John Wick 5 looks destined to go ahead at some point in the future, and despite John Wick: Chapter 4‘s conclusive ending, I think I’ve figured out how the protagonist could return. Having supposedly been killed off in the previous movie, Keanu Reeves looks set to return in John Wick 5 as the тιтular character after a fifth movie was confirmed to be in development. While Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski (John Wick‘s director) are yet to confirm their involvement in the next outing, Lionsgate EVP, Jenefer Brown, claimed the studio is working on another installment.

This should be clarification that the main story will continue, but John Wick’s fate in Chapter 4, alongside the lack of confirmation about whether Reeves and Stahelski are involved continues to have fans questioning the state of the franchise. What we know for sure is that Keanu Reeves will be involved in Ana de Armas’ Ballerina spinoff, and ᴀssuming it performs well, it’s hard to imagine another main movie not happening. However, this raises questions about how the Baba Yaga will return from the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, and I think that one important side character may provide the answer.

The Director Must Have Helped John Wick Fake His Death Offscreen In Chapter 4

John Has Gone To The Director In The Past When Out Of Options

While John Wick only has a handful of trusted allies remaining in the action universe, The Director is one of his most reliable, and she could be the key to John faking his death. Although Winston may be the obvious choice given how much he was involved in the protagonist’s story, having someone less attached to the High Table ᴀssist him would allow John to convincingly stay ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. With Winston owning the New York Continental and being the protagonist’s closest ally, his connection would feel too immediate for him to pull off this fake death without it feeling fairly suspicious.

Instead, going to someone less attached who is still trustworthy feels more in character for John, as it would allow him to convince everyone he was ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, including those closest to him. He wouldn’t attempt a stunt like this half-heartedly, and both his allies and enemies believing he is gone feels like the best way for him to retire. As a result, The Director is the perfect candidate to make this fake-out believable, as she is well-connected and has various resources that could make him disappear without what’s left of the High Table suspecting her involvement.

Additionally, with Anjelica Huston’s The Director confirmed to be among Ballerina‘s cast of characters, a possible nod to John’s fate being a red herring could be set up in the spinoff, as it takes place before the events of John Wick: Chapter 4. The Baba Yaga went to her previously when in need of safe pᴀssage that no one else could provide, and a cryptic scene in Ballerina would further emphasize The Director’s potential involvement in his seemingly fake death, indicating she may have been the one who made the world believe John Wick was deceased through some off-screen antics.

Neither Winston Nor The Bowery King Might Be Aware That John Wick Is Alive

Their Interaction In John Wick: Chapter 4 Made It Unclear Whether They Are Fully Aware Of John’s Fate

Winston and the Bowery King’s conversation at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4‘s ending suggests neither one of them is certain about John’s fate, which makes the Director being involved even more viable. The two had a brief interaction while standing over John’s grave, where the Bowery King asked Winston, “Where do you think he is, heaven or hell?” In response, Winston simply replied, “Who knows“, prompting the Bowery King to laugh before walking away. This could suggest they both believe he may not be in the afterlife at all, as he could still be alive.

However, the fact that neither of them directly gave an answer means even if they do still believe he could be out there somewhere, they probably didn’t have anything to do with staging his death. It’s impossible to know exactly what either was thinking, but regardless of what the characters believe, it seems they genuinely don’t know what happened to John after Chapter 4‘s final showdown. Whether they were bluffing to one another or are genuinely clueless, Winston and the Bowery King still look destined to be important supporting characters in John Wick 5, ᴀssuming Reeves returns for the movie.

Why John Wick Faking His Death At The End Of Chapter 4 Would Make Sense

John Wick: Chapter 4 Was All About The Protagonist Getting Out Of The Criminal Underworld For Good

Some fans may feel John faking his death at the end of Chapter 4 undermines the story, and while this is a fair opinion, the fake-out also makes perfect sense. John Wick: Chapter 4 was all about John trying to get out of the criminal underworld once and for all, taking drastic measures and facing impossible odds to defeat the system. While taking out Marquis revoked John’s excommunicado status, the film’s climax suggests dying may be the only way the protagonist could actually find peace, making it fitting that he seemingly died while earning his freedom.

However, if he did in fact survive, making almost everyone who knew him think he was ᴅᴇᴀᴅ would give him the fresh start he so desperately craved. Ballerina could also set up John Wick’s replacement, meaning the protagonist already knows there is someone with honor ready to fill his shoes by the time Chapter 4 rolls around, and having the chance to start a new life without his past coming back to haunt him is exactly the sort of retirement that fits his motivations, making it understandable why he would decide to fake his death and move on.

What Could Bring John Wick Back From Retirement (Again) In John Wick 5

One Of His Few Remaining Allies Being Targeted Or Taking Down The High Table Could Bring John Back For One Last Mission

Given how hard John fought for his second retirement, it would take something extremely drastic to bring him back into action, but the most likely outcome would be one of his allies being threatened by someone who knows he’s still alive. Introducing a new villain who is desperate to find John after figuring out he survived could be an exciting plot for the fifth movie, especially as they don’t have to be directly connected to the High Table. Instead, it could act as one final chapter that cements John’s legacy by having him rescue those who always respected him.

It could be The Director who is threatened since she may be the one to stage his death, or perhaps Winston and the Bowery King get targeted given their connections to the protagonist. Even someone like Eve, Caine, or Akira would be good options, as they are the future of the franchise, and having John fight alongside them would be a fitting close to his story. It’s hard to imagine what else would bring him back into the fold, but perhaps a chance to liberate the High Table and potentially even take over the organization could sway him.

John Wick: Chapter 5 being about the Baba Yaga taking down all the High Table’s worst leaders and ᴀssᴀssins to cleanse it would be a fascinating concept that would lead to exactly the sort of action we’ve become accustomed to. It would result in John giving up his chance to properly retire, but attempting to create a greater good and giving the next generation of ᴀssᴀssins a fairer and more moral underworld to operate in would be just as effective as dying in Chapter 4, making it another possible reason for the protagonist’s return to action.

John Wick

Created by

Derek Kolstad

First Film

John Wick

Latest Film

John Wick: Chapter 4

Upcoming Films

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina

First TV Show

The Continental

Summary

“John Wick” is a neo-noir action-thriller franchise centered around a retired hitman who returns to the criminal underworld to seek vengeance. Known for its intense and stylistic action sequences, the franchise has redefined modern action cinema with its choreographed gunfights, hand-to-hand combat, and intricate world-building. The series explores themes of loyalty, honor, and survival in a secret society of ᴀssᴀssins.

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