Wait, Is John Wick: Chapter 5 Not A Sure Thing Yet? Chad Stahelski’s Recent Comments Have Me Wondering

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In early April, Lionsgate confirmed plans for “John Wick: Chapter 5”, a Donnie Yen spinoff, and an animated prequel titled “The Impossible Task”. However, it seems that a fifth “John Wick” film may not be guaranteed following recent statements from director Chad Stahelski. This uncertainty comes as the upcoming spinoff featuring Ana de Armas, titled “Ballerina”, gets added to the 2025 release schedule.

In the course of discussing why ‘John Wick: Chapter 4′ doesn’t conclude with a cliffhanger, director Chad Stahelski, who has directed all four John Wick movies, led Ballerina reshoots (although not credited), and supervised the entire franchise, stated something that left me perplexed. Given his deep connection to this world centered on Keanu Reeves’ formidable assassin character, I found it surprising when he said:

“It was crucial for us to avoid ending John Wick: Chapter 4 with a cliffhanger because we want each film to stand alone as a complete story.”

This statement seems contradictory coming from the person who has played such an instrumental role in shaping this franchise, leading me to ponder about his reasoning behind this decision.

If we venture into the plot of John Wick 5 and construct this narrative, and find it doesn’t fit, there might be approximately 10 alternative ideas that will arise, which can be utilized for other projects. This is an excellent creative challenge. It feels like brainstorming with cherished colleagues in a collaborative setting. In essence, it results in nothing but positive outcomes.

If you’ve reached this point but aren’t familiar with Chad Stahelski’s references, let me clarify: The final scene of John Wick: Chapter 4 suggests that Keanu Reeves’ character, John Wick, may have perished from the wounds he received in the movie. At the close, Ian McShane’s character, Winston, and Laurence Fishburne’s character, Bowery King, were standing beside a grave with his name engraved, implying they were paying their respects to their departed friend. This ending appears to definitively conclude the storyline, doesn’t it?

It appears that Lionsgate intends to continue the main John Wick film series, however, director Chad Stahelski seems less definitive about this. Earlier in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Stahelski mentioned that he and writer Mike Finch have a “fairly good idea” for John Wick: Chapter 5 which they find “interesting.” Once they pen a 50-page outline, they plan to discuss it with Keanu Reeves and further develop the story. When asked about whether Chapter 5 is not guaranteed, Stahelski hinted at some uncertainty in his response.

The studio is bound to bring this project to life eventually, I’m confident about that. In fact, they’ve been fantastic so far, and they’ve encouraged us to give it our all. We’ve got some terrific concepts in mind, and we’re eager to put them into action.

Given that John Wick: Chapter 4 received favorable reviews like its predecessors and grossed over $447 million globally, it’s no wonder Lionsgate wants to continue capitalizing on this success. However, I can’t help but feel apprehensive about John Wick: Chapter 5, fearing that it might tarnish the strong conclusion. Fortunately, director Chad Stahelski, along with Mike Finch and soon Keanu Reeves, are not taking the fifth movie lightly and are making an effort to ensure the story is meaningful and worthwhile.

Once John Wick: Chapter 5 has a confirmed release date, I’ll feel more confident that this project is truly moving forward. In the meantime, I invite you to read TopMob’s review of Ballerina, whether you’ve already watched the spinoff or plan to see it at your local cinema.

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2025-06-07 16:11