John Wick


John Wick is an American media franchise created by Derek Kolstad. It centers on a neo-noir action thriller film series directed by Chad Stahelski featuring the eponymous character portrayed by Keanu Reeves. Wick is a legendary hitman who is reluctantly drawn back into the criminal underworld after retiring. The franchise began with the release of John Wick, which was followed by three sequels: Chapter 2, Chapter 3 – Parabellum, and Chapter 4. Various spin-offs expanded the franchise: the prequel comic book series John Wick: The Book of Rules, the prequel television miniseries The Continental, and the spinoff film Ballerina.
The films have received critical acclaim, and have been considered one of the greatest action film series of all time. Some critics and publications consider the first film, as well as Chapter 4, as two of the greatest action films ever made. The films have earned a collective gross of more than $1 billion worldwide.
Stahelski, Basil Iwanyk, and Erica Lee serve in oversight roles for the John Wick franchise. 87North Productions, Thunder Road Films, and Lionsgate produce the franchise.

Films

Released

''John Wick'' (2014)

John Wick is a retired assassin who returns to his old ways after a group of Russian gangsters steal his car and kill his puppy which was given to him by his late wife Helen.
The film was developed in 2012. Principal photography began September 25, 2013, and wrapped on December 20, 2013.

''John Wick: Chapter 2'' (2017)

Forced to honor a debt from his past life, John Wick is sent to assassinate a target he has no wish to kill, where he faces betrayal at the hands of his sponsor.
Principal photography began on October 26, 2015. The film was premiered in February 2017.

''John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum'' (2019)

John Wick is declared excommunicado after killing an international crime lord on Continental grounds, where he sets out to save himself from bounty hunters and assassins.
The third film was announced in October 2016, production began in early 2018 and was released in May 2019.

''John Wick: Chapter 4'' (2023)

John Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out more powerful players in the underworld from different countries.
In May 2019, prior to the release of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Chad Stahelski confirmed on a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" thread that discussion of another film had arisen. Keanu Reeves had also stated that he would continue as long as the films are successful. Lionsgate announced the film during John Wick 3s opening week, with a scheduled release date of May 21, 2021. In April 2020, though, during an interview with Collider, Stahelski revealed that the film would most likely not make its 2021 release date due to his commitment to The Matrix Resurrections. He also revealed, during the same interview, that a 100-page "scriptment" had been written for the film. The screenplay was written by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch, as the studio decided to move on from series creator Derek Kolstad. Production was due to commence in June 2021 in Paris and Berlin, with additional filming in Japan and New York City. Partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was released on March 24, 2023. In June 2021, Donnie Yen, Rina Sawayama, Shamier Anderson, Bill Skarsgård, and Hiroyuki Sanada joined the cast. Principal photography began on June 28, 2021. In October 2021, principal photography had wrapped.

''From the World of John Wick: Ballerina'' (2025)

In July 2017, Lionsgate announced the development of a spinoff film written by Shay Hatten and titled Ballerina. The studio intends to expand the franchise with installments set within the same fictional world. The story, written as a speculative script based on Hatten's love for the John Wick films before being purchased by Lionsgate, involves a young woman who is raised to be an assassin, and seeks revenge on the hitmen who killed her family. Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee were to serve as producers. The project was to be developed by Thunder Road Films.
In October 2019, Len Wiseman signed onto the project as director, with Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski serving as an executive producer and producer, respectively. The film would follow the same ballerina character previously portrayed by Unity Phelan in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. In May 2020, Stahelski stated that Wiseman had read the script earlier, and approached the studio with a pitch of how he would develop the project, based on Hatten's draft, for which the proof of concept had previously been uploaded to YouTube in September 2017. Stahelski met with Wiseman, and approached executives to hire the filmmaker. He confirmed that his team and he would work closely with Wiseman on the action sequences and stunts for the film, while acknowledging that Wiseman's filmmaking style would add variety to the franchise. At that point, Wiseman and Hatten were working on a newer draft of the script. In May 2020, it was reported that the studio was looking for an actress, with Chloë Grace Moretz as the template for the kind of talent for whom they were looking. In October 2021, Ana de Armas entered early negotiations to portray the eponymous character. By April 2022 at CinemaCon, Lionsgate announced that de Armas would star in the lead role, with principal photography to commence later that year. In July of the same year, de Armas was revealed to have personally selected Emerald Fennell to contribute to the script as one of its writers.
In September 2022, principal photography was announced to have been delayed from its previous tentative start and would commence later that fall. In November 2022, principal photography was scheduled to begin imminently. Reprising roles were announced for Ian McShane and Keanu Reeves as Winston Scott and John Wick, respectively, followed by Anjelica Huston as The Director and Lance Reddick as Charon. Filming began on November 7, 2022, in Prague, Czech Republic.
Ballerina was released in the United States on June 6, 2025. It was delayed from a June 7, 2024, release.

Future

''John Wick: Chapter 5'' (TBA)

In August 2020, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer confirmed that a fifth film was also being developed. It was intended to be shot back-to-back with the fourth installment in early 2021, but in March 2021, Lionsgate opted to delay production and move forward with Chapter 4 first. In May 2022, Stahelski stated that while Chapter 4 has some "conclusion" elements to the story, there would be a fifth installment to the franchise. Stahelski stated that though Chapters 4 and 5 were originally intended to be filmed back-to-back, he didn't feel like he could create two meaningfully successful and separate installments, without some time between each project to grow as a filmmaker; stating that once Chapter 4 is released months later in Japan, he and Reeves will discuss and map out the future of the John Wick movies. He also confirmed that he and Reeves will remain involved in the additional projects of the franchise that are currently in development, though the premise for Chapter 5 is not mapped out yet. Later that same month, following the financial and critical success of Chapter 4, producer Erica Lee stated she was hopeful for a fifth film among projects expanding the universe currently in development. By November 2023 following the resolution of the writers and actors strikes, Lionsgate revealed that work on the script for the fifth film had officially resumed.
In October 2024, Stahelski stated that the script has gone through various iterations, but that it would not move forward until he, Reeves, Iwanyk, and Lee were satisfied with the story. The filmmaker revealed that the project would not continue directly from Chapter 4, but will be a separate storyline. By April 2025, the movie was officially announced at CinemaCon. Reeves will reprise the eponymous role, and Stahelski will direct. Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Stahelski, and Reeves will serve as producers. The following month, Stahelski explained that the plot will not feature the High Table, and will instead see Wick facing new threats, after completing his confrontations with the previous organization. The project will be a joint-venture production between Lionsgate, Thunder Road Films, and 87Eleven Entertainment.

Untitled Caine film (TBA)

In March 2023, producer Erica Lee stated that the studio is working on an as-of-yet untitled film that will further expand the franchise. Though she would not give any details at that time, she stated that it would be announced within the upcoming months. Erica Lee expressed interest in a project centered around the backstory of the character portrayed by Rina Sawayama, named Akira. She later clarified that she personally is interested in seeing a spin-off featuring the character become a reality. In March 2023, Donnie Yen expressed interest in reprising his role from Chapter 4 in a potential spin-off centered around his character Caine. The actors stated there are discussions for such a reprisal, serving as a continuation of Chapter 4s post-credits scene, depicting Akira seeking revenge by hunting Caine. In November of the same year, Stahelski confirmed that there are projects in development that will further explore the story included in the post-credits of the fourth film. In May 2024, it was officially announced that a spin-off film centered around Caine was in development, with Yen reprising his role as the titular character. The script written by Robert Askins, will explore the continuing story that chronologically follows the final scene of John Wick: Chapter 4. Chad Stahelski, Basil Iwanyk, and Erica Lee will serve as producers. The trio will oversee the movie, continuing their developmental roles at Lionsgate for all John Wick franchise installments. Principal photography will commence in Hong Kong in 2025. By October of the same year, Stahelski confirmed that the untitled movie is currently in development, and that it will be one of the next John Wick projects to be produced.
Lionsgate officially announced the project in April 2025 at CinemaCon, with Donnie Yen serving as director in addition to reprising the role from John Wick: Chapter 4; while Mattson Tomlin will write a new draft of the previous draft written by Askins, which was based on a pitch from Stahelski and Yen. Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Chad Stahelski will produce the movie, with Yen serving as an executive producer; while Stahelski will oversee production in his franchise role at Lionsgate. The story will follow the character released from his role with the High Table and take place chronologically after the events of Chapter 4. Rina Sawayama was confirmed to reprise her role as Akira, the following month. The project is described as a modern-day classic Hong Kong-style kung-fu movie, and will be a joint-venture production between Lionsgate, Thunder Road Films, and 87Eleven Entertainment. Principal photography is scheduled to commence in later that year.