Summary
Keanu Reeves wanted his character to die at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4 due to the toll playing the role was taking on him physically and emotionally.
Reeves secured a possibility of a minor reentry in case he chooses to come back to the franchise at a later time. Having worked on numerous installments of the series, Reeves experienced exhaustion and desired a conclusive conclusion for his character.
John Wick franchise producer Basil Iwanyk has disclosed that Keanu Reeves expressed a desire for the titular character to meet his demise at the conclusion of John Wick: Chapter 4. In this latest installment, John's strenuous battle against the formidable High Table culminates with his victorious freedom attained in a duel against the Marquis de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård). Finally at peace, John appears to succumb to his wounds, ultimately passing away and finding eternal rest beside his beloved wife as the film concludes.
During an interview with Collider, Iwanyk elaborates on Reeves' aspiration for John's demise in the concluding scenes of John Wick: Chapter 4, due to the strain of portraying this character. The producer discloses that Reeves sought to bring closure to his involvement in the franchise, albeit allowing for the potential of a slight opening should he choose to make a return. Discover more regarding Iwanyk's insights in the excerpt below:
After the second, third, and fourth movie, the process of producing these films becomes incredibly draining for Keanu, both physically and emotionally. By the conclusion, he consistently expresses his inability to endure this again, and we understand his sentiment. The individual is merely a mere semblance of his former self, as he relentlessly throws himself into the role. He insisted on meeting a definitive demise at the end of this movie. Although we initially proposed a 10% possibility for an escape route.
Source: Collider