Summary
Screen Rant's Pitch Meeting series hilariously critiques the flaws of John Wick: Chapter 4, including its lengthy runtime and simplistic setups for action scenes.
Reeves and director Stahelski have differing opinions about the future of the franchise. Reeves insists on his return only if Stahelski is on board, while Stahelski is uncertain about directing another installment. Despite this uncertainty, Lionsgate is enthusiastic about extending the John Wick franchise. They have plans for a fifth movie and spinoffs such as The Continental and Ballerina. However, the success of these endeavors may ultimately influence the direction of the franchise.
With the franchise's future uncertain, Screen Rant's Pitch Meeting series has turned its attention to John Wick: Chapter 4. Directed by Chad Stahelski and starring Keanu Reeves, the latest installment received glowing reviews and raked in over $432 million at the box office, surpassing its $100 million budget. However, just six months after its release, Screen Rant's latest episode pokes fun at some of the flaws in the action-packed sequel, such as its lengthy runtime of nearly three hours and its simplistic approach to setting up intense action sequences. Additionally, the episode points out the surprising decision to kill off Reeves' iconic assassin character, despite plans for future films in the franchise.
What Reeves & Co. Have Said About John Wick's Future
Reeves, Stahelski, and the creative team behind the John Wick franchise have expressed conflicting thoughts regarding the possibility of a return for the iconic assassin. While Reeves has stated that he would only come back if Stahelski directed, the franchise director has been indecisive about his interest in helming another installment. Although he has shown a willingness to return, he is unsure about how to bring back Wick without negating the impact of his previous finale.
Despite this uncertainty, Lionsgate is enthusiastic about continuing the John Wick series and has even announced the development of John Wick 5 just two months after the release of the fourth film. However, the studio has not officially confirmed the return of any key individuals. Additionally, they are moving forward with multiple spinoffs, including the ongoing Peacock prequel miniseries, The Continental, which focuses on younger versions of characters played by Ian McShane and Lance Reddick. The miniseries has received mixed reviews from critics.
In addition, Ballerina, led by Ana de Armas, is set to be released in 2024. It takes place between the third and fourth John Wick movies and will see the return of Reeves, McShane, Reddick, and Anjelica Huston. If this spinoff fails to meet expectations, Lionsgate may pause and reconsider their plans for the franchise's future instead of proceeding with additional expansions. However, if Ballerina does not perform well, the studio may choose to undo the ending of John Wick: Chapter 4 in order to generate renewed interest in the property.