John Wick: Chapter 4 has become a blockbuster hit, and it’s no surprise that Lionsgate is considering a fifth installment in the franchise. The success of the fourth movie, which was initially expected to be the last, has prompted Lionsgate to change course and consider pushing the limits even further. However, creating a fifth movie is not without its challenges.
The Challenge of John Wick: Chapter 5
The main challenge that Lionsgate faces in creating a fifth movie is how to develop the storyline when John Wick seemingly dies at the end of Chapter 4. Nevertheless, there is openness to create a fifth movie as different interpretations of the ending has given room for creating another sequel. Notably, director Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves were both fairly certain that Chapter 4 will be the end. While the ending presents some uncertainty about John getting alive or not, Lionsgate is not going to take any chances on this successful franchise’s future.
Keanu Reeves’ Protective Attitude
Keanu Reeves is protective when it comes to his characters and his audience’s trust. Indeed, he has avoided franchises before because he didn’t want to tarnish what he had built with viewers. As such, there is no guarantee that he will return for a fifth movie since he is concerned not to mess with the audience. Nonetheless, Reeves recently agreed to appear strategically in The Ballerina spinoff, which takes place in the spillover universe of John Wick’s main story.
Franchise Spin-Offs
Apart from the Ballerina spinoff, Lionsgate also considers developing other John Wick spinoffs such as prequels exploring John’s life before he retired or an action-packed spinoff centered on some of his former associates.
Alternate Ending Test Screenings
Before the release of Chapter 4, alternate endings had been screened in front of audiences, revealing a rather darker end. However, these tests received negative feedback, requiring Stahelski and his team to create an entirely new ending. The final version made the funeral scene more mysterious and featured the puppy looking up. This alternative turned out to be a hit among both the production team and viewers alike.
Keanu Reeves Limited Dialogue
In John Wick: Chapter 4, Reeves’ character only spoke 380 words in 103 lines of dialogue throughout the movie. This was intentional, with Reeves and director Stahelski stripping out about half of the film’s original script. Surprisingly, a third of his dialogue consists of one-word responses. Nonetheless, this lack of dialogue-making John Wick more enigmatic and interesting than ever.
The Limitless Potential of John Wick Franchise
Despite its uncertain future, the John Wick franchise’s limitless potential ensures we are not going to say goodbye to our favorite character just yet. With Keanu Reeves excelling in extreme action sequences and intense stunts despite minimal dialogue, it’s clear that this is not the last we will see of him in this role. Fans worldwide are not ready to give up on a franchise that has become one of the best action movies ever produced. Therefore, it would be unwise to count John Wick out at this point.
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