Although John Wick: Chapter 4 seemingly ended with the death of the legendary hitman, fans were hoping that the somewhat ambiguous way in which the death unfolded would lead to the character's could return for a fifth film. While writers could easily find a way to undo the death, bringing back Keanu Reeves may prove to be more difficult.
It's not because of a lack of desire on Reeves's part. Rather, the 60-year-old actor is not sure his body can handle the physical toll it takes to film another John Wick movie.
Speaking to CBS News, Wick didn't rule out the possibility of his return to the franchise that has now grossed more than $1 billion combined. It all depends on his body.
“You can never say never,” Reeves said. “My knees right now are saying ‘I can’t do another “John Wick.”‘ So my heart does but I don’t know if my knees can do it.”
Although we may not get to see Reeves return as the legendary hitman in a numbered sequel, the actor is set to reprise the character in the upcoming spin-off From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, which is scheduled to be released in theaters in June 2025.
The spin-off film, which is set during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3, stars Ana de Armas in the lead role of Eve Macarro. Reeves' Wick appears at the very end of the teaser trailer.
Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Ballerina follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.
The John Wick film franchise began in 2014. Directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad, the film helped revive the acting career of Keanu Reeves who plays a legendary hitman forced out of retirement to seek revenge against the men who killed his dog. The film, which was praised for its style and intense action sequences, grossed $86 million worldwide on a relatively modest budget.
Deemed a commercial and critical success, it spawned three sequel films: John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). There has also been a television series prequel, The Continental, and the upcoming spin-off film Ballerina. In total, the John Wick films have grossed a combined total of more than $1 billion worldwide. However, it will be interesting to see how the franchise holds up without Keanu Reeves, should he decide not to return.