After the triumphant first weekend of John Wick 4 at the box office, star Keanu Reeves has but one condition to return for the franchise’s John Wick 5. Opening its run with a $73.8M domestic intake at the box office, the movie is on track to be the most lucrative instalment under the franchise.
Being the franchise that launched Chad Stahelski in his directorial career, John Wick stands as the showcase for his vision of action sequences with a protagonist who keeps a broken heart. Writer Derek Kolstad wrote the first movie.
Interestingly, Kolstad named John Wick in honour of his grandfather, and the original movie title was supposedly Scorn. Reeves, who likes the name so much, kept referring to the movie he was making during the first instalment as ‘the movie John Wick’. Producers opted to change the title, and it stuck.
Reeves has been an active collaborator in the development of the character and the overall story from the beginning with Kolstad. He was actually on board the project before it found its director. In fact, it was because of Reeves that they got Chad Stahelski in the first place. The actor met Stahelski and David Leitch from The Matrix.
Hoping Stahelski and Leitch would direct the first movie, Reeves approached the two and true enough, the story caught their interest. They developed their own approach and further excited the production’s development. Eventually, only Stahelski got the directorial credit, with Leitch getting the producer title. And the rest was history.
By the third movie, Kolstad had a team of writers working with him as they all developed the expansion of John Wick’s world. By the fourth movie, Kolstad is credited as the creator of the characters but is no longer involved in the development of the story. However, the writer is still very much attached to the franchise’s other spin-off projects.
Keanu Reeves Has 1 Condition for John Wick 5
READ MORE: John Wick: Chapter 4 Is Already A Box Office Triumph
Talking to Entertainment Weekly, John Wick actor Keanu Reeves shared his condition as to what it would take for him to take on the role again for a fifth movie.
I don’t know, I guess I’m going to have to lean on never say never. I mean, I wouldn’t do a John Wick film without Chad Stahelski. We’d have to see what that looked like. For me, it feels really right that John Wick finds peace.
For those who haven’t seen the movie yet, be warned: SPOILERS AHEAD.
While critics’ response and box office returns are basically laying down the foundation for a follow-up movie, John Wick 4 actually gave quite a fitting end for the eponymous assassin. Finally, his last moments bring him together with his most beloved wife.
By the end of the movie, Ian McShane’s Winston and Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King come to John Wick’s grave. Finally, Wick got out of the organization and kept his friendship with Donnie Yen’s Caine.
The entire movie brought great closure when the battered protagonist finally found peace with the love of his life. It may not be at the circumstances where he was alive and breathing, but he was definitely accepting his fate.
John Wick: Chapter 4 displays 94% Certified Fresh at the Tomatometer with 274 reviews. Furthermore, it reflects an audience score of 95% from more than 2500 verified users on the site.
Keanu Reeves Still Wants Chad Stahelski For John Wick 5
Credit: Summit Entertainment
READ MORE: Is John Wick 5 Happening? The Director Reveals All
Those who have seen the movie agree that it has achieved a good closure. However, there is still interest in seeing the character in the future. Thus, many wonder if Reeves would still be down for another project.
It seems that his ‘non-negotiable’ depends on whether Stahelski would still take the helm for John Wick 5. Previously, they did plan to conduct a back-to-back production of Chapters 4 and 5, which Lionsgate re-considered. In the end, they opted to go with the fourth movie and then see how that goes, then decide if they will still do a fifth.
And everything points to show that he shares the director’s take on the prospect. They have to substantiate the “why” of it all.
What do you make of Keanu Reeves’ condition to accept making John Wick 5? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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I hope there will be no more John Wick movies. I know it’s a fortune maker but it’s has no intelligent plot just unbelievable killing action. I don’t get why people love it so much…
Can we just enjoy a nice and good ending to a series of great movies? Why would you want to ruin the feeling of the ending in the 4th movie. If they were to make a sequel it would need to be Cain avenging John Wick by taking out the high table entirely so he can spend time with his daughter in peace.
There cannot be a John wick 5 because it’ll ruin the whole project of all the chapters. He died in chapter 4 . Unless there was a catch to it like when the guy at the end thought he shot the gun but he didn’t which was very interesting and tricky which we all didn’t catch that seen that he didn’t shoot . Then there can be a chapter 5.
I hated the ending. Why would he go through all that he did to get out from under the High Table just to end up dying? He fought through 4 films to be free then ends up being shot by a blind man during a duel? That’s what they came up with? I could have written a better script that was true to the previous 3 films.
I would love to see a John Wick 5.
We need for John to continue to live after all the fighting he went through from the 4 movies plus we need to see Caine and Mr. Nobody with his dog to help John Wick kick some more ass.
I agree ,John shouldn’t have died in 4, unless there is a believable plot whereas the bowery king and Johnathan lie about John’s death so that he can ultimately kill or destroy the high tabl÷ , you have to sacrifice one of the main characters, either Johnathan or the bowery king
The ending in Chapter 4 is already a beautiful closure. He finally found freedom and peace in his death. Might as well do a spin-off rather than a sequal. Or don’t do it at all. This is a case of overmilking the franchise when there’s no need to. Look what they did to The Matrix franchise. Sometimes you need to leave well enough alone when it’s done beautifully. Attempting to cash in on the hype wagon will only destroy it as a whole. Another example is Star Wars.. Too many and it became boring and needless