What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedBallerina
Len Wiseman · Film · 2025
If you loved Ballerina, start with Ballard (Kendall Sherwood, 2025) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Ballerina across media.
If Ballerina hooked you with its visceral blend of lethal training, moral ambiguity, and the quest for cold-blooded retribution.
Books on the same thread
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Suzanne Collins · Book · 2023
Explores: Survival, Political Intrigue, Moral Ambiguity.
Like Ballerina, this story explores the brutal formation of an individual within a rigid, dangerous system, focusing on the high cost of power and the evolution of a cold ambition.
Dancer
Colum McCann · Book · 2020
Explores: Ballet, Artistic Genius, Creativity.
Readers who appreciated the disciplined, high-stakes dedication of the assassin in Ballerina will find a similar intensity in this exploration of artistic obsession and the pursuit of absolute perfection.
Hope Rises
David Baldacci · Book · 2026
Explores: conspiracy, covert operations, high-stakes justice.
Fans of the shadowy, high-stakes underworld depicted in Ballerina will recognize the same atmosphere of moral ambiguity and dangerous conspiracy that drives this tense, fast-paced political thriller.
With a Vengeance
Riley Sager · Book
Shares a thread with Ballerina: Revenge.
The relentless drive for retribution found in Ballerina is mirrored here, as a character navigates a hostile environment to settle a score while facing layers of deception and conflict.
Series on the same thread
Ballard
Kendall Sherwood · Series · 2025
Explores: Police Corruption, Serial Killer Investigation, Female Detective.
Just as the protagonist in Ballerina battles a criminal hierarchy, this story follows a detective confronting deep-seated corruption and her own internal demons while hunting a dangerous, elusive adversary.
Man on Fire
Kyle Killen · Series · 2026
Shares a thread with Ballerina: redemption.
Those drawn to the protector-assassin dynamic in Ballerina will connect with this gritty narrative, which centers on a veteran navigating a lethal underworld to ensure a young person's survival.
M.I.A.
Bill Dubuque · Series · 2026
Shares a thread with Ballerina: neo-noir.
Like the journey of the lead in Ballerina, this story follows a character thrust into a dangerous criminal underworld, balancing the weight of family legacy with the need for survival.
Furious
Series · 2026
Explores: moral ambiguity, obsession, duality of man.
The moral complexity of the assassin’s life in Ballerina is echoed here, as a hunter and a killer find their paths intertwined in a pursuit where justice becomes increasingly difficult.
Podcasts on the same thread
CounterClock
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2025
Explores: unsolved homicide, seeking justice, historical mystery.
If the search for truth within a violent, hidden world captured your interest in Ballerina, you will appreciate this deep dive into cold cases and the relentless pursuit of justice.
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
This audio drama captures the same feeling of isolated survival in a hostile environment that defines the training and life of the protagonist in Ballerina.
Keep exploring
Common questions
When does Ballerina take place in the John Wick timeline?
Ballerina is set during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. The film follows Eve Macarro as she undergoes her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma while the events of the third John Wick chapter are occurring.
What is the primary focus of the plot in Ballerina?
The plot of Ballerina centers on the character Eve Macarro. The film depicts her journey as she begins her formal training in the specific assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma organization during a period that coincides with the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.
Who directed the 2025 movie Ballerina?
The 2025 film Ballerina was directed by Len Wiseman. The story focuses on Eve Macarro and her development as an assassin within the Ruska Roma, taking place alongside the timeline established in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.
Is Ballerina connected to the John Wick series?
Yes, Ballerina is connected to the John Wick series. The film takes place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and follows Eve Macarro as she trains in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.