June 9, 2025 • 9 mins
In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, sits down with director Len Wiseman to discuss Ballerina, the highly anticipated spinoff set in the John Wick universe and starring Ana de Armas.
Len Wiseman opens up about getting the call to direct Ballerina, collaborating with Ana de Armas to break away from typical assassin tropes, and how Rambo: First Blood influenced the film’s tone and survivalist edge. He discusses the return of franchise icons like Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, and the late Lance Reddick, and how he crafted a snowy, noir aesthetic that blends seamlessly into the John Wick universe. Ballerina is a gritty, emotional journey rooted in pain, purpose, and survival.
Ballerina is now playing in theaters.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Glenn, such a pleasure to meet you.
Hey, pleasure to meet you. What an awesome entry for the
world of John Wick. I have the blast watching this.
And I want to start off about asking you.
Can you walk us through the moment you got that phone call
where you're offered ballerina? And was this world something you
were following closely before? I was definitely following this
world closely before and and loved the film.
(00:23):
So really very, very aware and just with the whole, the levels
to it, the world of it. And so when I, when I was
scented, I Basil called me and Ididn't know that they were
planning on doing, you know, a film and a female character that
(00:46):
they were introducing. So the first initial was just
excitement. I, I, I love the tone.
Tone is very important to me of the balance of that, what kind
of action it is, but also the tone.
I think it has a great tone, at least one that's very close to a
tone that I look for that I lovewhen I, you know, in, in seeing
(01:13):
action films. So no, it was, it was exciting.
There was a lot to do and restructure and work on the
script and all that. But just the initial idea I was,
I was drawn into the kind of action that it is.
The amount of focus that's put on the choreography I really, I
(01:37):
really like. And so, yeah, it was, it was, it
was exciting to jump in. Yeah, exciting film.
And like you mentioned, the toneand the greediness that there's
a bunch of us out there. I love this stuff.
I love these types of films. And you know, Under the Armours
delivers a performance that's both fierce and deeply focused.
Her intensity and work ethic seemed truly unmatched, so it
(01:58):
was like directing her to help shape the energy and evolution
of her character throughout the film.
It was, it was great. We, we clicked, you know, very,
very early on about what the character should and shouldn't
be because I think just as just as important as here's where we
where's what we want from the character.
At least with me, there were things that I didn't want to to
(02:20):
to fall to there. There often some some traps and
tropes about a female assassin specifically.
And so, you know, that was just when working with on it and and
the amount of conversations, thereferences that I would, you
know, bring, bring to her. I One of the first things that I
(02:42):
wanted her to watch was Rambo first blood as just I felt like
this was kind of my homage in a sense with elements of this is a
character that has not got the full support of an artillery.
This is somebody that is on the run, is being hunted and has to
(03:03):
make weapons creatively as she goes along.
So with, with this, it was more about survival than it was
attack for, for a lot of it. Yeah.
So there were, there was, it was, it was a lot of a lot of
conversations that I had about just what, what, what we both
(03:24):
liked and what was exciting to us about exploring that.
That's great homework right there.
I'm going to go watch rewatch that movie I've seen a million
times. It's so good.
It's so good, the first one. The first one is great and it's
also part of it is also tone. Tone, like I said, is a big part
of it. You you really feel for the guy
(03:45):
and he's going through, you know, he's he's got pain in him.
And so anyhow, but I thought Anna brought such a such a a
beautiful pain into the also like that the kind of kick ass
nature of her character. It never lost that that the the
(04:09):
kind of soul and pain that's underneath why she's doing what
she's doing. Yeah, and she's perfect for this
role. And obviously, this film.
Having Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, the late and great
Lance Reddick involved feels like a massive gift for any
filmmaker, especially since thisis the trio that's like the
foundation of this epic world. What was it like having this
trio part of this movie that stands alone but is such part of
(04:29):
a a huge franchise? Oh, it was, it was.
It makes such a difference, I think, because it you know, if
I, if I was saying, if I was notdirecting a movie, what would I
want to see? And if I went to a theatre,
bought my popcorn sitting out, Iwant, I want to see it actually
(04:50):
integrated with with the world IAnd so it was a a blessing to
have them on board. And I also think it it just it
helps really establish and connect the world.
But it was really good. I mean, it's fantastic cast.
(05:13):
And so for me, it was, it was such a joy.
Yeah, new and old faces. It's building upon something so
great and just keeps getting better and better.
I still need to reflect on the amazing Lance Reddick brought
such power and grace to Sharon as one of the few directors who
got to work with him. I wanted to ask if you could
share about that experience and what he brought to the role both
(05:34):
on and off screen. Well, he he just, we had a
wonderful time, very short time together.
He shot for two days and he he is, he has such class.
And I think the reason why that character has resonated with
people is it's it's a lot of what, at least in my experience
(05:58):
with him, is a lot of him in that, in that character.
The thing that surprised me is how much of a big nerd that he
was, which just speaks to me. I create.
So we we just have these really geeky conversations about he
just he loves movies and genre movies.
(06:20):
And so we we had a really wonderful time and it's very
tragic and very sad. And I am, I'm, I really feel
like I'm blessed that I got to work with him before, before he
passed. I love hearing that.
I can say the same thing. I spent 15 minutes with him
during Chapter 4 and we did nerdout and we got to nerd out about
(06:41):
a lot of things, and Batman was one of them.
Oh yeah. Yeah, no, he just it's it's, you
know, the references are that when somebody it's just fun when
somebody gives a a reference, which is so just just
unexpected. And I go, all right, you were
watching like, we'll go back to,you know, the like, maniac cop,
(07:01):
you know, kind of, you know, references and stuff.
So I had a really great time with him.
Now I love hearing that. Lastly, the world of this
franchise is so distinct. It's like a character of its
own. What was important to you when
putting your own stamp on it while honoring the tone and
style that fans Groots love? It was something that was, it
was a unique challenge. And also, you know, because
(07:24):
ballerina, it's not a spin off. It's more of a parallel film,
right? Go.
So it takes place and where it it crosses with iconic moments
that are in John Wick 3. So in that the aesthetic, I
wanted the world to feel exactlylike what that those moments
were. I feel it was more of the, the
(07:47):
locations and the destinations that we went to that we have an
experience where we really got to create a new aesthetic and
how to make, you know, a lot of it takes place in, in Halsted
in, in the snow and how do you make a snow, you know, a snowy
town that looks quite beautiful.How you make that still feel
(08:11):
like a gritty noir flavor that fits within the John Wick world.
So we played with a lot of different lighting patterns and,
and colors and, and, and how to how to bring that a noir flavour
to because, you know, lighting with snow is like it's it's,
(08:34):
it's like a huge bounce card everywhere.
But yeah, so we were able to really go into a lot of
different, just expand on the world building.
Yeah, y'all did a great job, Len.
I loved Ballerina. This was fantastic.
Man that that's really great to hear.
Thank you. Big fan.
Of all your work too. So looking forward to seeing
(08:55):
what you deliver next. And we gotta catch up again,
yeah. Absolutely, man.
Glenn, such a pleasure to meet you.
Hey, pleasure to meet you. What an awesome entry for the
world of John Wick. I have the blast watching this.
And I want to start off about asking you.
Can you walk us through the moment you got that phone call
where you're offered ballerina? And was this world something you
were following closely before? I was definitely following this
world closely before and and loved the film.
(00:23):
So really very, very aware and just with the whole, the levels
to it, the world of it. And so when I, when I was
scented, I Basil called me and Ididn't know that they were
planning on doing, you know, a film and a female character that
(00:46):
they were introducing. So the first initial was just
excitement. I, I, I love the tone.
Tone is very important to me of the balance of that, what kind
of action it is, but also the tone.
I think it has a great tone, at least one that's very close to a
tone that I look for that I lovewhen I, you know, in, in seeing
(01:13):
action films. So no, it was, it was exciting.
There was a lot to do and restructure and work on the
script and all that. But just the initial idea I was,
I was drawn into the kind of action that it is.
The amount of focus that's put on the choreography I really, I
(01:37):
really like. And so, yeah, it was, it was, it
was exciting to jump in. Yeah, exciting film.
And like you mentioned, the toneand the greediness that there's
a bunch of us out there. I love this stuff.
I love these types of films. And you know, Under the Armours
delivers a performance that's both fierce and deeply focused.
Her intensity and work ethic seemed truly unmatched, so it
(01:58):
was like directing her to help shape the energy and evolution
of her character throughout the film.
It was, it was great. We, we clicked, you know, very,
very early on about what the character should and shouldn't
be because I think just as just as important as here's where we
where's what we want from the character.
At least with me, there were things that I didn't want to to
(02:20):
to fall to there. There often some some traps and
tropes about a female assassin specifically.
And so, you know, that was just when working with on it and and
the amount of conversations, thereferences that I would, you
know, bring, bring to her. I One of the first things that I
(02:42):
wanted her to watch was Rambo first blood as just I felt like
this was kind of my homage in a sense with elements of this is a
character that has not got the full support of an artillery.
This is somebody that is on the run, is being hunted and has to
(03:03):
make weapons creatively as she goes along.
So with, with this, it was more about survival than it was
attack for, for a lot of it. Yeah.
So there were, there was, it was, it was a lot of a lot of
conversations that I had about just what, what, what we both
(03:24):
liked and what was exciting to us about exploring that.
That's great homework right there.
I'm going to go watch rewatch that movie I've seen a million
times. It's so good.
It's so good, the first one. The first one is great and it's
also part of it is also tone. Tone, like I said, is a big part
of it. You you really feel for the guy
(03:45):
and he's going through, you know, he's he's got pain in him.
And so anyhow, but I thought Anna brought such a such a a
beautiful pain into the also like that the kind of kick ass
nature of her character. It never lost that that the the
(04:09):
kind of soul and pain that's underneath why she's doing what
she's doing. Yeah, and she's perfect for this
role. And obviously, this film.
Having Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, the late and great
Lance Reddick involved feels like a massive gift for any
filmmaker, especially since thisis the trio that's like the
foundation of this epic world. What was it like having this
trio part of this movie that stands alone but is such part of
(04:29):
a a huge franchise? Oh, it was, it was.
It makes such a difference, I think, because it you know, if
I, if I was saying, if I was notdirecting a movie, what would I
want to see? And if I went to a theatre,
bought my popcorn sitting out, Iwant, I want to see it actually
(04:50):
integrated with with the world IAnd so it was a a blessing to
have them on board. And I also think it it just it
helps really establish and connect the world.
But it was really good. I mean, it's fantastic cast.
(05:13):
And so for me, it was, it was such a joy.
Yeah, new and old faces. It's building upon something so
great and just keeps getting better and better.
I still need to reflect on the amazing Lance Reddick brought
such power and grace to Sharon as one of the few directors who
got to work with him. I wanted to ask if you could
share about that experience and what he brought to the role both
(05:34):
on and off screen. Well, he he just, we had a
wonderful time, very short time together.
He shot for two days and he he is, he has such class.
And I think the reason why that character has resonated with
people is it's it's a lot of what, at least in my experience
(05:58):
with him, is a lot of him in that, in that character.
The thing that surprised me is how much of a big nerd that he
was, which just speaks to me. I create.
So we we just have these really geeky conversations about he
just he loves movies and genre movies.
(06:20):
And so we we had a really wonderful time and it's very
tragic and very sad. And I am, I'm, I really feel
like I'm blessed that I got to work with him before, before he
passed. I love hearing that.
I can say the same thing. I spent 15 minutes with him
during Chapter 4 and we did nerdout and we got to nerd out about
(06:41):
a lot of things, and Batman was one of them.
Oh yeah. Yeah, no, he just it's it's, you
know, the references are that when somebody it's just fun when
somebody gives a a reference, which is so just just
unexpected. And I go, all right, you were
watching like, we'll go back to,you know, the like, maniac cop,
(07:01):
you know, kind of, you know, references and stuff.
So I had a really great time with him.
Now I love hearing that. Lastly, the world of this
franchise is so distinct. It's like a character of its
own. What was important to you when
putting your own stamp on it while honoring the tone and
style that fans Groots love? It was something that was, it
was a unique challenge. And also, you know, because
(07:24):
ballerina, it's not a spin off. It's more of a parallel film,
right? Go.
So it takes place and where it it crosses with iconic moments
that are in John Wick 3. So in that the aesthetic, I
wanted the world to feel exactlylike what that those moments
were. I feel it was more of the, the
(07:47):
locations and the destinations that we went to that we have an
experience where we really got to create a new aesthetic and
how to make, you know, a lot of it takes place in, in Halsted
in, in the snow and how do you make a snow, you know, a snowy
town that looks quite beautiful.How you make that still feel
(08:11):
like a gritty noir flavor that fits within the John Wick world.
So we played with a lot of different lighting patterns and,
and colors and, and, and how to how to bring that a noir flavour
to because, you know, lighting with snow is like it's it's,
(08:34):
it's like a huge bounce card everywhere.
But yeah, so we were able to really go into a lot of
different, just expand on the world building.
Yeah, y'all did a great job, Len.
I loved Ballerina. This was fantastic.
Man that that's really great to hear.
Thank you. Big fan.
Of all your work too. So looking forward to seeing
(08:55):
what you deliver next. And we gotta catch up again,
yeah. Absolutely, man.
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