Chad Stahelski isn’t ruling out John Wick: Chapter 5 just yet. In fact, he says he and writer Mike Finch have a “pretty good story” that they’re actively working on.
But whether the movie actually happens still depends on one major thing: cracking the story in a way that feels satisfying.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Stahelski admitted it’s not as straightforward as fans might think. “I’m not going to lie to you, it’s a bit of a conundrum,” he said. “Me and Mike Finch, we’ve got a pretty good story that I think is cool. Once we have a 50-page book, and if we’re feeling it, we’ll sit with Keanu and shape this thing.”
After John Wick: Chapter 4 left audiences believing the legendary assassin was dead, many were surprised when Lionsgate announced a fifth film was in the works. Stahelski made it clear, though, that nothing is officially greenlit just yet. “The studio would very much will it into existence, I’m sure,” he said. “They’ve been great and they’ve asked us to really try and we have a really good couple of ideas and we’re going to try.”
The key, he says, is whether they can come up with something that lives up to the franchise’s standards. And if they don’t? No problem, Stahelski sees the writing process as a chance to explore other ideas that could fuel spin-offs or future stories. “If we go down the road of John Wick 5 and build this story and decide this isn’t right, there are probably going to be 10 other things we’ll discover that we’ll use for other things,” he explained. “It’s a great creative exercise.”
One of those spin-offs is already on the way: Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas. The film will also feature John Wick himself, though Stahelski says that wasn’t the original plan. “To be honest, I was kind of against it,” he said. “But I do see the benefit and we wanted to help out [director Len Wiseman].”
After the massive success of John Wick 4, Stahelski knew that keeping Ballerina in the same universe required a little help from its most iconic character. “He couldn’t go back to the model of the first John Wick and do a little $18 million indie thing,” he said. “In order to stay in the same game, you got to give him a fighting chance.”
Whether or not John Wick Chapter 5 happens, Stahelski and his team are clearly not done building out the Wick universe. And if Keanu Reeves is back in the suit one more time, it’ll be because the story truly earned it.
- Lainey Wilson Shares Touching Funeral Wish Inspired by Grandparents - June 16, 2025
- Why Nick Frost Never Travels Without His Kitchen Kit - June 16, 2025
- Jesy Nelson Celebrates Homecoming with Newborn Twins - June 16, 2025
