At the beginning of April, Lionsgate announced that John Wick: Chapter 5 was officially moving forward, as was Donnie Yen’s Caine spinoff and the animated prequel detailing the story of John’s Impossible Task. But maybe a fifth John Wick movie isn’t a sure thing after all. At least, that’s the way it sounds reading director Chad Stahelski’s latest comments on the franchise right as the Ana de Armas-led spinoff Ballerina is released onto the 2025 release schedule.
Between directing all four John Wick movies, helping helm the Ballerina reshoots (albeit uncredited) and, most importantly, having creative oversight on the entire franchise, it goes without saying that Stahelski is the person who’s best attuned to this world anchored by Keanu Reeves’ badass assassin. That’s why I was puzzled when he said the following to THR in the midst of discussing why it was important that John Wick: Chapter 4 didn’t end on a cliffhanger:
Chad Stahelski’s talking about, John Wick: Chapter 4 ended with the implication that Keanu Reeves’ title character died from the injuries he sustained in that movie, particularly being shot by Caine. Ian McShane’s Winston and Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King were seen standing near a gravestone with his name on it and bidding farewell to their friend. That seems like a pretty cut and dry way to end this saga, right?
CinemaBlend’s Ballerina review, whether you’ve already seen the spinoff or plan to catch it at your local theater.