Lionsgate offers stunning update on John Wick 5

John Wick 5 is officially in the works! It’s been a long time since John Wick: Chapter 4 was released, and the fate of John Wick (Keanu Reeves) has been up in the air. Thanks to a report from ComicBook.com, Joe Drake, the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair, confirmed John Wick 5 is officially in the works. The script for the new movie is being written, following the months-long writers’ strike and actors’ strike.

According to the report, Drake confirmed to Lionsgate investors that “we have got multiple spin-offs and Wick 5. We started to work on [it] right when the writers’ strike started and we’ve gotten back to work as soon as it ended.”

So, it sure sounds like more John Wick movies and shows are on the way, in addition to Ballerina starring Ana de Armas and the recently released series, The Continental. While the fifth movie is in the works, it’s not very far along right now, so we’re preparing to wait a long time for John Wick: Chapter 5. 

John Wick: Chapter 4 was supposed to be the end of Keanu Reeves’ time as the titular character John Wick, but as we learned in May 2023, it doesn’t appear that Reeves is going out like that.

There have been rumors and rumblings about John Wick 5 all the way before John Wick: Chapter 4 premiered in theaters in early 2023. While those rumors were unconfirmed at that time, Lionsgate has revealed what fans have been hoping for back before the release of what was thought to be the final chapter.

This also isn’t the first time Drake has spoken about John Wick 5. Earlier this year, hee also revealed more shows and movies set in this world are in development, via ComicBook.com:

"“What is official is that, as you know, Ballerina is the first spinoff that comes out next year. We’re in development on three others, including [John Wick 5] and including television series, The Continental, will be airing soon. And so, we’re building out the world and when that five movie comes, will be organic — will be organically grown out of how we’re starting to tell those stories. But you can rely on a regular cadence of John Wick.”"

In June, we learned that while John Wick 5 is in development. The story “isn’t there,” according to Basil Iwanyk. Here’s what Iwanyk told IGN:

"“I think that there’s no question that it’s in development, but right now the story isn’t there yet. And until the story is there, it isn’t… It’s real on something we’re trying to figure out. But we haven’t settled on what that movie looks like or feels like.”"

Director Chris Stahelski told Empire that he’s not really sure what’s going to happen with the movie, but he’s definitely interested.

"“I honestly don’t know. Lionsgate is keen on doing more John Wick stuff, understandably. It’s not a bad thing for a director to have a property that they want to make more of. I don’t have a take right now. But I could wake up tomorrow and have a cool idea that I’d pitch to Keanu, or he would pitch to me, and it might hit that chord of, ‘Oh my God, we got to do this right now.’”"

Now that the writers’ and actors’ strikes are over, I’d bet on John Wick 5 happening sooner rather than later.

Has the John Wick 5 release date been announced?

As of November 2023, we’re still waiting on the release date for John Wick 5. Lionsgate just confirmed the movie is in development, so we’re probably going to have to wait for a while until we find out what’s next and when the movie is coming out.

But, we have a pretty good idea, I think, of when to expect the movie. We’ve seen the last three John Wick movies in the last six years. That is quite impressive to get every movie out within two or three years.

With that said, it’s probably pretty likely that John Wick 5 will be released in theaters in 2025, at the earliest, or 2026. There’s no chance we’ll see the movie in 2024, so we’re going to be waiting a lot longer for John Wick 5. 

But, don’t worry! There are more John Wick movies and shows coming before then.

Ballerina starring Ana d Armas premieres in 2024

Ballerina starring Ana de Armas is coming to theaters in 2024. The movie’s premiere date is scheduled for June 7, 2024. Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves also star in the film.

I don’t think there’s enough time to get John Wick 5 in the works, filmed, and edited by the end of 2024, so it’s much more reasonable to expect to see Ballerina in 2024 followed by John Wick 5 in 2025.

The Continental, which is set in the world of John Wick, is also streaming on Peacock right now. It’s pretty good, too!

So, is John Wick not really dead?

John Wick is not dead! He can’t be dead, right? At the end of the fourth movie (SPOILERS!), John Wick appears to be dead. In fact, he even has a gravestone next to his wife. But, I mean, come on. It’s not called something else; it’s called John Wick 5! There’s no way this franchise continues without him.

There has been no confirmation that Keanu Reeves will be back for John Wick 5, but that’s not to say the star will not return for the fifth movie of his and sixth movie of the franchise. In fact, I would be completely shocked if Reeves opted out and did not return for John Wick 5. There’s more to the story, and I have a feeling this franchise is only getting started.

This summer, Chris Stahelski was featured in an episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, and he confirmed that, yes, Reeves would be in John Wick 5, but he also mentioned that the idea was not far along at that point.

Here’s what he said, via Screen Rant:

"“Yeah, Keanu and I have talked. Keanu, if you ask him right now, ‘Would you do John Wick 5?’ He’d be, ‘f–k yeah’. But then he’d look and go, ‘Well, what is it? I have no f–king idea.’ That’s all. Believe me. It’s not like, ‘We’re going to figure it out today.’ Like, look man, we’re going to do our other stuff for a little bit, but if I was driving in the car or if I was walking the dog and an idea hit me, within 30 seconds I’d be on the phone to Keanu and we’d be riffing.”"

I can’t wait to see how the franchise faked his death and brings him back into the fold, but I think we all know it’s going to happen and add to the legend of John Wick.