In 10 years, John Wick infused action cinema with a novelty that can still be appreciated today in the various projects inspired by it. Or more than a novelty, the first film by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch returned to a 7th action art focused on readability and efficiency, in addition to offering Keanu Reeves an important new role.
Four films and a prequel series (The Continental) later, the saga does not intend to stop there and chief architect Chad Stahelski was able to speak about the future of John Wick to the Hollywood Reporterwhile sharing some new anecdotes around the first film…
In addition to mentioning the incessant standoffs with production — “The dog cannot die, you will alienate the public”, “Keanu can’t have a beard, he has to be internationally recognizable” —, the director returned to the enigmatic John Wick 5. The fourth film, supposed to conclude John’s story, offers the character a real ending, making the exercise of the fifth part more complex than the previous ones.
Chad Stahelski does not want to reproduce the same formula as on John Wick: Chapter 4 — “We can’t do better than what we did on John Wick: Chapter 4, we can’t go further” — and claims to have a very specific idea in mind, which would contrast radically with the rest of the saga. If John Wick 5 should therefore do well, Chad Stahelski does not intend to deny the end of the fourth part and affirms that the next film “won’t be what you think”.
Ballerinaanimation, spin-off, series…
Still in the same article from Hollywood ReporterChad Stahelski returned to other projects around the saga. The director has, in fact, become the general supervisor of the franchise at Lionsgate John Wick. After 10 years working on it as a director and producer, his goal is to see it develop without undoing what has been built.
Several projects are in progress. The first cinema spin-off, Ballerinais expected in June 2025 and will see Ana de Armas slip into the shoes of a hitwoman eager to avenge her family. The film, directed by Len Wiseman, benefited from the talent of Chad Stahelski and his stunt team during some complex action scenes. Taking place before the events of John Wick: Chapter 4Keanu Reeves will also reprise his role.
Still in the vein of spin-offs, Chad Stahelski confirmed the existence of another series (after The Continental), titled Under the High Table interested in other characters (and assassins) in the universe of John Wick.
Finally, Donnie Yen will find the Caine costume in a film dedicated to his character, and taking place after John Wick: Chapter 4.
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Loquacious, Chad Stahelski finally mentioned the animated film project around John Wick. The film will be a prequel likely looking at the assassin’s life before he met his wife and decided to retire.
In the first film, John Wick’s past is indeed teased, and reference is often made to a supposedly impossible mission that John carried out in order to leave the world of assassins to live in peace with his wife. An “impossible task” at the origin of the Baba Yaga myth that this animated spin-off could finally reveal. This seems to be Chad Stahelski’s idea, although the latter remains deliberately mysterious. In any case, the director affirms one thing: the objective is to use each media and each artistic style differently, to continue to revitalize the action genre. John Wick is 10 years old, and the next ten years promise to be busy!
