Keanu Reeves’ John Wick 5 Return Rule Is Even More Crucial Than It Sounds

Warning: This article contains spoilers about John Wick: Chapter 4!With the tremendous success of John Wick: Chapter 4 and Lionsgate looking to continue the franchise, Keanu Reeves’ John Wick 5 return rule is even more crucial than it sounds. After spending four films hunting down the members of the High Table, the elite assassin uses a loophole to engage the Marquis de Gramont in a duel and finally gain his freedom and his revenge at the same time. Unfortunately, as the manager of The Osaka Continental predicted, these things could only happen with his death, indicating that the fourth film would be the final entry in the John Wick franchise to involve Reeves as the titular hitman.

John Wick’s story seems to be concluded, but that being said, Keanu Reeves has one condition for John Wick 5 if he decides to reprise his role. Considering John Wick 4 has been getting the best reviews of the franchise, Lionsgate will want to capitalize on the momentum, but the substance and style that make the franchise so unique could be short-changed because of the studio’s short-sightedness. Fortunately, it seems like both Reeves and director Chad Stahelski are on the same page about how John Wick 5 should come into being.

Why John Wick 5 Can’t Work Without Chad Stahelski (Not Just Because Of Reeves)

John Wick 5 can’t work without the involvement of Chad Stahelski, and not just because Reeves won’t sign on to it without his long-time collaborator. Stahelski brings his own style and unique vision to the franchise, and with a different director, a fifth installment wouldn’t align with its predecessors. The main series should be cohesive and uniform as it follows the characters and story developed between Stahelski and Reeves, but this isn’t as crucial to spinoffs like Ballerina, which can benefit from another director’s approach to the world-building of the John Wick mythos.

When John Wick first premiered, Stahelski changed the action genre with his insistence on wide shots that allowed entire fights to unfold like a ballet, moody neo-noir lighting, and inventive camera angles. This wasn’t surprising, as Stahelski had worked as Reeves’ stuntperson on The Matrix movies and learned a lot about revolutionizing action sequences. With each new installment in the John Wick franchise, Stahelski honed his craft while building an impressive portfolio of entertainment as identifiable as Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg.

What Director Chad Stahelski Has Said About Returning For John Wick 5

Stahelski discussed the possibility of returning to make John Wick 5 with Screen Rant, stating “As for John Wick, you will never [hear] Keanu or I say, we’re done. We’re proud of what we’ve done, flattered people want to see more, and we want to continue that and will be there to help out. What Lionsgate decides to do with the properties is up to them.” After John Wick: Chapter 4’s box office success, it’s not surprising that Lionsgate wants to make more John Wick movies, and Stahelski has given him their blessing, but without his involvement, the direction they take could drastically alter the tone of the franchise.

Speaking exclusively with Screen Rant about John Wick 5, Stahelski clarified his approach. “I may have thoughts, ideas, and fragments of stuff, but I think I need a little time to breathe and see how this one does.” This suggests that while not opposed to making John Wick 5, Stahelski prefers to use the time in between each movie to work on shortcomings and improve his abilities as a director. Studios like to make the most of a sure thing, so it’s refreshing to know that he won’t race to get another movie out before he’s ready, and it’s this sort of creative diligence that has led to John Wick: Chapter 4’s success.