🔪 Saw XI: Legacy (2025) — The Game Evolves, the Horror Intensifies 📅 Release Date: October 25, 2025 🎬 Director: Kevin Greutert (returning) 🎭 Starring: Tobin Bell (Jigsaw), new cast ensemble 🎥 Franchise Entry: #11 🎞️ Genre: Psychological horror / Slasher / Puzzle thriller For nearly two decades, the Saw franchise has defined the “torture porn” and puzzle-horror hybrid, captivating audiences with its brutal traps, mind-bending games, and twisted morality lessons. After the ups and downs of recent entries, Saw XI: Legacy aims to revitalize the series and push the saga into bold new territory. Here’s what we know about the next chapter in the Jigsaw mythology and why fans are buzzing with anticipation. 🎭 Revisiting the Legacy John Kramer, aka Jigsaw, is more than a serial killer; he’s a philosopher of pain, testing the will to survive through horrific games. Over the years, the franchise has explored: The origins of the killer’s ideology The complex n...
🎀 Ballerina — A Sheathed Fist in a Tutu
When the adulatory cheers for John Wick finally fade, Ballerina makes its own entrance—balancing elegance and brutality. Centered on Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), this spin-off thrusts a female assassin trained by the Ruska Roma into the grim middle chapters of the Wick timeline—between Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 .
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🧬 The Story & Characters
Eve's origins unravel like a noir ballet: her father slain, she’s taken under the wing of the Ruska Roma's Director, eventually honing lethal skills wrapped in dancer’s grace .
Supporting cast includes returning faces—Keanu Reeves (John Wick), Ian McShane (Winston), Lance Reddick’s final Charon—alongside new players like Gabriel Byrne and Norman Reedus .
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🔥 Backstage & Production
Long delayed: originally set for June 2024, then shifted to June 6, 2025 after extensive reshoots overseen by Chad Stahelski to better align with the film’s tone .
Wiseman’s direction and practical action approach shine, with de Armas performing most stunts—even a flamethrower scene that nearly broke her on set .
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🩷 What Critics Say
Positives: Graceful, hyper‑choreographed action sequences with a strong, female-driven perspective make it a worthy addition .
Concerns: Some reviews draw flak for shaky pacing, timeline inconsistencies (like Wick’s injury recovery and Charon's appearance), and a story that lacks emotional depth .
Scores: Rotten Tomatoes sits at ~72%; Metacritic around 59—solid, if not stellar .
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💰 Box Office & Audience Reaction
Earned $25–27 M opening weekend—better than the original Wick’s debut, but trails behind recent chapters and the blockbuster Lilo & Stitch .
CinemaScore graded it an A–, with 87% PostTrak approval and 79% definite recommendations—evidence of strong word-of-mouth .
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🧩 Why Ballerina Matters
Female-led action steps into the spotlight, with structural echoes of Red Sparrow yet elevated by franchise context .
Expands the Wick universe beyond John, giving a window into assassin culture and the Ruska Roma.
Sets a precedent: this spin-off could pave the way for even mor
e stories from this violent, stylized world.
Final Take
Ballerina pirouettes into the John Wick universe with bold ambition: sleek, stylized action anchored by a compelling female lead. Despite narrative wrinkles and comparisons to its franchise forebears, it's a fresh, entertaining chapter. If you're drawn to choreographed violence wrapped in emotional stakes, it’s a worthy cinematic detour—spare a seat for the twists and tension.
