"Yeah, I'm thinking, I'm back!"
Lionsgate wrapped up its CinemaCon presentation today with a bang, officially confirming that John Wick: Chapter 5 is now in active development. Both Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski are set to return for the next installment in the blockbuster action saga.
The John Wick franchise has been a consistent box office force, raking in over $1.028 billion globally. Each chapter has outperformed its predecessor: the original film brought in $86 million worldwide, Chapter 2 climbed to $174.3 million, Chapter 3 – Parabellum hit $328.3 million, and Chapter 4 reached an impressive $440.1 million.
The universe continues to expand. This summer sees the release of the spinoff Ballerina, and earlier today, Lionsgate also announced two more projects: an animated prequel film that explores Baba Yaga’s infamous “Impossible Task,” and a Caine spinoff starring and directed by Donnie Yen, picking up after the events of Chapter 4.
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson shared his excitement, stating, “Keanu, Chad, Basil, and Erica would not return unless they had something truly phenomenal and fresh to say with these characters and this world. We can’t wait for audiences to see where the journey takes us next.”
Producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee added, “It’s so important to get this story right and give John’s story the proper next step. It’s exciting to take the first step on that road.”
Of course, fans are still reeling from Chapter 4’s ending, which seemingly saw John Wick meet his end. With Chapter 5 now officially on the horizon, the burning question remains: how exactly will the Baba Yaga return?
As we mentioned above, next up in the John Wick saga is the upcoming spinoff Ballerina, starring Academy Award-nominee Ana de Armas (Knives Out; No Time to Die; Ghosted) in the lead role as Eve Macarro.
The supporting cast consists of Keanu Reeves (The Matrix; Speed; Sonic the Hedgehog 3) as the legendary John Wick, Anjelica Huston (The Addams Family; Prizzi’s Honor), Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects; Miller's Crossing), the late Lance Reddick (John Wick; The Wire), Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace; The Affair), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead; Boondock Saints), Ian McShane (Deadwood; John Wick), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Enola Holmes 2; Dune), and David Castañeda (Poker Face; The Umbrella Academy).
Len Wiseman (Underworld; Live Free or Die Hard) helmed the spinoff, while Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum; Army of the Dead) penned the script. Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Chad Stahelski are attached as producers.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina hits theaters on June 6!
Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the film follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.