This month marks two years since John Wick: Chapter 4 was released in theaters, and it seemed to bring the franchise’s main film series to a definitive close. After all, Chapter 4’s ending showed Winston and The Bowery King visiting John’s gravestone, and Keanu Reeves said earlier this month that “the character’s dead.” And yet, talk of John Wick 5 persists, and the latest update from a Lionsgate executive has left me even more confused about where things stand with the title assassin.
Jenefer Brown, EVP and Head of Global Products & Experiences at Lionsgate, informed Comicbook that John Wick 5 is indeed one of the projects this action franchise has coming up, with the next of the bunch being the 2025 movie release of the Ana de Armas-led Ballerina. When she was pressed for more details about John Wick 5, Brown answered:
We’ve shared that we’re developing a fifth John Wick film … [John Wick] may be [dead]. We are all on baited breath waiting to find out.
Ok… what? How can John Wick 5 be in the works if Keanu Reeves has not only made it clear that his character is buried six feet under, but also admitted back in December that he doesn’t think his knees can handle playing the role again? Keep in mind that although Reeves is playing John again in Ballerina, that movies takes place between the third and fourth John Wick movies. It’s unclear if he was present for the spinoff’s extensive reshoots last fall, but even if he was, this time he didn’t have nearly as much to do since it’s Ana de Arias’ Eve Macarro who’s the main protagonist.
Could this just be Jenefer Brown knowing that there are discussions happening to persuade Reeves to reprise John Wick? Ok, but even if that works out, where does it end? Reeves cannot keep playing this role for the rest of his life, and if the character’s already considered dead, why risk “resurrecting” him and tainting John Wick: Chapter 4? Yeah, I know, money’s the main motivation with decisions like these, and I don’t doubt Lionsgate would throw as much of it as possible at Reeves to come back. Still, this would sound way too much like that joke Wade Wilson cracks in Deadpool & Wolverine about Disney forcing Hugh Jackman to play Wolverine until he’s 90.
Another possibility that John Wick 5 wouldn’t actually be a sequel to Chapter 4, but rather a prequel set before the first movie. However, we can’t forget that there’s an anime movie already in development chronicling the night John carried out his Impossible Task. Also, I don’t know if I’m ready yet for a younger actor to play John in a live-action movie.
Basically, the fact that John Wick 5 is still something coming down the creative pipeline remains baffling to me. I look forward to the day when specific details are shared about how this will be accomplished are shared, assuming it isn’t just quietly shelved. Meanwhile, John Wick: Chapter 4 is available to stream on Starz, which can be included as an add-on for your Hulu subscription.