As the continuation of the immensely popular John Wick franchise, John Wick: Chapter 5 has quite a legacy to live up to. One of the ways the movie can live up to what came before is by ensuring that the protagonist himself has an interesting place within the film’s narrative.
In the first four John Wick movies, John has been defined almost entirely by his grief, desire for revenge, and relationship with fate and death, all of which were characteristics that Chapter 4‘s ending completely wrapped up, closing the book on everything John had been up until that point.
With John Wick 5 presumably taking place after the events of the previous movie, the question then arises of how John will be reintroduced, and what kind of new arc the character can go on for a satisfying continuation of his story.
John Wick 5’s New Character Arc Can Explore John As A “Loving Husband”
Helen Was Why He Pushed So Hard To Leave The Underworld In The First Place
At the end of John Wick 4, John told Winston that he wanted to be remembered as a “Loving Husband,” as he believed that was the best way to define his life. After his apparent death, his tombstone, placed next to his wife’s, simply said “Loving Husband,” and that should carry over into John Wick 5.
John Wick 5 has been in development since the fourth movie, but it was only officially announced at CinemaCon in April 2025, with Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves confirmed to return.
John made peace with his grief after John Wick 4, as confirmed by director Chad Stahelski. So looking deeper into the character as a loving husband would allow the franchise and character to move forward, potentially becoming more of an aspirational as opposed to a tragic figure, fighting for someone or something other than himself.
We Don’t Know Much About John Wick’s Life Before The First Movie
John Wick 5 Could Be The Chance To Give More Backstory
While John Wick 5 being a sequel is probably for the best, the movie can finally take a closer look at John’s life before the events of the first movie. Moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting the past, and taking a deeper dive into John’s history can be a great way to discover new aspects of the character.
With a less clear direction for the franchise, John Wick 5 would be best served by exploring his life with Helen, even just a little bit.
The previous four John Wick movies haven’t had much need to explore his history, as they were focused pretty centrally on the aftermath of her death and John’s revenge. But now, with a less clear direction for the franchise, John Wick 5 would be best served by exploring his life with Helen, even just a little bit.
John Wick 5 Needs A Great Character Arc Just As Much As It Needs Action
That’s How It Can Move Away From The High Table
Action has always been the John Wick franchise’s central draw, and John Wick 5 is more than likely going to continue the franchise’s streak. However, if John doesn’t have an interesting place in the story, the action won’t be nearly as satisfying as it has been.
John Wick 5 is going to tell a brand-new story, moving away from the High Table plot that was central to the previous movies. To make that work, John will absolutely need to have a good reason to continue working, as without that, John Wick: Chapter 5 could feel like an empty sequel, made for the sake of the studio’s bottom line.
