Warning: Major Spoilers For The Ending Of John Wick: Chapter 4!John Wick's fate in John Wick: Chapter 4 has led to questions about the character's future in the franchise, spinoff movies, and even John Wick 5. For someone who wanted to stay retired, John (Keanu Reeves) did a spectacularly poor job of it throughout the series. Despite his best efforts, Wick kept getting dragged deeper and deeper into the franchise's criminal underworld, and the beginning of John Wick: Chapter 4 finds him on a quest to wipe out the High Table. However, he's given an opportunity to duel new villain The Marquis de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård) in exchange for earning his freedom.
Followers of the John Wick movies will recall how resistant the assassin has proven to be. Throughout the first three chapters, he's been beaten, shot, stabbed, hit by cars, thrown off a roof and much more. Wick's superhuman persistence is one of his most endearing traits, and like the Road Runner, he always bounces back from the gravest injuries. The finale of John Wick: Chapter 4 puts John through a grueling series of trials, where he fights off waves of assassins in Paris in order to make his appointed duel with the Marquis. Chapter 4 offers a more definitive ending to his story than some viewers might expect though.
Yes, John Wick Is Dead
The John Wick franchise went there and killed its titular character. John Wick is dead. But how did it happen?
At the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, Wick duels with blind assassin Caine (Donnie Yen), who was appointed by the Marquis to take his place. The two fire single-shot pistols at each other across three rounds, with Wick being badly wounded in the process. The cocky Marquis then snatches Caine's pistol to deliver the kill shot on Wick. However, the Marquis failed to realize John hadn't fired in the previous round, who then shoots him in the head. Later, sitting on the steps of Paris' Sacré-Cœur, John Wick dies, thinking of his wife.
Why John Wick Died In John Wick: Chapter 4
When Chapter 4 premiered at SXSW, director Stahelski (via THR) was asked about the ending and claimed it was inspired by The Hagakure. “We kind of took the way of dying — or the way we live well to die well — as the theme,” he stated, using the Japanese book of ethics for warriors as a guide. John's death also pays off comments from Stahelski to Den Of Geek following the third movie, where he sounded adamant the assassin would eventually lose. Ultimately, John Wick: Chapter 4's ending is an oddly happy one; John freed himself from the High Table and got to be reunited with his wife.
Could John Wick's Death Be A Ruse?
The final scene of John Wick: Chapter 4 sees Ian McShane's Continental manager Winston, Laurence Fishburne's Bowery King and John's dog gathered at Wick's tombstone. As per John's dying wishes, Winston brought him back to New York to be buried alongside his wife. The Bowery King states he can't quite believe Wick is dead, and asks Winston if he thinks the Baba Yaga went to Heaven or Hell. Winston replies "Who knows?" to which the Bowery King responds with a wry chuckle. On the surface, Chapter 4's ending only reinforces the idea Wick is truly dead.
That said, it feels like there was intentional ambiguity sown into this ending. Wick could merely (and understandably) have passed out from his countless injuries in his final scene, and then faked his passing to truly retire in peace. The Bowery King's laugh could also imply he and Winston are aware of this. John Wick: Chapter 4 quickly became a box-office smash upon release, so the filmmakers may not want to completely close the door on the character. The fourth film is a satisfying finale regardless, so short of another sequel being confirmed, it's safe to say he's truly dead in Chapter 4's closing scenes.
Will John Wick 5 Happen Despite His Death? What Reeves & Stahelski Have Said
One element that makes Wick's death so surprising is that John Wick: Chapter 5 had previously been confirmed. With Chapter 4 being both a critical and commercial smash and an ending that leaves wiggle room for a possible resurrection, could it still happen? Speaking to Deadline, Stahelski has said "As for John Wick, you will never [hear] Keanu or I say, we’re done." Echoing those comments to EW, Reeves said he's not opposed to coming back, stating "never say never." For their part, studio Lionsgate definitely wants further Wick movies with head executive Joe Drake telling Deadline “We’re not ready to say goodbye to Keanu with this franchise.”
John Wick Can Return In The Continental & Ballerina Spinoffs
John might die in John Wick: Chapter 4's ending, but he's confirmed to return at least once more. The upcoming Ballerina will be set between Chapters 3 and 4 and follows Ana de Armas' titular dancer/killer on a revenge mission. This spinoff will dive deeper into the Ruska Roma crime syndicate Wick grew up in, and who taught him and de Armas' Rooney to kill. The movie will be directed by Len Wiseman, while other John Wick returning characters in Ballerina include McShane, Lance Reddick and Anjelica Huston. It's also been confirmed that while Wick plays a supporting role, he and Rooney have a fight scene.
John Wick 4: Chapter 4 also gave a major role to McShane's Winston, whose origins will be explored in Peacock's upcoming miniseries The Continental. Colin Woodell plays the young Winston in the '70s set series, while Mel Gibson plays his mentor Cormac. Exact details on this spinoff are thin on the ground, though the three-episode series will reveal how Winston became the proprietor of the titular location. Ayomide Adegun will also play a younger version of Reddick's Charon, but given the time period, Reeves' Wick is unlikely to cameo. If the miniseries proves a ratings success, perhaps a future season will see Wick checking in.
Source: Den Of Geek, THR, Deadline, EW