Don't Expect The John Wick Franchise To Have A Happy Ending

Achieving continued success in Hollywood is never easy, and ultimately comes down to relationships. Director Chad Stahelski has been at the helm of every entry in the "John Wick" franchise including the upcoming "John Wick: Chapter 4," but his connection to star Keanu Reeves dates all the way back to "The Matrix." Stahelski worked as Reeves's stunt double in the original sci-fi action epic, also standing in as Neo in "Reloaded" and "Revolutions," then continuing to double the actor in the football comedy "The Replacements" and 2005's "Constantine." Stahelski was also the martial arts choreographer for Reeves's directorial debut "The Man of Tai Chi" — the movie responsible for gifting us with the memorable line "You owe me a life." 

Reeves returned the favor when Stahelski stepped behind the camera to direct "John Wick." The revenge-fueled neo-noir epic helped redefine American action films, spawning four sequels by the time John Wick's story wraps up in the fifth (and final?) installment. With a spinoff called "Ballerina" in the works starring Reeves, Ana de Armas and Norman Reedus, as well as the prequel TV series "Continental," the hitman universe Reeves and Stahelski have worked so hard to build shows no signs of slowing down. 

After experiencing a brutal fall from the top of the Continental Hotel at the end of "John Wick 3 — Parabellum," Reeves's unstoppable assassin probably can't take much more abuse. He's not made of Teflon, and the series as a whole is in danger of turning Wick invincible, which would take away from his dogged determination to right the wrongs he's been dealt. His story has to end somewhere. The past has to catch up with him eventually. Both Reeves and Stahelski both seem to agree that the end is near.

"Keanu and I have never, from one to two, two to three, ever expected to do a sequel or a follow-up," Stahelski surprisingly told Indiewire in an interview timed to the release of "John Wick 3." The ending of "Parabellum" is about as close to a cliffhanger as you can get! Wick cut off one of his own digits to appease the High Table's Elder in the last film, but in an age where the sequel is king, Lionsgate would probably greenlight sequels until the world's greatest killer only had his thumb and trigger finger left. As it stands, the franchise is over after "Chapter 5," and Stahelski warned fans that the character is in for a dark fate. "John may survive all this sh*t, but at the end of it, there's no happy ending. He's got nowhere to go." 

The franchise as a whole has always maintained some semblance of reality, which hopefully won't be abandoned in "Chapter 4" considering that Reeves has already said that he was pushed to the limits this time around. "'John Wick: Chapter 4' was the hardest physical role I've ever had in my career so far," Reeves told Total Film. One "Car-fu" sequence, in particular, that takes place in Paris with the Arc de Triomphe as a backdrop, should test the human limits of the character like never before. 

The introduction of legendary judo and ju-jitsu practitioner Dave Camarillo should also take John Wick to the brink. That's before you factor in the inclusion of actor Hiroyuki Sanada and Hong Kong action icon Donnie Yen as a new antagonist named Caine. So, how is it possible to make it out of a fourth movie alive? 

Stahelski seems to be acutely aware that the future of John Wick looks grim. "Honestly, I challenge you right now, here's a question to you: How do you f***ing want me to end it?" It's just not realistic for a character with such a dark past to ever have a chance at contentment. That opportunity was already ruined during the first opening minutes of the first film. Stahelski broke it down in brutal fashion, telling Indiewire:

"Do you think he's going to ride off into the f***ing sunset? He's killed 300 f***ing people and he's just going to [walk away], everything's okay? He's just going to fall in love with a love interest? If you're this f***ing guy, if this guy really exist[ed], how is this guy's day going to end?"

That's a very blunt way of putting it, but Stahelski isn't wrong. No matter what happens by the time the franchise wraps up, John Wick is a marked man. "John Wick: Chapter 4" plans to trot around the globe and introduce multiple storylines, while also premiering what are sure to be some of the greatest action set pieces seen in recent history. A crossroads is coming, however. Do we, as an audience, care more about the mythology or the man? Reeves has elevated this character because of his relatability. We root for him, even if he knows deep down that there is no going back. Stahelski knows it, too. "He's f***ed for the rest of his life. It's just a matter of time." The Baba Yaga may have finally met his match when "John Wick: Chapter 4" fires its way into theaters on March 24, 2023.