The Oscars are finally adding a category to recognize stunts in films, but John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski is more worried about figuring out the John Wick 5 story than winning the award. In an interview with ComicBook to promote the new documentary Wick is Pain (now available on digital platforms), the filmmaker was asked if it’s a goal of his to take home the Best Stunts prize with John Wick 5. Stahelski said that for him, the film’s narrative comes first. He believes that deliberately chasing an award doesn’t lead to the best results.
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“Let’s worry about the story for John Wick 5 first,” Stahelski said. “Then I’ll figure out what to blow s— up with. Okay? My advice all this time, people out there, don’t ever try to get an award. Just do great stuff, you know? Don’t worry about the awards. That’s chasing the dragon, man. That’s never going to be great.”
In April, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced plans to introduce a Best Stunts category. It will first be awarded at the 100th Oscars ceremony, which will be held in 2028. For years, Stahelski was one of the most vocal advocates for a stunts Oscar, frequently highlighting the tremendous work of stunt crews on action films.
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April was also when it was confirmed Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves are reuniting to make John Wick 5. The film does not have a release date as of this writing. Stahelski has shed some light on his approach, however, revealing that John Wick 5 marks the beginning of a new story for the franchise. He considers John’s confrontation with the High Table (which spanned the previous four movies) to be resolved.
John Wick is one of the most influential action franchises in film, renowned for its innovative gun-fu set pieces and practical stunts. Should John Wick 5 premiere in 2027, it would be eligible for the first Best Stunts Oscar, and many would consider it a frontrunner. It would obviously mean a lot to Stahelski (who worked as a stuntman before directing John Wick) to be the first recipient of that award, but for John Wick fans, it’s encouraging that is not his primary objective. All of the John Wick films to date have been critically acclaimed — not just for their action sequences, but also their strong sense of world building and entertaining performances. In the interest of ensuring that track record remains intact, Stahelski wants John Wick 5 to be a great film overall, and that starts with cracking the right story.
Based on Stahelski’s comments about John Wick 5, he seems to be on the right track. The High Table storyline has run its course, and it will be exciting to see the Baba Yaga be placed in a different situation and face new challenges. With Stahelski calling the shots, the action of John Wick 5 will be in the best hands possible and it should deliver several exhilarating sequences. But in order for the franchise to keep going beyond that, it’ll need a refresh in the narrative department. As long as Stahelski and crew iron out the best story possible, everything else (including Oscars for stunts) will fall into place.
