An action thriller that critics said was an ‘inconsequential’ addition to a blockbuster franchise is now racing up the Amazon Prime charts.
Since first hitting screens in 2014, John Wick has been followed by a subsequent three sequels – Chapter 2 in 2017, Chapter 3- Parabellum in 2019 and Chapter 4 in 2023.
These films have all received critical acclaim, whilst also grossing a massive $1billion (£742million) worldwide.
For the uninitiated, the series stars Keanu Reeves as the titular character, a retired assassin who returns to his old ways after a group of Russian gangsters steal his car and kill his puppy which was given to him by his late wife Helen.
Reviews called it ‘thrilling’ and a ‘satisfying return to action’ for the Hollywood actor – who had previously been best known for starring in The Matrix trilogy.
Despite the loyal following for John Wick, a spin-off released last year failed to reach the same heights.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina was set between the events of the third and fourth films and starred Ana de Armas as a ballerina and assassin Eve Macarro, who takes on an army of killers as she avenges the death of her father.
The cast also included Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick Norman Reedus and Reeves.
After being made on a budget of $90million (£66million), the film grossed $137.2million (£101million).
Despite this, critics and fans were left less than impressed by the latest offering to the franchise.
‘The film delivers all the high-quality, shiny fight sequences fans expect from the franchise — but it forgets to make sure audiences care about its lethal protagonist, so they engage with more than just the cool choreography,’ Digital Journal wrote in its review.
‘This movie is more or less two hours of Eve killing people. The plot is full of holes and the only good lines in the script come when John Wick reappears,’ The Australian shared.
‘That From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is dumb is forgivable. That it is this uninspired is offensive,’ The Reader added.
Meanwhile, viewers said it was ‘thinly written’, ‘a bit of a cliché’ and even ‘unwatchable’.
However, since being released on Amazon Prime Video at the weekend, the film has now topped the charts and is one of the most-watched movies on streaming in the UK right now.
When interviewed by Metro at the time of the female-led film’s release, its director Len Wiseman discussed why it was not deliberately feminist.
‘It’s an action movie with a really powerful and strong lead, and I wouldn’t say so much…,’ he said.
‘I’ve been doing female-driven characters in action really from the beginning of my career,’ he says, referencing his action horror series Underworld that starred his ex-wife Kate Beckinsale. ‘I really don’t put too much of a weight on it, I just think women are strong regardless.
‘So, I’ll say it’s not intentionally, to me it is an action movie with a really kick ass lead that is a female character.’
He then emphasised that lines such as ‘fight like a girl’ – a phrase that recurred in the film and was even the title of the song as the credits rolled – were not an attempt to pander to being a movie making a statement.
‘To put a flip on [fight like a girl] and make that a very powerful thing, rather than a teasing phrase or what have you, that’s absolutely intentional. But I didn’t want it to ever feel pandering to that. Just be real to it,’ he added.
Although some may have been unimpressed with the Ballerina spin-off, John Wick fans will likely see Keanu step back into the starring role down the line.
All the way back in 2020, Lionsgate chief executive Jon Feltheimer confirmed that a fifth film was also being developed.
The last update came in April 2025, when the movie was officially announced at CinemaCon, with Reeves to reprise the eponymous role, while director Chad Stahelski would also return.
The director has already explained that the plot will not feature the High Table, and will instead see Wick facing new threats, after completing his confrontations with the previous organisation.
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