Keanu Reeves Is Going To Make A Ridiculous Number Of John Wick Movies?
Just like the titular character, it seems that Keanu Reeves' John Wick franchise of action thrillers might be completely unkillable.
Get comfortable, folks. We could be seeing new John Wick movies for at least the next decade. The Keanu Reeves action franchise has been cranking out insane action since 2014, and according to director Chad Stahelski in an interview with Collider, there are no plans to stop anytime soon. He does admit that John Wick Chapter 4, due in theaters next year, will close the story arc that has been building over the first three movies. “There’s a good conclusion to an emotional thread that we’ve already had,” he said, but there is also a turn in the narrative (and the introduction of new characters) that could fuel more John Wick adventures.
When told by Collider’s Steve Weintraub that he would love to see ten John Wick movies, Stahelski agreed. “(That) would be awesome,” he said. “But sometimes, I think it’s really good to do a Wick, then go learn and experiment on others and bring that knowledge back to Wick. So it could be good to take a little break, as I see it.” We shouldn’t expect much of a break. John Wick Chapter 4 opens March 24, 2023, and introduces Donnie Yen, Shamier Anderson, Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada, Scott Adkins, and Clancy Brown as new characters, who will all likely play a part in future films. “I think Chapter 4 is a good continuation, and it’s got a bit of a conclusion to it, which is great,” Stahelski said. “We introduce a ton of new characters that have a lot to say about John Wick from his past and from, obviously, present. It’s what the life would really be like as a bit of an existential crisis with John, and I think that’s the fun part of the movie.”
No one expected much from the original John Wick when it was released in 2014. Keanu Reeves had spent the previous decade in a string of solid (but not blockbuster) films like 47 Ronin, The Lake House, and The Day the Earth Stood Still, but none approached the success of the Matrix trilogy that ended with The Matrix Revolutions in 2003. On its surface, John Wick just seemed like another action film: a retired hitman goes on a bloody path of revenge after suffering devastating personal losses. The duo of writer/creator Derek Kolstad and stuntman turned director Stahelski, however, crafted a moody, kinetic action masterpiece, with fight scenes and gun battles unlike anything the movies had seen. The film revitalized Reeves’ career and kick-started a franchise for Lionsgate, the studio behind it.
Although it looks like John Wick Chapter 4 will have some sort of closure, meaning John has finally gotten over losing his wife and his dog, a blueprint for the future is in place. “Right now we’re just seeing the finish line, so we’re trying to get through this one, and if it expands out from there, always happy to talk about it,” Stahelski said. However, the John Wick universe will be expanding, even without Keanu Reeves. A prequel television series, The Continental, is already in production for the Starz network, starring Mel Gibson, according to ScreenRant. Set in the 1970s, the series also features Colin Woodell (The Flight Attendant, The Purge) as a young Winston, the character played by Ian McShane in the film series. The TV series will center on the chain of hotels around the world that serve as a neutral meeting place for criminal underworld hit men to meet and conduct business. A spinoff film, titled The Ballerina, is in development, with Ana de Armas playing an assassin in the John Wick universe.
In case you’re wondering, Keanu Reeves has already voiced his eagerness to make more John Wick movies. Even though he is 57 years old, he still has no problems pulling off the intense fight scenes and physicality the role requires. He’s already signed on for John Wick Chapter 5, which was supposed to be filmed back-to-back with John Wick Chapter 4, until the pandemic changed those plans.
