Posted in: Lionsgate, Movies | Tagged: Ballerina, ian mcshane, john wick

Ballerina: Ian McShane Is Pretty Bummed His Fight Scene Got Cut

Don't even talk to Ballerina star Ian McShane about the fight scene between him and Ana de Armas that was cut from the film; he's not happy about it.

Is it June yet? Because Ballerina needs to be here and in front of our eyeballs as soon as possible. We're still learning things about the first big screen spin-off to the John Wick films, and the movie is still, unfortunately, six months away. However, this is also one of Lionsgate's biggest franchises, so you know they will make sure this movie is promoted a ton. Maybe that's why we already have quite a bit of stuff floating around out there, even though the movie is still months away. Most of it is from an interview conducted during CCXP last month, where the film had a panel, and Collider got to speak to Ian McShane and Ana de Armas. They were talking about favorite fights or scenes, and de Armas mentioned that one of their fight scenes got cut from the movie, and McShane was not happy about it.

"We don't talk about that. I'm furious," McShane replied. "They cut one of my fight scenes. But my scenes are dialogue fight scenes. We have a scene where you try to get information from me, and that's like getting blood out of a stone, as we say, trying to get Winston to give anything away. So, in a sense, it's a fight scene with dialogue, which you only accept after you know that I'm on your side."

McShane's Winston has been a staple of the John Wick universe since he appeared in the first movie over ten years ago. Since then, his mysterious character and the Continental Hotel have been pieces of worldbuilding where we learn something new every film while also feeling like we know almost nothing about them. Some of those questions were answered in the show, but it's unclear whether or not A: that is still considered canon or B: if canon is a thing that exists or even matters in this universe. Either way, McShane is one of the best parts of the John Wick universe, and bringing in someone like him for a role in Ballerina, no matter how big or small, is a great way to make the film feel like it's part of this established world.

Ballerina Is The First Big Screen Spin-Off Of John Wick

It's still a little amazing that John Wick, the action movie in 2014 where the only real notable thing about it was that they managed to snag Reeves as its leading man, has turned into the franchise juggernaut it is today. That is what happens when you have good people working on a film from the beginning because it would have been easy for John Wick to fade into obscurity with a ton of other disposable action movies. However, the creative team of director Chad Stahelski and screenwriter Derek Kolstad took the time to build a fascinating world around that action movie. The world of John Wick is the thing that everyone fell in love with on top of the fact that Reeves is the best at this.

So it wasn't surprising that a sequel was greenlit, and it was even less surprising that in 2017, it was announced that a spin-off film and television show were in the works. The Continental focused on the hotel that plays a central part in the assassin world that John Wick moves in, and Ballerina will be something different. Len Wiseman was brought on to direct, with Wiseman & Shay Hatten, and Emerald Fennell working on the screenplay. Hatten also has a story credit. The cast includes de Armas and returning John Wick players Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston, and Lance Reddick. We also have some new faces, including Norman Reedus, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Gabriel Byrne. A brief summary has been released, "Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the film follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma." From The World of John Wick: Ballerina is set to be released on June 6, 2025.

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