Apr
Keanu Reeves Officially Returning for John Wick 5 After Ambiguous Fate of Character
John Wick is far from done!
Keanu Reeves has confirmed his return for John Wick: Chapter 5, Lionsgate announced at CinemaCon on Tuesday. The star and producer will once again collaborate with franchise director Chad Stahelski, as well as producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee.
“Keanu, Chad, Basil, and Erica wouldn’t return unless they had something truly groundbreaking and exciting to share with these characters and the world they inhabit,” said Adam Fogelson, Chairman of the studio’s Motion Picture Group. “We’re thrilled for audiences to see where this journey takes us next.”
In John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), the character’s fate was left somewhat unclear. It appeared that John Wick had met his end following a brutal duel with Bill Skarsgård’s Marquis de Gramont. However, the final scene, featuring a shot of Wick’s dog gazing at his grave, suggested there might be more to the story.
Director Chad Stahelski has already addressed the ambiguity of the ending, revealing that an alternate version showed Wick alive. “We had a different ending,” Stahelski explained in a 2023 interview with Empire. “We filmed a version where John Wick was very much alive at the end. Audiences who saw it in our tests overwhelmingly preferred the ambiguous ending.”
In other exciting news from CinemaCon, a spin-off centered on Caine, the character played by martial arts legend Donnie Yen, will begin production in Hong Kong later this year. Also in the works is an animated prequel, which delves into Wick’s past before the events of the first film. Reeves will produce the anime alongside Stahelski, Iwanyk, and Lee. Shannon Tindle is set to direct, with Vanessa Taylor writing the script.
Stahelski expressed his excitement about the anime project, stating, “Creating a John Wick anime feels like a natural progression for the franchise. Anime offers a unique opportunity to expand our world, characters, and action in ways that we haven’t yet explored.”
While no release dates have been confirmed for these upcoming projects, fans can look forward to the John Wick spin-off Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, hitting theaters on June 6.
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