John Wick 5 confirmed: Keanu Reeves set to return after Ballerina spinoff

John Wick 5, the next installment to the action franchise starring Keanu Reeves in the titular role, was officially announced by Lionsgate studio at CinemaCon on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The producers of the movie, which includes Chad Stahelski and Reeves himself, have locked in a story. However, further details for John Wick 5 have been kept under wraps.

The protagonist of the franchise was seemingly dead by the end of the last film in the series, John Wick: Chapter 4. However, the hitman who has reshaped the genre apparently cheats death once again. Before his next film John Wick 5, Reeves will make an appearance in the upcoming spinoff Ballerina, which is set to be released in theaters on June 6, 2025.

Keanu Reeves first stepped into the shoes of the John Wick, also known as Baba Yaga, in the eponymous 2014 film, playing a retired hitman who gets reluctantly drawn back into the underworld after some Russian gangsters steal his car and kill his dog. It spawned three sequels over 10 years, as well as a spinoff television series in 2023.

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Keanu Reeves set to appear in Ballerina (2025) before returning for John Wick 5

As fans are now excited for John Wick 5, there is more in store for them. The most recent upcoming project within the same universe is the film Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, an assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma organization. Eve sets out to seek revenge following the death of her father, but the trail of bodies she leaves in her wake forces the high table to send Baba Yaga to stop her.

The story of Ballerina is set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3–Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4 and is therefore not likely to answer how the franchise lead will return from apparent death in his last outing. Along with Keanu Reeves reprising his hitman role, Ballerina also has Ian McShane and the late Lance Reddick returning to their characters of New York Continental hotel manager Winston Scott and concierge Charon, respectively.

Ballerina director Len Wiseman and Ana de Armas were present at Cinemacon to debut an extended look at their film. The action-packed sequence featured Eve, aka the Ballerina, fighting several adversaries in an abandoned bar. She was seen shooting one of them in the face while smashing several plates against another.

“This is by far the most physical and challenging thing I’ve ever done," Ana de Armas said about her role, adding that she "felt stronger and better every day, more confident every day, doing ballet moves in the fights. They were very creative and fun to do."

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Announcement of animated John Wick prequel series

Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski attend the John Wick 10th Anniversary Fathom Screening Q&A at AMC Century City 15 on November 03, 2024 (Image via Getty)

Apart from John Wick 5, Lionsgate announced at the 2025 CinemaCon that an animated prequel series on Keanu Reeves' hitman character is currently in the works. It is reportedly set before the events of the first movie and will depict how the protagonist completed the 'Impossible Task'—killing all his rivals in one night to win his freedom from the High Table.

According to Variety, the series producer Stahelski said in a statement:

"I feel John Wick is the perfect property for this medium."

Stahelski added:

"Anime holds the potential to expand our world, our characters and our action in ways unimaginable before.”

A second spinoff film, set in the John Wick universe, was also announced on Tuesday. It follows the blind assassin Caine, played by Donnie Yen, in John Wick: Chapter 4. Yen is set to reprise his role as well as direct the film, which will reportedly be a Hong Kong-style action film.

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Stay tuned for more updates on John Wick 5.