Is John Wick 5 happening? Keanu Reeves’ potential return explained

Somehow, John Wick will return! But how? Here we dive into the possible John Wick 5 release date, what might happen next in the story, and who would be part of the cast.

Yes, we are getting another entry in the John Wick timeline? It does seem that, whenever the titular hero thinks he’s done, more bad guys need an ass-kicking, and he’s more than happy to hand it out.

The first action movie‘s grief-fueled rampage introduced us to the custom-governed, fascinating world of The Continental and the High Table.

Wick’s tragic story also kickstarted the Keanussaince and birthed some of the best fight scenes of the 21st century. John Wick 4 ended on a surprisingly somber note, so (spoilers ahead) let’s dig into how new movies could work.

John Wick 5 is coming, but when?

Lionsgate

The film is reportedly in development but there’s no release date yet. It will likely take a few years before the movie comes out.

Recent updates in regard to the existence of John Wick 5 claim that the project is slated to go ahead and that production is aiming to begin in 2025. However, this is yet to be officially confirmed. If that is true, we shouldn’t expect the movie to release until 2027.

John Wick producer Basil Iwanyk provided a promising update in November 2023, teasing to Screen Rant, “If there is another John Wick movie, which I do believe there will be, we don’t know what it is yet, but I do believe.”

On November 11, 2023, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Joe Drake said at an earnings call, “On the Wick side we got multiple spin-offs and a Wick Five. We started to work on (it) right when the writer’s strike started and we’ve gotten back to work as soon as it ended.”

Since then, updates have come fast and furious. As of this writing, the latest was that John Wick: Chapter 5 would begin shooting in 2025, but that’s categorically untrue. Collider confirmed that Chad Stahelski, who is expected to return as director, will be tied up with the Highlander reboot.

There have been no announcements about other cast and crew signing on as of yet, though Stahelski has said he’s open to exploring ideas. It is believed that Stahelski will need to be involved, as Reeves has said he wouldn’t make another Wick movie without him.

Regardless, Ballerina is the next priority for this universe, and its release has been pushed back for reshoots. There are also a slew of spin-offs in the works, such as Caine and Under The High Table. Lionsgate will likely get those sorted out before they really crack on with John Wick 5.

Who could be in the John Wick 5 cast?

No cast has been officially announced for future projects, but it sounds like Keanu Reeves will be back. If Reeves doesn’t come back, it could focus on totally new characters with a fresh cast.

Lionsgate

While fans may be excited to hear that John Wick 5 is potentially in the works, this announcement may also bring up some confusion. After all, the end of John Wick 4 made it seem as though he had finally met his end.

We even saw John’s grave as he was laid to rest next to his wife. However, the odds are John Wick 5 will explore the idea of Baba Yaga faking his death. This wouldn’t be completely unrealistic for the franchise, but it could dampen the poignancy of 4’s ending.

Reeves told EW, “I don’t know, I guess I’m going to have to lean on never say never. I wouldn’t do a John Wick film without Chad Stahelski. We’d have to see what that looked like. For me, it feels really right that John Wick finds peace.”

As director Stahelski teased to Empire Magazine, “dead” might not be an option for John: “You know, we’ve seen John take worse injuries.”

So, it sounds like there’s definitely room for Reeves to bring the character back from the dead. Given his star status, Lionsgate would be foolish not to make that work, too.

There’s always the chance we might see characters (and actors) spill over from The Continental cast, too, but one man who will not be returning is Lance Reddick, who died after filming the TV show.

Depending on how well Ballerina performs, we could see Ana de Armas’ character crossing over with Reeves. It would make sense, as the two are such big names, and they’ve worked together in the past, too (on the frankly awful Knock Knock).

John Wick 5 can go in two directions

There are no plot details for a potential John Wick 5 right now. But, it’ll either need to go back in time before John died, or reveal that the character never actually died at all.

For the latter, John Wick 5 would have to explain how John is still alive after seemingly dying in 4. The John Wick 4 ending makes it appear as though the character has finally met his fate. However, that’s not to say he can’t come back and find more people to beat up.

It could alternatively be a prequel set before the events of the fourth chapter. However, given the John Wick timeline, with just six months between the third and fourth movie in-world, there’s very little space to fill there.

The alternative, of course, is to leave the titular character behind and feature new or legacy characters. That said, if you don’t have John Wick, you aren’t really making a fifth movie, you’re just making a spin-off. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you’d have to change the title, really.

Whatever route it goes down, Stahelski has said his brain still comes up with Wick-related ideas. He insists it would have to make sense, though.

Producer Basil Iwanyk added that, when it comes to another movie, it would need to be a “completely other book. We couldn’t and shouldn’t just pick up the story six months later, and would need a clean break.”

John Wick 5 is in very early stages of development, so it’d be years before the next movie came out. It would make sense, then, to go much deeper into the future and follow a substantially older Wick.

For more, find out how to watch John Wick 4, or the new movies streaming. We’ve also got a fun list of movies like John Wick. For instance, if you like people kicking ass, Captain America 4 might be your cup of tea.