Summary
Hollywood’s usual practices indicate thatJohn Wick 5should happen sooner rather than later, but a new update for the sequel has left me expecting otherwise.The discussions aboutJohn Wick 5materialized shortly afterJohn Wick: Chapter 4’s release, which saw it earn critical acclaim and break box office records for the franchise. Typically, this would mean that Lionsgate would waste no time announcing another movie.John Wick 4’s ending and the apparentdeath of John Wick (Keanu Reeves)complicated the idea of making a sequel, but I was still convinced that it would happen relatively quickly.
Reeves and franchise director Chad Stahelski have maintained there is potential forJohn Wick 5to happen, although neither of them appear to be in any rush to make it. This sentiment has now carried over to reporting aboutJohn Wick 5’s filming start date. While some rumors suggested that Reeves, Stahelski, and others would come back for the fifth installment sometime in 2025, those claims have now been debunked. That made me think about the future of theJohn Wickfranchise, andI do not expectJohn Wick 5to happen anytime soon now.
John Wick: Chapter 5 - Confirmation & Everything We Know
Despite being confirmed, John Wick: Chapter 5 is one of the most mysterious - and uncertain - upcoming movies, as the John Wick 5 news so far shows.
He Has A Different Franchise To Start
The biggest holdup forJohn Wick 5at the moment appears to beChad Stahelski’s commitment toHighlander. He is set to helm a reboot of the fantasy series, with Henry Cavill playing the lead role. Production is slated to begin in 2025, andCollider’s reporting that debunked the idea that Stahelski could doHighlanderandJohn Wick 5the same year said,“Stahelski’s full focus, creatively and mentally, is on directing, writing, and producing Highlander.“This makes me believe that Stahelski will not spend much time thinking about or developingJohn Wick 5until afterHighlander.
The reason why Stahelski has seemingly putJohn Wick 5on the backburner likely comes down to his plans forHighlander. The hope is that this will becomea major franchise whereStahleski can oversee the creation of spinoffs, prequels, and sequels. That’s what he managed to do withJohn Wick, and that was only possible because of how strong each installment is on its own. Stahelski can’t afford for the first movie to be a flop then, and splitting his attention between it andJohn Wick 5could hurt both projects in the long run.
“Stahelski’s direction also shines most in this installment, where he gets to implement a creative vision that feels both familiar and new. And with the undeniably hypnotic music by Bates and Richard and sound mixing, these elements aid in maintaining the stakes while heightening the senses to result in a satisfying viewer experience."-Patrice Witherspoon-Screen Rant’s John Wick 4 Review
John Wick 5 Might Still Be 4 Years Away Now
Development Could Take Time
I now of the mind thatJohn Wick 5could still be years away from filming. We’re already over halfway through 2024, andStahelski is likely to be occupied withHighlanderfor all of 2025on some level. The movie does not have an official release date, but that production timeline could indicate Henry Cavill’s film will debut in 2026. I could see a world where Stahelski begins preppingJohn Wick 5whileHighlanderis still in post-production, allowing him to reunite with Keanu Reeves to start filming in 2026, but that’s the best-case scenario.
There is also the option whereJohn Wick 5does not begin production until sometime in late 2026 or even waits until 2027. That would mean you and I will have to wait until potentially 2028 to see how they build offJohn Wick 4’s endingand bring Keanu Reeves' character back. And even if Stahelski does do someJohn Wick 5prep while he’s working on all aspects ofHighlander, if the movie isn’t going to start filming until 2026 at the earliest, a 2027 release date is the earliest chance for the sequel to be released.
12 Best John Wick Characters, Ranked
The John Wick franchise comprises compelling lead characters who appear in every movie as well as supporting characters who still make an impression.
John Wick 5 Not Happening Soon Risks Breaking A Chapter 4 Franchise Record
The Wait Could Be Unprecedented
This potential schedule forJohn Wick 5that I’ve laid out does mean that the movie could be in line tobreak a franchise record by being the sequel that has the longest gap between it and the prior installment.John Wick: Chapter 2came out three years after the first film, whileJohn Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellumhas the shortest gap of the franchise since it came out only two years later.John Wick: Chapter 4set a new franchise record by having four years pass after the third installment, which was partially due to COVID-19 shutdowns.
There is now a chance thatJohn Wick 5will take longer to happen thanJohn Wick 4. Even my best-case scenario suggests that audiences will have to wait four years again between the main installments in the franchise. The more likely outcome might bea five-year gap between the fourth and fifth entries, which would be a franchise record then.
That said,John Wick 5’s long gap between it andJohn Wick 4should be a bit more bearable thanks to the franchise’s expansion. Ana de Armas’Ballerinaspinoff will come out in 2025, and Donnie Yen’s untitled Cain spinoff could come in 2026. Keanu Reeves is already slated to appear inBallerinatoo, so we will get a bit more of his character even ifJohn Wick 5takes longer to happen than I previously expected.
