Ana de Armas takes center stage as Eve Macarro in
“From the World of John Wick: Ballerina,”
making fans question exactly how her assassin story lines up with the established events of the John Wick universe. As the latest spin-off expands the John Wick saga, the film crafts intense connections to key characters like John Wick, portrayed by Keanu Reeves, all while threading new complexities into the franchise’s timeline.
Ballerina’s Storyline Weaves Through the Events of John Wick: Chapter 3
“Ballerina” immerses viewers in a period running alongside
“John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,”
before pushing forward closer to the timeline of “John Wick: Chapter 4.” In Parabellum, John Wick faces excommunication from the High Table—the secret criminal council—leaving him hunted by assassins globally. In a tense moment, John uses his last safety net: a ticket with the Ruska Roma crime family, led by The Director, which grants him desperate sanctuary even as a marked man.
In “Ballerina,” this critical sequence expands. Eve Macarro seeks John’s advice before he departs the Ruska Roma’s balletic, deadly enclave. Eve, portrayed with both vulnerability and ferocity by Ana de Armas, looks to John for guidance as she contemplates stepping deeper into the world of professional killers. She asks him how to truly become part of the assassin underworld, but John offers a word of caution—he sees in her the signs of someone who already walks that path.
“It looks like you already have.”
—Keanu Reeves as John Wick
Despite John’s acknowledgment, he urges Eve to reassess her choices before it’s too late. The film then jumps forward, showing Eve in conflict with a murderous cult responsible for her father‘s death—a group her mother was a part of, and from which she herself was spared only by her father’s actions. The Director, feeling the threat from the cult, orders Eve to stand down, hoping to avoid an all-out war that could engulf the Ruska Roma.
When Eve persists, defying her mentor’s commands, The Director sends John Wick to intervene—her instructions ambiguous, leaving room for John to either convince Eve to stop or eliminate her. A climactic confrontation with the cult’s leader, the Chancellor, played by Gabriel Byrne, sees John and Eve teaming up rather than fighting each other. Their combined effort ends in the Chancellor’s death, which The Director ultimately accepts as a solution to the impending crisis.
Challenges and Contradictions in the John Wick Continuity
While John Wick’s role alongside Eve is a thrilling element for fans, it creates confusion in terms of how the timeline fits within the established lore of the franchise. In Parabellum, John’s flight from New York to Casablanca seems almost immediate, leaving little time for side missions. Yet “Ballerina” suggests months pass between events, raising questions about how John’s presence in Eve’s story fits the sequence of his own journey.
One possible explanation is that John’s involvement with Eve happens after he regains favor with the Ruska Roma in Chapter 4—perhaps as a condition for being allowed to challenge the High Table’s Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont, played by Bill Skarsgård. For this to work, fans must imagine that the theater encounter and Eve’s mission run parallel to John’s other tasks, such as eliminating Killa Harkan, portrayed by Scott Adkins. However, the rapid succession of events in the main films makes this hard to support, as John moves quickly from one high-stakes confrontation to the next.
Alternatively, the events of “Ballerina” might be placed after Chapter 4, especially as the confirmed development of Chapter 5 suggests John survives his apparent death. Yet, the character’s arc at the end of Chapter 4—earning his freedom through fatal wounds—conflicts with him returning as an operative, even reluctantly, in the criminal underworld. This undermines the emotional weight and purpose of his journey thus far.
The spin-off’s continuity questions aren’t limited to John Wick. Characters like Winston Scott, portrayed by Ian McShane, and Charon, played by Lance Reddick, reappear to aid Eve in her quest following the film’s time-jump. The timing of their involvement is equally puzzling, as it would need to occur after Winston reasserts himself as manager of the New York Continental Hotel, but before the tragic events that befall Charon in Chapter 4.
Despite these complexities, Ana de Armas’ compelling portrayal of Eve draws viewers in, keeping attention on her struggles and choices rather than on the puzzling details of franchise timelines. The presence of established actors—such as Anjelica Huston as The Director, Gabriel Byrne as the Chancellor, and Halle Berry connecting as Sofia—reinforces the expanding John Wick universe, but the precision of its chronology remains elusive.
The Impact of Ballerina on the John Wick Universe
Ballerina signals a major extension of the John Wick franchise, highlighting new faces like Ana de Armas and weaving in recurring figures such as Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, and Anjelica Huston. Though its integration into the established timeline is imperfect, the film offers a gripping narrative about destiny, loyalty, and the cost of vengeance.
As the series moves forward, audiences will watch how future installments resolve these inconsistencies, especially with upcoming entries like an animated feature and the anticipated Chapter 5. Eve’s journey, backed by the intensity of Ana de Armas’ performance and her ties to familiar characters like John Wick, ensures that the John Wick franchise will continue to explore new stories and expand its dark, stylish world. The evolution of Ana de Armas’ role in Ballerina and her place within the John Wick timeline remains a focal point for devoted fans as this cinematic world grows ever more intricate.
