In the new John Wick spinoff Ballerina, the presence of Keanu Reeves feels like a security blanket of sorts. Without a guarantee that audiences would buy into a new movie within the canon following a new protagonist,

We'll give you a heads-up when we get there.) Chronologically, Ballerina takes place during the events of John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum. As previously reported, Parabellum found Wick declared excommunicado from the High Table for killing crime lord Santino D'Antonio on the grounds of the Continental.

Standing out as the first John Wick spin-off film is an unenviable challenge on paper—especially given the series’ hyper-stylization and unwavering association with Keanu Reeves, its beloved leading man.