Ballerina Overdrive Is the Deadliest Dance Movie Nobody Asked For
Amazon MGM doubles down on the Killer Tutu cinematic universe.
Apparently Hollywood is not done with deadly dancers. Even after Len Wiseman's John Wick spin-off Ballerina ended up being box office bomb, another ballerina brawler is lining up: Ballerina Overdrive. Different movie, different universe, same idea of tutu meets takedown.
What it is
Directed by Vicky Jewson (the Witcher: Blood Origin filmmaker), Ballerina Overdrive is an ensemble action thriller about a troupe of ballerinas whose bus dies on the way to a competition. They end up stranded at a remote inn, and what starts as a pit stop turns into a full-on fight to survive. The script comes from Kate Freund (Creepshow, Wyrm).
Who is in it
- Lana Condor
- Uma Thurman
- Iris Apatow
- Millicent Simmonds
- Maddie Ziegler
- Avantika
- Michael Culkin
The deal and the money
Amazon MGM is close to locking down U.S. rights in an $11–12 million deal, with an eye to making this a franchise. The plan is to stream it on Prime Video, but there is flexibility to give it a theatrical run if they want to go that route. Amazon has also picked up international rights, so the studio controls the whole rollout globally.
Behind the scenes
87North, the action-forward banner from David Leitch and Kelly McCormick (Bullet Train), is in the financing mix alongside Gulfstream Pictures from Bill Bindley and Mike Karz. Piers Tempest is producing as well.
Heidi Moneymaker and Renae Moneymaker designed the film's dance-based action, which is exactly the kind of detail that gives this premise a shot at popping on screen. Casting was handled by Jenny Jue.
Casting shuffle
There was a notable game of musical chairs before this lineup clicked: Lena Headey, Yara Shahidi, and Isabela Merced were previously attached but stepped away.
Why this is interesting
It is not tied to John Wick despite the coincidental title collision with Wiseman's Ballerina, but the behind-the-scenes DNA is still action-savvy thanks to 87North. The setup screams Yellowjackets energy meets a Supermassive Games scenario: think Until Dawn, The Quarry, or Man of Medan, but swap teenagers for dancers with knives and perfect posture. If the Moneymakers lean into inventive, grounded choreography, this could be a fun left-field brawler that actually justifies the word Overdrive.