Summary
- John Wick has been defined by grief, but the upcoming 5th movie will see him moving past his sorrow.
- Fans may struggle with Wick's new direction as the franchise has thrived on dark themes and emotions.
- John Wick 5 is taking a risk by departing from its established tone, potentially alienating long-term fans.
John Wick has been one of the most successful modern-day action franchises, following in the footsteps of James Bond and Mission: Impossible. With Keanu Reeves in the titular role of the iconic hitman, the four movies to date have proven popular, grossing over $1 billion worldwide.
It's no surprise that a fifth movie is in the works, given the financial success of the previous four John Wick movies alone, let alone the franchise's general popularity. The series of films follows unique rules, bringing incredible action and some stunning visuals. However, the upcoming John Wick 5 is set to see the character undergo a significant change.
John Wick 5 Needs To Fix An Ongoing Problem: That Everyone Else Is More Interesting Than John Wick
The quieter moments with John can be disproportionately dry, and lead viewers to check out from the Continental until the guns start firing again
What Has Been Teased For John Wick 5?
Chad Stahelski Has Lifted The Lid On Several Details
One of the core themes throughout the entire John Wick franchise has been grief. This is due to the difficult situations that he has endured throughout his life, with many of the most important people in his life having been killed. It's something that fuels him and his actions, often bringing him into some of the most dangerous and scary situations. This is also one of the reasons why so many people have been able to connect with Wick as a character, regardless of how over-the-top his actions are in terms of his fight scenes. Everyone understands grief and the emotions that come with that, and seeing the different ways he deals with that over the course of the past four movies has been an enjoyable experience. While it's the action that ultimately dictates whether this franchise works or not, the deeper moments of his grief are what bring people back and connect them to the character.
However, that's something that appears set to change with the upcoming fifth chapter of the John Wick franchise. Director Chad Stahelski recently spoke to Empire about the film, giving people a slight glimpse of what they can expect. While he didn't reveal any information about the story and plot, he confirmed that Wick will be moving past his grief and onto a new situation beyond the High Table.
He said, "The saga of John Wick was pretty wrapped up. So, the only way to do a 5 is to have a new story that involves John Wick. It's not a continuation, with the High Table. John dealt with his grief. It will be really different, and everybody [will] see the trailer and go, 'Holy f***... I gotta see that.'"
John Wick Has Built A Reputation On His Grief
It Will Be Hard For Fans To Accept Such A Switch In Personality
The John Wick franchise has been built up on grief over the years, and while that is quite a dark tone to set, it has worked perfectly for these films. Audiences have loved watching these movies because of how dark they are, and it's going to be hard for long-term viewers of the franchise to accept anything different at this stage. While there's no guarantee he will end up running around with a big smile, the idea that grief is behind him hints at a significant change in how he behaves. That will provide Reeves with an exciting challenge as an actor, but it will also mean the script needs to be tight and the action engaging to ensure this alteration doesn't negatively impact overall.
John Wick 5 Is Taking A Risk
It Felt Like His Story Was Over
Anytime a fifth movie is created for a franchise, there will always be a need for change to keep people engaged and allow the films to be different; there's no denying that there is a risk involved in this. Audiences have come to expect emotions and grief with Wick as a character. He's not like James Bond, who is running out trying to charm people and having moments of fun. Wick is a lot more serious, and that's because of how badly he's been hurt and the situations he's gone through. The idea that all of that is going to be shelved and put to one side will be tough for a lot of fans to grasp. It could result in John Wick: Chapter 5 being too different for its own good, which might alienate people rather than pull them in. How that's going to be conveyed in the trailer alone will remain to be seen, but if it doesn't connect in the same manner, then there's a risk that interest could drop.
John Wick: Chapter 4 seemed to wrap up the storyline for Reeves' character perfectly, as he suffered so many injuries that it would have been easy for audiences to have presumed he died, even though that wasn't shown. However, that's not going to be the case with the upcoming fifth movie, which brings a challenge. The story needs to have a genuine purpose in order for it to feel like more than a cash grab, and the fact that his personality is seemingly set to be changed proves that they're attempting to make that happen. Whether the decision not to focus on grief and Wick's darker thoughts and feelings will work remains to be seen, but it does provide the possibility of breathing new life into the franchise. However, if the gamble doesn't pay off, then John Wick: Chapter 5 might bring an end to the story once and for all.
- Created by
- Derek Kolstad
- Cast
- Keanu Reeves
- TV Show(s)
- The Continental
- Movie(s)
- John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, John Wick: Chapter 4