Why John Wick 5 may not happen after all

Despite the ending that Chapter 4 got, all eyes are still set on John Wick 5. Chapter 4 is the most expensive and successful John Wick movie of all time. It was produced on a budget of $100 million and brought in $73 million at the domestic box office on its opening weekend.

So far, the R-Rated outing has brought in $419 million globally and $182 million at the domestic box office. It could end its run somewhere between 430-$440 million. So, the film will definitely turn out to be a profitable entry for Lionsgate. But will it be enough to get John Wick 5 greenlit?

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Will John Wick 5 happen?

John Wick Chapter 4 poster (Image via Lionsgate)

Lionsgate always wanted to make 5 John Wick movies. So, if it were up to the studio, then we’d surely see Chapter 5 in the next 2-3 years.

In a past interview, director Chad Stahelski claimed that he wants to go on a break and direct other movies. But he will discuss the idea for John Wick 5 with Keanu Reeves later this year. If that idea sticks, then viewers can definitely have John Wick 5.

But now, in a recent interview with The Direct, the director revealed his thoughts about a potential part 5 and stated that in his mind, Chapter 4 ended the story for him. He said:

“The real question you ask yourself is not, ‘Do I want it?’ Yes, I wouldn’t mind doing it. We just tried to knock it out of the park. We tried to put everything on the table, take nothing, and leave it all. Like, ‘F—k it, every idea. We’re not saving anything. We’re not trying to build. Just everything you got, leave it there.’”

Chapter 4 gave a fitting end to the character as his story ended on a high after John Wick gave everything he had. So, going ahead with another outing could undo a great ending.

Chad Stahelski talks about John Wick 5 (Image via Lionsgate)

Chad Stahelski continued:

“We feel we put everything we had into John Wick 4, and we feel we completed the cycle. We feel like we ended it. So, we feel like, ‘You know, that was a great way to wrap up the previous three films and the fourth and deliver something satisfying and fun.’

Until John Wick 4, the franchise kept on elevating the stakes and action sequences. We kept seeing newer and innovative ways for John Wick to take down assassins. But that seems to be at an end for now.

The director further stated:

“Right now, if you put a gun in my head, you might as well shoot me. It’s very easy to be repetitive. The trick is how you be repetitive with individuality. How do you put your authorship or your agency into something that’s obviously been done three times before?”

Stahelski doesn’t want to do another movie by hampering the originality and becoming repetitive. So, unless he gets another unique idea, we may not see John Wick Chapter 5.

Disclaimer: Spoilers for John Wick Chapter 4 follow.

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Keanu Reeves won’t return without Stahelski

Keanu Reeves in John Wick 4 (Image via Lionsgate)

Chapter 4 ended in a way that would allow John Wick’s supposed death to be faked. So, he could certainly return for one last outing. But in a past interview, Keanu Reeves had claimed that his return was conditional on Stahelski's.

So, it ultimately boils down to whether or not Stahelski is able to come up with another idea. If he isn’t able to, then we can say goodbye to John Wick in his Ballerina cameo. If he does, then John Wick 5 would act as the final movie of the franchise.

But rest assured, it will happen in a span of 3-5 years because Stahelski is currently busy with other projects such as Michael B. Jordan’s Rainbow Six.