Lionsgate Confirms Early Development of ‘John Wick 5'
Lionsgate has exciting news for fans of the John Wick franchise as Motion Picture Group Chair Joe Drake recently confirmed during an earnings call that the highly anticipated fifth installment of the series is currently in early development. After the immense success of John Wick: Chapter 4, the studio has officially greenlit John Wick 5.
The upcoming sequel will bring back director Chad Stahelski, who has been instrumental in shaping the stylistic action and storytelling of the franchise. Of course, Keanu Reeves will reprise his role as the iconic assassin, John Wick. With the fourth film earning a remarkable $73.8 million domestically and receiving an impressive A CinemaScore from audiences, it's no wonder the studio is eager to continue the momentum. The international box office performance was equally outstanding, with a debut of $141.1 million.
Drake assured fans that John Wick 5 is a definite possibility. He mentioned, “There's a will and an openness. You could interpret that ending in different ways. We're all going to rest here and scratch at ideas about whether there's a credible way to get into five.
The commitment and dedication of both Reeves and Stahelski to maintain the integrity of the franchise are evident. Drake acknowledged their creative process, stating, “Keanu and Chad, rightly so, are very protective about never screwing with the audience. So we certainly have our work cut out for us… Keanu is so beloved, and that character is so beloved; that's not lost on him.” Even if the fifth film's outcome remains uncertain, fans can rest assured that Reeves will continue to embody the character in future projects. One such project is Ballerina, the first spinoff of the series, which features Ana de Armas as another skilled assassin.
Drake also shared insights into the franchise's expansion. He mentioned, “We're now moving across that franchise, not just in the AAA video game space, but looking at what the regular cadence of spin-offs, television [series], really growing that universe so that there is a steady cadence of a franchise that there's a clear appetite by the audience.” He added, “What is official is that, as you know, Ballerina is the first spinoff that comes out next year. We're developing three others, including [John Wick 5] and the television series, The Continental, which will be airing soon. So, we're building out the world, and when that fifth movie comes, it will be organically grown out of how we're starting to tell those stories. But you can rely on a regular cadence of John Wick.”
In unrelated entertainment news, Margot Robbie recently shared that she had initially considered casting Gal Gadot as Barbie for an upcoming project.
