John Wick: Chapter 4 seems to close the book on the action series, but there are ways that the planned fifth movie can still be an organic sequel.

SUMMARY

 John Wick: Chapter 4 may not be the end of the franchise, as there are ways to continue the story, such as exploring past adventures or revealing John Wick’s survival.
 The exact plot direction of John Wick: Chapter 5 is still uncertain, and fans are envisioning different possibilities for the movie’s storyline.
 The John Wick franchise has expanded with spinoffs, including a prequel TV series and the upcoming movie Ballerina, suggesting that the series can continue beyond the protagonist’s story.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is another exciting entry in the action-packed revenge story, though some might also think that it’s the last. The movie’s conclusion seems to suggest that no more stories can be told in the franchise, at least in terms of forward momentum. Nevertheless, there are ways in which the fifth and final chapter could be told.

John Wick had adventures before the first four movies, and such tales could be interwoven with present-day events. Likewise, it’s highly likely that Wick isn’t quite as dead as he would seem, allowing for one more blood-soaked story. The John Wick series will continue in one way or another, but John Wick: Chapter 5 may still be further away than some fans might hope, or even suspect.

Updated by Timothy Blake Donohoo on January 23, 2024: The John Wick franchise continues to be immensely popular, with the noir series offering gritty, cathartic action that’s reminiscent of features from yesteryear.

Many fans are excited about the prospect of the currently-being-written John Wick: Chapter 5, though the exact plot direction of the potential movie is still up in the air.

There are now multiple spinoffs releasing or planned for the franchise, and this doesn’t make the fate of John Wick 5 any more obvious or confirmed. The result is that fans are envisioning several ways in which the Keanu Reeves franchise can continue.

John Wick: Chapter 5 Could Be a Prequel and a Sequel

In the final scenes of John Wick: Chapter 4, Keanu Reeves’ John Wick seems to die after sustaining intense injuries from his latest series of fights. He’s then buried back in America, with his impromptu funeral attended by his old friend Winston and the Bowery King. Thus, the fact that Chapter 5 of the series is planned is incredibly questionable if for no other reason than the protagonist himself is dead.

One way for this fifth movie to come out is to have it set after Chapter 4, with Winston and the Bowery King trying to pick up the pieces of John’s ended life. Likewise, it could tie into past events of said life that took place before the series began, allowing Keanu Reeves to jump back into action as the character in a series of extensive flashbacks.

This method would allow for more no-holds-barred action, as Winston and the Bowery King likely wouldn’t be up to such movements. It would not only be a fitting epilogue to the legend of John Wick but also be an unconventional way to truly end the series without repeating too much of the past films’ structure.

Still, some might see it as “cheating” or as an artificial way of extending the franchise’s story. A more natural way to make a true sendoff to John Wick would ironically be to reveal that he isn’t dead at all.

Chapter 4 Might Not Be the Last of John Wick

It’s worth noting that, despite Winston and the Bowery King going to John’s grave at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, Wick’s officially dead body is never seen. He collapses after his showdown with Caine and the Marquis, but this alone isn’t confirmation that he’s dead.

On top of that, the Bowery King asks Winston whether John went to Hell or Heaven. He simply responds with a smirk as the two walk away, signaling the end of the franchise as audiences have known it. This series of events suggests that Mr. Wick isn’t quite as dead as it would seem. John Wick may still be alive, having faked his death and gone on to live a new life.

Doing so would permanently sever his ties to the world of assassins, allowing him to experience the type of peace that his wife wanted for him. John even tells Winston to “take him home” after the fight with Caine, and this could have meant returning him to the streets of Belarus, where he was born.

The problem with this theory is that John was already free of the High Table’s machinations, removing any need for him to fake his death. He had just earned his peace, so putting him back in the fray of what’s sure to involve the High Table in some capacity is anticlimactic and forced.

It’d be a sort of artificial extension of the story and even bring down the quality of the fourth film, with this potential John Wick 5 plot having to fight as hard as its protagonist to justify its existence.. Thus, while John Wick: Chapter 5 may still be coming down the pipeline, it’s unknown exactly what form it will take or how it will use the series’ protagonist.

John Wick: Chapter 4

R
Action
Crime
Thriller

9 / 10

John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.

Release DateMarch 24, 2023
DirectorChad Stahelski
CastKeanu Reeves , Donnie Yen , Bill Skarsgard , Laurence Fishburne , Hiroyuki Sanada , Lance Reddick
Runtime169 minutes
Main GenreAction

Is There a Trailer for John Wick: Chapter 5?

Due to John Wick 4 almost being around a year old, many fans are wondering about John Wick 5. This has seen some speculate as to the movie’s plot, but some have taken things a step further.

The result is that numerous “trailers” for John Wick: Chapter 5 have begun making their rounds across the internet. Given that they showcase images and thumbnails of Kenua Reeves, they’ve led those hungry for the smallest inkling about the John Wick 5 plot to get excited.

Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a bit longer in order to see what the plot is for John Wick 5. There currently isn’t so much as a teaser for the next chapter in the mainline movie franchise.

Keanu Reeves and others involved with the series have been fairly mum, and as far as has been reported, photography and other major production aspects have yet to take place for the movie. Thus, all trailers on the internet that are supposedly for John Wick: Chapter 5 are entirely false and don’t at all reflect the potential path for the series going forward.

The John Wick Franchise Has Expanded Beyond the Protagonist

Though it remains to be seen as to how John Wick 5 will play out, the universe of John Wick has already begun expanding. In 2023, fans were treated to the release of The Continental: From the World of John Wick, a TV series prequel that focused on the younger days of John’s ally, Winston Scott.

Though it’s the only spinoff that’s come out so far, it’s one of several that are coming down the pipeline. The spinoff that’s been known about for the longest time is the movie Ballerina, which is now confirmed to take place before John Wick: Chapter 4. The reason for this was explained by Winston actor Ian McShane, who stated that the movie being a prequel keeps the potential John Wick: Chapter 5 plot under wraps, if the movie is even officially made.

Conversely, ideas such as a Bowery King spinoff have also been discussed, and while these might be seen almost as “cheap cash grabs,” there’s a certain logic behind such projects. Fans definitely want John Wick 5, but at the same time, it can be argued that the series has truly transcended the initial protagonist.

The other assassins introduced throughout the series have their own stories to tell, and they offer ways to organically extend the franchise without potentially “resurrecting” John himself.

Likewise, when John Wick: Chapter 5 does come out and especially if it’s a sequel, fans will be hyped up by various projects set in the film’s world that didn’t involve the character. These many potential John Wick tie-ins will help bridge the gap between John Wick 4 and John Wick 5, making the wait for the latter more than worth it.