John Wick 5 Happening? Director Clears Up Future Of Franchise
Chad Stahelski says he's open to the possibility of more John Wick films.
Although some expected John Wick: Chapter 4 to conclude the Keanu Reeves-led action franchise, its remarkable box office success has resurrected talks of John Wick 5. Director Chad Stahelski recently discussed the possibility of continuing the story but seemed hesitant about committing to a fifth installment.
“I wouldn’t mind doing it,” the filmmaker told The Direct. But he also noted that there might not be anything left to explore in John Wick 5.
“We feel we put everything we had into John Wick 4, and we feel we completed the cycle. We feel like we ended it. So, we feel like, ‘You know, that was a great way to wrap up the previous three films and the fourth and deliver something satisfying and fun.’”
-Chad Stahelski
However, Stahelski didn’t completely rule out the possibility of John Wick 5 in the distant future. The filmmaker said he has notebooks filled with ideas for set pieces and other stuff:
“If I wake up tomorrow and there’s an idea to entertain the audience that will deliver and not be just a cash grab, I’d research it and go down that road. I just, I don’t have that today.”
-Chad Stahelski
John Wick: Chapter 4 premiered at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London and was released in theaters on March 24. The story follows legendary hitman John Wick, who takes his fight against the High Table globally as he seeks out the most influential players in the underworld. The movie received positive reviews from critics, earning $417 million at the global box office.
While the fate of John Wick 5 remains to be seen, Reeves will reprise the role in the upcoming spin-off Ballerina. The movie, starring Ana de Armas as the titular character, is directed by Len Wiseman from a script by Shay Hatten and Emerald Fennell. The story focuses on Rooney, a ballerina/assassin who goes on the hunt for the people who killed her family.
Interestingly, Keanu Reeves is open to returning for John Wick 5. His only condition is that Chad Stahelski directs the potential follow-up. “I don’t know, I guess I’m going to have to lean on never say never,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I wouldn’t do a John Wick film without Chad. [And] we’d have to see what that looked like.”
Still, the actor hopes that John Wick: Chapter 4 gave fans a satisfying end to the story. “For me, it feels really right that John Wick finds peace,” Reeves added. The ending of John Wick: Chapter 4 is pretty conclusive for the character.
Expand to read John Wick: Chapter 4 Spoilers
After he kills the Marquis de Gramont and is freed from the High Table, John succumbs to his injuries and dies.
Sometime later, Winston and the Bowery King are seen at John Wick’s tombstone, next to his late wife, Helen. However, a post-credit scene sets up a potential John Wick 5 as Caine returns to Paris to reunite with his daughter. That’s when the vengeful, knife-wielding Akira approaches him.
If John Wick faked his death and returned to action in another movie, it may cheapen the ending of the latest installment. Additionally, fans can become disinterested or resent a franchise that overstays its welcome.
