Summary
BallerinaandThe Continentalprove one crucial thing about theJohn Wickspinoffs that the franchise needs to remember. With the success of the Keanu Reeves-led action series, variousJohn Wickspinoffs were announced. The first spinoff to manifest was the TV miniseriesThe Continental, which told the story of how Winston came to run the titular assassin hotel seen throughout the franchise.
The subsequent follow-up is in theaters, withFrom the World of John Wick: Ballerinacontinuing to flesh out the universe with a new protagonist in Ana de Armas' Eve Macarro. The latest movie brings back several actors from the central film series, and the plot takes place parallel to Wick’s revenge-laden mission. More spinoffs and a potential fifth film are planned for theJohn Wickuniverse. However, as their plans move forward,a valuable lesson could be learned from the reception ofBallerinaandThe Continental.
BallerinaProudly Carries OnJohn Wick’sLegacy Of Frantic, Violent Action
Ballerinais directed by Len Wiseman, the man behind theUnderworldfranchise andLive Free or Die Hard. The cast includes de Armas in the lead, with Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, and Keanu Reeves reprising his iconic assassin role. Thestory centers on Eve, raised by the Ruska Roma following her father’s death, with her eyes set on revenge against the group responsible.Ballerinahas seen box office success over its opening weekend, earning positive reviews from critics and audiences enjoying the action outing.
Ballerinasuccessfully embraces whatJohn Wickdoes best with a new character who can hold her own against the universe-spawning assassin.Fans of the franchise have returned for each new installment, eager to see how the action and stunts will continue to push the envelope and audience expectations.Ballerinaperfectly delivers the samefluid martial arts and gunplay with the ease seen inJohn Wick. Furthermore, it utilizes a simple revenge story, much like the setup in the originalJohn Wick, to set the story in motion. While it doesn’t reinvent the formula, it brings fresh elements, including a flamethrower battle and a unique use of ice skates.
The ContinentalFocused On The Wrong Elements OfJohn Wick’sWorld
The Continental, set in the 1970s, stars Colin Woodell as Winston and Ayo Adegun as a young Charon. The cast also includes Jessica Allain, Katie McGrath, Mishel Prada, and Mel Gibson. The story delves deeper into the lore established in theJohn Wickfilms, highlighting Winston’s early years in the unique criminal underworld and how he came to run the New York Continental hotel.
The Continentalreceived average reviews, as critics and audiences found many of the show’s elements to be lackluster. While the series embraced theJohn Wicklore, fleshing out the underworld via Winston’s story, it didn’t deliver the same action as the movies.The Continentalstill featured its own take on stylish fight scenes and gunfights, but it often felt muted by a TV series' hindrances and scope.HardcoreJohn Wickfans can find enjoyment in the world-building, but it doesn’t feature the same level of action most expected. By focusing on the lore over action,The Continentalfailed to capture what makesJohn Wicktruly work.
WhyJohn Wick’sFuture Spinoffs Should Be Exclusively In Movie Theaters
Ballerinasucceeds by building onJohn Wick’slore and delivering the same level of action that the core franchise is known for. While Reeves' screen time helps the movie put its stamp on the universe, it also leaves the film open for a sequel withouttheJohn Wickactor, which solely focuses on de Armas' Eve.Thanks to the budget for a feature film, withBallerinareportedly made for $90 million, the action set pieces deliver on a scale that a TV series cannot.
The Continentalwas reportedly made for $20 million per episode, which shows how far their budget was stretched. Each episode was essentially a 90-minute movie, working with a fraction ofBallerina’sbudget, yet expected to deliver similar thrills.While the series did a great job withJohn Wick’slore, it couldn’t deliver what fans wanted, marking a spinoff that lacked essential elements and left audiences worried about the franchise’s future.Ballerinafurther succeeded by keeping its story relatively simple, withThe Continentalembracing a more complex tale, especially within theJohn Wickfranchise.
For theJohn Wickspinoffs to succeed, they need a budget to embrace the stunts and action fans have come to love.While each spinoff can still flesh out the underworld’s lore, the constraints of TV don’t allow for the needed stuntwork. The future ofJohn Wickneeds to be in theaters, as there are still plans for a spinoff focusing on Donnie Yen’s Caine, who was introduced inJohn Wick:Chapter 4.BallerinaandThe Continentalhave expanded theJohn Wickfranchise with varying degrees of success, proving that bigger budgets and theatrical releases are what the series needs.
