Summary
John Wick 5could see the return of Keanu Reeves in the titular role, but bringing him back would risk repeating a major mistake from another billion dollar action franchise.John Wick: Chapter 4endedwith John finally at peaceafter being granted freedom from the High Table, finally succumbing to all that he’s been through. His death seemingly marks the end of the franchise, offering a final note for his character. However, he will make a brief return in theupcoming spinoffBallerina, where he will fight alongside Ana de Armas' Rooney one more time.
ButBallerinatakes place prior to the events ofChapter 4, giving Reeves a reason to come back to the role. Yet the success of the franchise has resulted in Lionsgate announcing thatJohn Wick 5is happening. While nothing about the sequel has been revealed yet,its title indicates Reeves would be expected to come back as Johnfor another action-packed thriller. However, if John were brought back from the dead, or revealed to have been alive the whole time, the sequel would risk repeating a big mistake from another highly successful action franchise.
The John Wick Franchise Has Already Appointed One Of Its Keanu Reeves Replacements
Keanu Reeves' future as John Wick is uncertain, and an upcoming spinoff movie’s lead could be the perfect replacement for the franchise star.
John Wick 5 Bringing Back Keanu Reeves Would Repeat A Fast & Furious Problem
TheFast & Furiousfranchise is notorious for bringing back characters once presumed deadas major plot points for some of its later movies. This started withLetty Ortiz’s supposed deathinFast & Furious, later revealing she was alive with amnesia inFast & Furious 6. One of the biggest recent examples is Han, whose death motivated much of the story behindFurious 7, despite him later being revealed to be alive inF9. Finally, theend ofFast Xrevealed Gisele was still alive despite seemingly falling to her death in the sixth movie.
The problem with bringing dead characters back to life so haphazardly is that it no longer creates a sense of danger for any of the franchise’s heroes. This is why, if John were revealed to be alive inJohn Wick 5, it would cheapen the ending of the previous movie.While it’s never clarified ifJohn really died inChapter 4,his gravestone allows plenty of interpretations, including one where he is finally at peace. However, by taking that interpretive ending away, a sequel would make his final quest feel less important and definitive.
The John Wick Franchise Has So Far Avoided Another Major Fast & Furious Problem
Action Scenes Haven’t Gotten Too Unbelievable Yet
However, despite the risk of bringing John back for another movie, the franchise has managed to avoid another core issue withFast & Furious' later entries. Many of the later films in the car-focused saga have its characters doing wilder, death-defying stunts that continue to get more over-the-top than the last. This includes everything from Dom and Brian safely falling over 100 feet into a river inFast Five, toRoman and Tej going into space inF9. Their adventures end up going from grounded in reality to ridiculous over the course of 10 films.
By contrast,theJohn Wickmovieshave continued to have bigger action scenes with every film, going from a home invasion in the first movie to an hour-long bloodbath inChapter 4. However, despite some unrealistic elements throughout, the movies have never become so unbelievable that they feel too different from each previous installment. By excelling at this balance, the action franchise keeps itself from becoming as unrealistic as manyFast & Furiousmovies are. But that doesn’t mean doing something like bringing John back to life would make sense for the series.
Should John Wick 5 Happen After Four Great Movies?
It Would Need A Serious Change To Succeed
Althoughit would be exciting to see Reeves return as John for one more movie,John Wick 5happening with him in the leading role would nullify the perfect story told over the course of the first four entries. Even though getting definitive answers about his whereabouts inChapter 4would be interesting, it comes at the cost of utilizingFast & Furious' biggest mistake. Showing he’s alive also removes tension from his fights, as it’s clear he won’t sustain any life-threatening injuries, even at the end of the movie.
Even thoughJohn Wick 5has been confirmed already, the way it presents itself should try to avoid bringing the titular character back likeFast & Furioushas done with its cast. Perhaps the next entry in the action thriller series can be a prequel, focusing on how John first left the Table.This would allowChapter 4’s ending to remain intactwhile providing more action-packed sequences from Reeves himself. But, even in a precursor, the film would also have to avoid being too ridiculous, avoiding becoming like the racing franchise.
In addition toJohn Wick 5andBallerina, a movie about Caine is also in development.
John Wick
“John Wick” is a neo-noir action-thriller franchise centered around a retired hitman who returns to the criminal underworld to seek vengeance. Known for its intense and stylistic action sequences, the franchise has redefined modern action cinema with its choreographed gunfights, hand-to-hand combat, and intricate world-building. The series explores themes of loyalty, honor, and survival in a secret society of assassins.
