The head of the ballerina assassins from the John Wick universe will appear in the movie about the ballerina assassins from the John Wick universe, with The Hollywood Reporter confirming that Anjelica Huston will reprise her role as The Director in the Ana de Armas-starring spin-off Ballerina. Huston’s character was introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum as one of the few people left in the assassin underworld who was still willing to let Keanu Reeves’ Wick cash in a favor, with Huston appearing as the head of a Russian crime family who also trains young women to become murderous ballet dancers. The last time we saw her, she was getting her hands stabbed as punishment for helping John (who she calls Jardani, which is his real name, meaning the two have some kind of important relationship). Ana de Armas will presumably be one of The Director’s ballet dancers, since she’s the star of the movie and the movie’s called Ballerina, and it’s about her using her assassin skills to avenge an attack on her family.
In addition to Huston, we know Ian McShane will also reprise his role from the John Wick movies, returning as formerly trustworthy hotel mogul Winston (though we don’t know when in the canon this movie takes place, so maybe it’s before he double-crosses John Wick). Speaking of Mr. Wick, he might also find some time to stop by, but that’s still unconfirmed. If he’s involved—and how—will also be an important element of when this takes place in the canon of the other films, since the previous movies have pretty clearly established his entire timeline from the moment his puppy was killed to the moment he allied himself with the Bowery King at the end of Chapter 3 (though John Wick 4 is going to come out before this one does).
And speaking of someone being named The Director, Ballerina will be directed by Len Wiseman from the Underworld series of films, which we still do not understand. But whatever, we’re getting used to it. Maybe it won’t be that weird.