Why Ghost of Tsushima Could Replace John Wick 5 as the Ultimate Action Franchise

John Wick: Chapter 4 and the Question of a Sequel

The climactic duel of John Wick: Chapter 4 saw the titular assassin making the ultimate sacrifice to free the High Table of the Marquis’ rule. The ending is just ambiguous enough that a potential fifth film could retcon John’s demise and reveal that he faked his death to get the High Table off his back. But that would ruin the perfect, poetic conclusion that Chapter 4 provided for the series.

John Wick (Keanu Reeves) on a subway train in John Wick: Chapter 4.

The success of John Wick: Chapter 4 has sparked debates and speculations about the possibility of a sequel. While it had a real sense of finality, it was so successful – both critically and commercially – that the studio would be foolish not to capitalize on that success and make another one.

Instead of a fifth John Wick movie, action cinema needs a new franchise to take John Wick’s place – and an upcoming video game movie could be the ideal replacement.

The Rise of Ghost of Tsushima Movie Adaptation

Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions are currently developing a movie adaptation of the critically acclaimed video game Ghost of Tsushima. Heavily inspired by the samurai film classics of Akira Kurosawa, Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world game following Jin Sakai, a samurai warrior trying to protect Tsushima Island during the first Mongol invasion of Japan.

Jin Sakai in Ghost of Tsushima

The Ghost of Tsushima film adaptation officially entered development on March 25, 2021, with key figures from the video game on board to executive-produce and write the screenplay. Additionally, Chad Stahelski, known for directing the John Wick series, is on board to direct the movie adaptation, presenting a new creative endeavor for the acclaimed director.

The Ghost of Tsushima movie will have a lot in common with the John Wick series – and a lot of the things that made it work so well – while being completely distinct from Stahelski’s earlier hitman thrillers. Ghost of Tsushima gives Stahelski an opportunity to stage action in a whole new setting and time period, offering a fresh and captivating experience for action cinema enthusiasts.

The Potential of Ghost of Tsushima as a Franchise

Rather than dragging out the John Wick franchise with new stories, Stahelski could create a whole new action movie franchise with his Ghost of Tsushima adaptation. A Ghost of Tsushima franchise could become a new series of movies whose semi-regular installments are eagerly awaited by fans of the action genre.

Ultimately, it’s not specifically the worldbuilding of the John Wick universe that gets audiences so excited; it’s the visceral feeling created by Stahelski’s high-octane direction and use of practical stunt work. If Stahelski can keep up the good work, that would apply to any story, whether it involves John Wick or not.

After the success of John Wick: Chapter 4, it might seem like a no-brainer to keep the franchise going and dive into John Wick: Chapter 5. But it’s rare that a movie franchise gets to go out on a high note, and after Stahelski and Reeves delivered such a satisfying finale, John Wick deserves that rare accomplishment. Instead of continuing the John Wick series past its perfect ending, Stahelski can let his old franchise rest in peace and focus his attention on building a new franchise with the fascinating lore of Ghost of Tsushima.