redeemed itself on streaming ever since, officially becoming one of the ten most-streamed movies on Starz in the U.S., at the time of writing.

Who Else Stars in 'Ballerina'?

Directed by Len Wiseman and written by Shay Hatten, this John Wick spin-off didn't just feature the starring talent of de Armas and a notable cameo appearance from Reeves, but it also boasted an eye-catching ensemble, including Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, Gabriel Byrne, Anjelica Huston, and Lance Reddick in his final screen appearance. The film scored 75% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus on the site reading, "Equipping a steely Ana de Armas with creatively brutal action choreography and a pleasingly kooky origin story, Ballerina pirouettes gracefully onto the Wickverse's centerstage."

Ballerina is streaming now on Starz. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.