The John Wick universe is one of those special places that just keeps getting bigger and better. The main movies starring Keanu Reeves as the legendary assassin have kept us all on the edge of our seats with their amazing action and interesting hidden world of killers. Now, we are getting a new spin-off film called Ballerina, and there is also a lot of talk about a fifth main movie, John Wick Chapter 5. It is a good time to be a fan of Baba Yaga.
The franchise has always pushed the limits of action on screen. Each new movie finds creative ways to show fights. This makes the movies exciting to watch again and again. With Ballerina on the way and the potential for Chapter 5, it feels like the creators are not slowing down. They want to give us more of the world we have grown to love. Let us break down what we know about these upcoming titles.
The Ballerina Spin-Off: What We Know So Far About The Upcoming Film
Behind-the-Scenes Details From Ian McShane and The Reasons For Delays
The Ballerina movie, which stars Ana de Armas, faced some delays. Its release date was pushed back a whole year from its original plan. Fans might have wondered what was going on. But Ian McShane, who plays Winston in all the John Wick films, has shed some light on the situation. He told CBR that the delays were not because of "reshoots" but "new shoots." This means they were adding completely fresh scenes instead of just redoing old ones.
McShane explained that the studio wants to protect this popular franchise. He also mentioned that Chad Stahelski, who directed all the main John Wick movies, got involved. Stahelski wanted to make sure the spin-off was even better. He helped them expand the story to make it feel more like the Wick world. McShane said the film needed to be "homogeneous yet different." This means it should feel familiar to John Wick fans but also have its own unique style. The original director, Len Wiseman, did a good job but these new scenes helped tie it more closely to the main story. This is important because the film takes place between John Wick Chapter 3 and John Wick Chapter 4.
Keanu Reeves himself makes a cameo appearance in Ballerina. This helps connect the spin-off even more to the main series. McShane also pointed out that script changes happen often in these kinds of films. Ideas about characters living or dying can shift. Sadly, Ballerina will be the last time we see Lance Reddick as Charon. His passing was a shock to everyone. But his scenes in the film will be a lasting memory of his contribution to this world. Ballerina is set to arrive in theaters on June 6. I know I am looking forward to seeing Ana de Armas in action and how she fits into this deadly world.
John Wick 5: The High Stakes For The Main Saga's Next Chapter
Can The Wick Team Top The Action and Give Us A Fresh Story After Chapter 4's Shocking Ending?
After the success of John Wick Chapter 4, which seemed to wrap up John's journey, many fans thought that was it. The film ended with John seemingly meeting his end after winning his freedom from the High Table. But the ending was a little unclear. This left the door open for more stories. Lionsgate later confirmed at CinemaCon 2025 that John Wick Chapter 5 is officially in the works. Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski are both coming back. This is great news, but the new film faces some big challenges.
First, the sequel needs a fresh story. The past films have mostly been about John trying to escape death and his criminal life as countless assassins hunt him. Stahelski knows this. He hinted that Chapter 5 will be a different kind of story. He said it will not be a simple continuation of the High Table chasing John. John has dealt with his grief, so this next movie will be "really different." This means we need a compelling new bad guy. The High Table has been the main threat, a powerful organization always trying to control or kill John. If John is truly free from them, Chapter 5 needs a new villain who can challenge him just as much.
Another challenge is bringing in strong new characters. Winston and the Bowery King are likely to return as loyal allies. But other great characters like Caine (Donnie Yen), Akira (Rina Sawayama), and Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson) have their own stories going on. In fact, a Caine spin-off movie is already in development. This means Chapter 5 might need to introduce new faces to join John on his next adventure. It could even be a chance for John to train a younger assassin. This would give the franchise a new main character to follow and a story that does not just focus on John.
Topping the action scenes from Chapter 4 will also be very hard. Scenes like the long staircase fight and the Dragon's Breath shootout were incredible. Stahelski wants to add elements of Chinese cinema to Chapter 5. He loves the movies of directors like Wong Kar-wai and John Woo. This suggests the new film will have a unique action style to make it stand out. But the biggest challenge of all is explaining John Wick's return. At the end of Chapter 4, it looked like he died and was buried. His body was never actually shown being put into the ground though. The grave also did not look freshly dug. This left his real fate a mystery. If Chapter 5 shows him alive and well, the movie needs to explain how he survived. It must be believable and not feel like a cheat. A different ending for Chapter 4 that showed John alive was scrapped because fans did not like it. So, his "resurrection" in Chapter 5 cannot be a simple answer.
The Expanding Universe: Where To Watch All Things John Wick Right Now
All Four Main Movies and The Continental Series Now Available In One Streaming Home
For fans who want to catch up on all things John Wick, it just got a lot easier. All four main films in the series are now streaming in one place for the very first time. Peacock is now the exclusive streaming home for everything John Wick. This includes John Wick Chapter 4, which was not available on major streaming services before.
This is great news for anyone wanting to rewatch the series before Ballerina comes out. You can now jump onto Peacock and watch every minute of John Wick that has been released so far. The streaming service also hosts the prequel miniseries The Continental. This show explores the early days of the famous hotel for assassins and gives us more background on characters like Winston. Having all these titles in one place makes it super convenient for marathoning the entire story.
The franchise keeps showing how successful it can be. It consistently performs well and finds new ways to define what an action movie can be. With a dedicated creative team and a strong fanbase, the John Wick world seems set to continue growing for a long time. I am excited to see what other stories they will tell and how they will surprise us next.