The first story details for John Wick: Chapter 5 have arrived, and they alter my expectations for the sequel. Following the shocking ending of John Wick: Chapter 4, the future of this beloved action franchise initially seemed uncertain; with projects like The Continental and Ballerina shifting the focus away from Keanu Reeves’ protagonist, it seemed like Wick’s story was being left in the past. However, that won’t be the case. New details about John Wick 5’s narrative have been announced, teasing how this popular action hero will be back.
The biggest takeaway from these new announcements is that John Wick 5 won’t focus on the High Table, who were the overarching villains of every other John Wick movie so far. This is fairly surprising news given how many new members of the High Table were introduced in John Wick: Chapter 4, but it’s actually a very clear step in the right direction. By leaving these villains in the past, Reeves can enter a new chapter of the John Wick story and try something completely new.
John Wick 5 Not Continuing The High Table Storyline Makes Sense After Chapter 4
The Removal Of The Series’ Most Iconic Villains Is A Bold Decision
As director Chad Stahelski has confirmed, the High Table storyline is officially “over”. There’s nothing more to explore with these villains, and keeping them around for another sequel would have just felt forced and unnecessary. Wick defeated the High Table at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4 by killing the Marquis and settling his long-standing debt with the criminal organization. While that ended with his apparent demise, John Wick 5 is bringing Keanu back for another adventure. Now we know it won’t be against the High Table.
Wick is now a (supposedly) free man, so it makes sense that his next adversary would be somebody new altogether. The vendetta against the High Table is settled, so there’s no reason for Reeves’ character to continue going after them. Likewise, it would not be too smart for the High Table to continue pursuing him after the trail of bodies he’s left before. It makes more sense for the franchise to take John Wick’s story in a new direction, especially with the High Table set to be the focus of an upcoming TV spinoff, John Wick: Under the High Table.
Additionally, John Wick: Chapter 5 feels like a pivotal moment in the franchise – and one that needs to succeed if the series wants to have a future. By bringing John Wick back from the “ᴅᴇᴀᴅ”, the project immediately starts off at a disadvantage: there will be people who dislike the idea straight away, and there’ll be added pressure on the writers to justify the sequel’s existence. This is a moment of huge change for the franchise, and the movie’s characters need to represent that.
John Wick 5 Risked Feeling Too Forced After Chapter 4’s Ending
Another High Table Conflict May Have Seemed Tired
One of the many reasons that some audiences didn’t want John Wick: Chapter 5 to happen is that Wick’s story received a perfect ending in the previous installment. Having the character sacrifice himself to end his feud with the High Table and atone for the sins he committed along the way is such a bittersweet ending, and it’s one that most audiences agree fits neatly with the franchise’s key themes of vengeance and selflessness. Retconning this ending runs the risk of unraveling all the thematic depth that made it so compelling.
His return has to feel like the beginning of a new chapter, not the begrudging continuation of an old, tired one.
However, removing the High Table from the equation is certainly a step in the right direction for making Wick’s return feel slightly more natural. It wouldn’t have made any sense to bring him back just for another battle with the High Table, as they’re the ones who contributed to his death in the first place. His return has to feel like the beginning of a new chapter, not the begrudging continuation of an old, tired one. A fresh villain is a great way of achieving that effect.
John Wick 5 Can Reinvent The Franchise Now
There’s Room For A New, Series-Defining Villain
Getting rid of the High Table is such a foundational change that it will change everything about the John Wick franchise. They’ve been pulling the strings since the very first movie was released in 2014, and it’s hard to imagine how the series is going to continue without them. The fifth movie will feel fundamentally different from the rest, but perhaps that’s exactly what it needs. The idea of Wick meeting a new foe and being pulled back into the life of action for a completely different purpose can make John Wick 5 feel like a soft-reboot of the series in a sense.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is available to stream with a subscription on Amazon Prime Video.
Of course, it’s also possible that John Wick 5 will take place at a different point in time, either serving as a prequel or an extended sequel to the original movies. The former would be an excellent way of bringing Reeves back without retconning Wick’s death, while the latter would allow the franchise to temporarily distance itself from the other films and more noticeably step into a new chapter of Wick’s life. These are both smart decisions to help separate John Wick: Chapter 5 from the movies that came before it.
Keanu Reeves’ Return Is More Exciting With This John Wick 5 Update
Audiences Can Finally Be Excited About John Wick Again
Ultimately, the news that John Wick: Chapter 5 will scrap the High Table is among the most exciting confirmations that could have been given at this point in the sequel’s production. It proves that the film’s writers know what the audience wants from this movie: something fresh and new, rather than a tired cash-grab that ignores the fundamental message of this franchise. It’s not quite confirmation that John Wick: Chapter 5 is going to justify its own existence, but it’s at least evidence that it’s going to try – and that’s much better than nothing.
The news should be comforting to those long-time fans who were concerned that John Wick would simply be milked for its popularity and torn apart by unnecessary sequels, spin-offs, and side projects. There’s definitely an element of franchising that’s happening with this series – that’s been obvious ever since The Continental and Ballerina were announced – but that doesn’t have to be a terrible thing.
By bringing back the series’ core visionary, Chad Stahelski, and getting Keanu Reeves back on board, John Wick: Chapter 5 has already given fans a reason to be excited about the upcoming sequel. There are several ways to bring John Wick back without ruining his ending, and fans will simply have to hold out hope that Stahelski has a genuine purpose for this story – just like he did for every other installment.
