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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Sandra Mallon

Gabriel Byrne is set to star alongside John Wick star Keanu Reeves in new spin-off action movie

Irish actor Gabriel Byrne is showing no sign of slowing down as he is set to star alongside Keanu Reeves in John Wick spin-off, Ballerina.

The action movie also stars Cuban actress Ana de Armas as Rooney, who is a ballerina-assassin intent on avenging the murders of her family by hunting down the people responsible.

The character first appeared in a cameo role in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum in 2019, where she was originally played by real-life ballerina, Unity Phelan.

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Speaking to industry publication Deadline, Ballerina co-producer Basil Iwanyk said: “For decades, Gabriel’s mysterious and enigmatic presence has enriched dozens of films. You can never quite be sure what he’s thinking, and that’s perfect for this world.”

Byrne's character is being kept under wraps for now, though in the world of John Wick it is likely the 72-year-old will be someone with some sort of violent past and present.

He'll be joined by a strong ensemble cast which includes John Wick stars Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick and Anjelica Huston.

The movie is being directed by Len Wiseman, the filmmaker behind the Underworld franchise starring Kate Beckinsale, as well as Die Hard 4.0 with Bruce Willis.

Award-winning actor Byrne is best known for his leading role in the series In Treatment, which bagged him two Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, as well as a win at the Golden Globes in 2009 for Best Performance by an Actor in a Drama Television Series.

His next project along with Ballerina will be as Samuel Beckett in the biopic Dance First by The Theory of Everything director James Marsh.

Byrne recently appeared as Enzo Ferrari in the movie Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend, as well as bringing his one-man stage show, Walking with Ghosts, to Broadway in October.

Ballerina is set to be released sometime after the fourth John Wick film, John Wick: Chapter 4, which will arrive in cinemas in March next year.

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