John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski sheds some light on the story for John Wick 5, confirming it will mark a substantial change for the series. Speaking with Empire, the filmmaker discussed what he has in mind for the sequel. While he didn’t go into too much detail, he did reveal how John Wick 5 will be different from its predecessors. This time around, the Baba Yaga isn’t going head to head with the High Table. Instead, the film will tell “a new story” about John Wick, while still delivering all of the extravagant action sequences fans have come to know and love.
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“The saga of John Wick was pretty wrapped up,” Stahelski said, alluding to the end of John Wick: Chapter 4. “So the only way to do a 5 is to have a new story that involves John Wick. It’s not a continuation, with the High Table. John dealt with his grief. It will be really different, and everybody [will] see the trailer and go, ‘Holy f*** … I gotta see that.’”
Because John Wick seemingly died in John Wick: Chapter 4, there was speculation about whether or not a fifth film would even happen. Star Keanu Reeves appeared to cast doubt on the idea with a blunt response, but earlier this year, Lionsgate confirmed John Wick 5 was in development. The studio officially announced Reeves’ return to his iconic role during its panel at CinemaCon in April.
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John Wick 5 does not have a release date as of this writing, but the franchise is continuing in other ways in the meantime. This summer sees the release of Ballerina, a spin-off movie starring Ana de Armas. Reeves has a role in Ballerina, which takes place between the third and fourth movies. There’s also another spinoff centering around Donnie Yen’s Caine and an animated prequel movie that will feature the impossible task John did prior to the events of the original film.
The first four John Wick movies are all about John’s confrontation with the High Table, escalating from simple revenge thriller to all-out war against the organization and its many assets. By the time John Wick 4 concluded, John had fought his way up the ranks and secured his freedom from the High Table, meaning they should no longer be a threat to him. It’s encouraging that Stahelski understands there isn’t anywhere else for that narrative thread to go. Rather than add to a storyline that’s already properly wrapped up, John Wick 5 will mark the beginning of a new story in this universe. That should help keep things fresh, as it will be interesting to see what kind of trouble John gets into this time around. Stahelski will be able to introduce a new set of villains, who will hopefully be just as intimidating as the High Table was.
This doesn’t reveal the answer to the biggest question fans have about John Wick 5 (how is John alive in the first place?), but it’s a valuable insight into Stahelski’s approach. He’s obviously very passionate about this franchise, and he likely wouldn’t come back for a fifth installment if he didn’t have the foundation for a great story in place. Outside of the innovative gun-fu action set pieces that are the series’ bread and butter, the John Wick franchise is renowned for its world building, intriguing audiences with its society of underground assassins from the very beginning. Moving beyond the High Table allows the filmmakers to add even more interesting elements and angles to this universe, and if Stahelski’s track record is anything to go by, John Wick 5 will be just as memorable as its predecessors.
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