Will there be a ‘John Wick: Chapter 5?’

Warning: the following article contains spoilers for ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.

Now that the long-awaited John Wick: Chapter 4 has started rolling out in cinemas around the world, there’s naturally a question that is emerging about the wildly successful action franchise – will John Wick continue? While the second and third entries definitively confirmed that there was more to come in the saga of the Baba Yaga, the first wasn’t as clear-cut, and now the fourth film bookending the series also casts a bit of doubt as to whether there is more to come.

What feels like “way back” when John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum ended on its massive cliffhanger, John Wick: Chapter 5 had already been greenlit, but following the recent release of the fourth entry, the answer to whether or not we will see a fifth film isn’t quite black and white. After all, the two entries were supposed to be shot back-to-back.

What we do know as a certainty is that even if we don’t end up seeing the mainline John Wick film series continue, there’s plenty of other “WickVerse” projects in the works to keep us engrossed in the criminal underworld governed by the High Table. We’ve got the Ballerina spinoff on the way, which will also reportedly feature a cameo involving Reeves’ character, and The Continental television series. 

As for John Wick 5? Here’s everything we’ve managed to glean about the prospect of a sequel to what we considered to be a very worthy fourth entry in the franchise. 

Everything we know about John Wick: Chapter 5

Let’s start off with the elephant in the room – those who have already seen John Wick 4 are well aware that the film ends on a pretty definitive, if ever so slightly ambiguous note. Regardless of that, the possibility for John Wick 5 isn’t entirely ruled out, though it may be some time before it graces the silver screen. Series director Chad Stahelski recently spoke about doubling back and taking a breather between entries, as well as spending some time with Keanu Reeves to work out whether or not there is more story to tell. This gap likely won’t be any different. 

In that same conversation with /Film, Stahelski dug into how he’s always seeking to improve himself as a director and artist, which may well involve him just taking a break from the back-to-back action films altogether. This may indicate that if John Wick 5 does ever come to fruition, it may not be Stahelski seated in the director’s chair. 

As far as Reeves’ own take as to whether or not the series will continue, the series star told TotalFilm (via GamesRadar) that a fifth entry in the franchise isn’t guaranteed, and whether or not it ends up happening will ultimately come down to how the audience responds to the film. This likely involves a number of factors, including box office reception, and whether or not the ending of Chapter 4 is a satisfactory stepping off point for the franchise as far as fans are concerned.

Given the film’s box office projections and initial critical response, the former is sounding like a no-brainer for the film to happen from a fiscal standpoint. As for audience response? Only time will tell, as John Wick: Chapter 4 continues to roll out to theaters around the world.