5 lessons from John Wick’s mega success I assume Hollywood won’t take
John Wick: Chapter 4 put a button on Keanu Reeves’ assassin adventures for now, but the series isn’t slowing down: the fourthquel pulled in $73.5 million in the U.S. over its opening weekend, with a global haul of $137.5 million — a franchise best.
Still, Chad Stahelski, who directed all four installments of Wick, tells Polygon he’s done for now, with plans to move on to either a Ghost of Tsushima movie, a take on Rainbow Six with Michael B. Jordan, or a Highlander reboot possibly starring former Superman Henry Cavill. As for Reeves, he’s set to appear in 2024’s John Wick spinoff Ballerina, but currently has no plans to directly continue the series. Lionsgate and Peacock are hoping the upcoming TV series The Continental, planned for later this year,might satiate the audience’s hunger. The show will prequelize the movies by following a young version of Ian McShane’s Winston as he gets into the assassin hotelier game. That isn’t exactly Reeves back in the suit, but it’s something.
John Wick 4’s success raises obvious questions: Can Lionsgate lure Stahelski and Reeves back for more brain-melting choreographed gun-fu? Is there a franchise without them? How long will we have to wait for John Wick 5? But maybe the better question is: When is John Wick’s success going to make an impact on Hollywood? Where are the John Wick-likes? Where are the movies blindsiding us with their singular vision?
John Wick objectively changed action movies. In their directorial debut, Stahelski and co-director David Leitch were able to put stunt and fight choreography skills honed at their company 87eleven Action Design front and center, thanks to a lead whose physical prowess that could match their ambition. The success of the film and its
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