Ana de Armas’ Ballerina was released in theaters earlier this month, with the John Wick spin-off movie receiving mostly positive reviews. Despite detractors questioning the commercial viability of an Armas-led action movie, it has defied all expectations and outpaced Keanu Reeves’ original John Wick at the box office.

At the same time, de Armas’ spin-off movie has also outshone one of Jason Statham’s most iconic movies. As a result, it is clear that de Armas is bound to explode as an action star and holds a promising future in the world of John Wick. Here is everything you need to know about the box office performance of Ballerina and its future.

Ana de Armas’ Ballerina exceeds expectations at the box office by beating both Keanu Reeves and Jason Statham

Ballerina is the female-led spin-off entry in the globally popular John Wick franchise, starring Keanu Reeves in the titular role. It stars Ana de Armas in the lead role and introduces viewers to Eve Macarro, a ballerina seeking revenge for her father’s mysterious death.

The film received mostly positive reviews and has grossed $94 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo). As a result, it has already outperformed Reeves’ original John Wick, which collected $91 million globally in its theatrical run.

Meanwhile, the de Armas-led movie is also outshining Jason Statham’s The Transporter, arguably one of the most iconic action movies of the 2000s. It is currently streaming on Hulu and set to leave the streaming platform after eleven days (via JustWatch).

The Transporter currently holds a critics’ score of 54% on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed $44 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo). In contrast, Ballerina has already more than doubled the box office gross of Statham’s movie and currently holds a 76% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.

What does this mean for the future of the John Wick franchise with Ana de Armas at the lead?

Ballerina is proving quite the vehicle for turning de Armas into an action star with bright prospects for her future as Eve Macarro in the John Wick universe. The film ends with Eve’s actions against The Cult resulting in a huge bounty on her, teasing the events of a sequel.

According to producer Erica Lee, there were tentative plans to formulate a sequel to Ballerina as early as 2023 (via Collider), almost two years before the first installment released. Therefore, the studio seemed confident in de Armas’s ability to draw audiences to the theaters with Ballerina.

Following the film’s release, director Len Wiseman also hinted at plans for a sequel (via EW), revealing he had ideas for bringing back Norman Reedus as Daniel Pine alongside de Armas. Hence, a sequel to Ballerina is likely on the horizon, with a bright future for de Armas in the franchise.

However, the sequel’s chances of materializing would undoubtedly depend upon whether the first installment can turn in a decent profit. According to reports, Ballerina cost approximately $90 million and must collect more than twice that number to be deemed a hit. Nonetheless, early signs look promising for de Armas’ future in the world of John Wick.

Ballerina is currently playing in theaters, and The Transporter is streaming on Hulu (USA).