‘Ballerina’ Test Screening Reports: Ana de Armas Delivers Comic-Accurate Black Widow Performance

The test screening of the John Wick spinoff ‘Ballerina‘ — starring Ana de Armas — happened on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

Following the screening, insiders have hinted at a positive reception for the film. Based on test-screening reactions, de Armas’ performance in ‘Ballerina’ is described as “the closest assassin story we will ever get to a comic-accurate Black Widow.”

Also, they commented that the film will mark the Academy Award nominee’s first top-billing role in a blockbuster film.

Here’s the plot synopsis of Ballerina:

“A dancer-assassin named Rooney (de Armas) seeking vengeance for the murder of her family, takes places between the third and fourth Wick movies.”

‘Ballerina’ Trailer Debuts at CinemaCon 2024 (Details)

During the presentation at CinemaCon 2024, Lionsgate screened a new trailer for ‘Ballerina’. In it, de Armas’ assassin makes short work of several assailants, torching a truck with a flamethrower, leaping from moving vehicles, and engaging in brutal hand-to-hand combat in a burning building.

Directed by Len Wiseman and written by Shay Hatten, Michael Finch, and Emerald Fennell, the movie is the second spin-off in the John Wick series. It’s set between ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ (2019) and ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ (2023).

The film stars de Armas as Rooney, seeking revenge and protected by Winston and Charon; Anjelica Huston as ‘The Director’; Keanu Reeves as legendary hitman John Wick on the run from the High Table; Gabriel Byrne as the main antagonist; Lance Reddick as Charon; Catalina Sandino Moreno; Norman Reedus, Ian McShane reprising his role as Winston Scott, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, and David Castañeda.

In a recent interview with ScreenRant, producer Basil Iwanyk revealed how ‘Ballerina’ was improved by ‘Promising Young Woman’ and ‘Saltburn’ writer/director Emerald Fennell.

Iwanyk said, “Yeah, listen, we hired Emerald. I think Shay Hatten wrote a really cool script, right? Really, really cool script. He’s a terrific writer. This was the first script he ever wrote. He wrote it when he was like 22. I don’t know if you’ve ever met him, he looks like he’s 14. And we got his script to a certain point, we bring in Ana, and our promise to Ana was always at a certain point when we get the structure right and the action, we want to bring in a female writer in, because it’s not… What we don’t want, and this is important. We don’t want an action movie where we just took a male character, put in a female, and then just call it a day. We wanted this character to feel real, to feel feminine, to feel she wasn’t sexless, but she wasn’t objectified sexually. She wasn’t someone who doesn’t smile.”

McShane told Variety, that ‘Ballerina’ is a very different John Wick film. They’ve added three scenes from ‘The Continental’ show.

McShane said, “‘Ballerina’ is very different.” McShane added, “We had these three scenes, and we added another couple of scenes at the Continental.” He attributes his willingness to make suggestions with Winston to the confidence that Stahelski has placed in him throughout the series. “Chad trusts me with knowing my character, so I try to bring a little twist to it each time.”

Based on characters by Derek Kolstad, ‘Ballerina’ is produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Chad Stahelski, with production companies Summit Entertainment, Thunder Road Films, and 87North Productions.

‘Ballerina’ will hit theaters on June 6, 2025, by Lionsgate.

RELATED: John Wick: Chapter 5 Is In Development At Lionsgate