It’s already been confirmed that John Wick 5 will not bring the High Table back as the sequel’s main villain, with John’s story taking a much different route to separate it from the previous movies. While it hasn’t yet been announced who will be taking the High Table’s place, John Wick 5 will likely include some returning characters, perhaps even as the main villain.

Especially with the recent Ballerina and The Continental spinoff projects, it’s clear that the world of John Wick is interested in expanding beyond the main saga. This is a smart idea that should keep the franchise alive for much longer than expected, and returning characters are a brilliant way of bridging the gaps between these spinoffs. The ending of Ballerina could end up tying into John Wick 5, for example, which may offer an interesting insight into what direction the upcoming sequel is going to take.

7

Caine

Introduced In John Wick: Chapter 4

Although Caine isn’t strictly a villain, he could still be a fantastic opponent for Wick in the fifth movie. John Wick 4 clearly showed that Caine has a dynamic history with the тιтular hitman, so it would be very fitting if he also turned out to be Wick’s final nemesis. His inclusion would be a smart way of working around the High Table’s absence without getting rid of them entirely; Caine would be their enforcer.

It’s hard to imagine how the upcoming sequel will deal with Wick’s supposed death at the end of John Wick 4, but there’s no way Reeves’ protagonist is going to be able to outrun his past sins forever. He will surely have to deal with the consequences of his actions eventually, and making him fight Caine would be a very thematic way of bringing Wick’s story to a satisfying ending.

6

Killa Harkan (Or His Followers)

Introduced In John Wick: Chapter 4

Scott Adkins’ one-off antagonist Killa Harkan was an undeniable highlight of John Wick 4, but unfortunately, the character was seemingly killed off before he could return. Thankfully, nobody is ever really ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in these movies; the fact that Reeves is coming back should be enough to prove that.

Harkan would be a natural fit for John Wick 5, continuing the franchise’s ongoing theme of Wick’s past coming back to haunt him. He may have escaped the clutches of the High Table by faking his death in John Wick 4, but there are still countless figures with a vendetta against the ᴀssᴀssin. If John Wick 5 really does want to keep Harkan ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, his colleagues and followers could prove to be an equally formidable foe.

5

Mr. Nobody

Introduced In John Wick: Chapter 4

John can take down plenty of talented ᴀssᴀssins, but very few have come closer to killing the iconic hitman than Mr. Nobody. The figure was introduced in John Wick 4 as a talented bounty hunter who chases Wick across the world as the High Table continually increases the price on his head, taking advantage of the situation to make as much money as possible.

Although Wick and Nobody had an unspoken agreement to protect each other in Paris during John Wick 4, there’s nothing to suggest this truce has to last into the future. If the price was right, there’s no doubt that Mr. Nobody would turn on John Wick again, and he’s one of the most dangerous killers he has ever encountered.

4

The D’Antonio Family

Introduced In John Wick: Chapter 2

Bringing the D’Antonio family back for John Wick 5 would be an excellent way of wrapping up the character’s storyline for good, as it was Santino D’Antonio’s death that kickstarted John’s feud with the High Table. He spent the majority of his life afterward running away from the High Table’s many enforcers, but the D’Antonios never truly got their revenge.

It’s never been explained who succeeded Gianna and Santino as the leaders of this dangerous crime family, which is the perfect excuse to bring them back. This whole franchise has always been about atonement and sacrifice, which is why John had to die in the previous installment. The most likely explanation for him now being alive again is that he’s got unfinished business, and the D’Antonios are the most likely candidate.

3

The Cult

Introduced In Ballerina

The Cult may not have been introduced in the main saga of John Wick, but their involvement in Ballerina has immediately made them one of the franchise’s most dangerous villains. Plus, the events of Ballerina clearly give the cult a reason to have John in their crosshairs; he protected Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) and aided her in the destruction of their village. This seems like something that’s bound to come back to haunt John.

Since Ballerina 2 remains unconfirmed, it’s hard to say how important the cult will be in the overall future of John Wick. If Eve’s story is continued in a prospective sequel, it seems inevitable that they’ll have some involvement in future stories. If not, it’s equally possible that John Wick will leave them behind as a one-off villain. The former is certainly the more exciting option, enabling countless ways for the main movies to interconnect with the franchise’s spinoffs.

2

Ruska Roma

Introduced In John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

The Ruska Roma have always been a strong ally for John Wick, but the fifth movie could finally see the crime organization reach its breaking point and seek revenge for all the trouble that Wick has brought to their doors. Not only was The Director violently punished for aiding John in Parabellum, but the ᴀssᴀssin almost brought the Ruska Roma to an all-out war with the cult in Ballerina by refusing to kill Eve.

It seems like John has caused more harm than good to the Ruska Roma in recent years, so it wouldn’t be surprising at all if The Director finally decided to cut ties with her old friend in John Wick 5. This would be a brilliant way of bringing the story full circle, forcing Wick to fight against those who raised him.

1

The Tarasov Family

Introduced In John Wick

If John Wick 5 wants to reach even further into the franchise’s history to find the perfect villain, the Tarasov family could be an interesting candidate. Although John killed most of the senior members at the end of the first movie, the family probably still exists in some form, and their hatred for him won’t have grown any colder over the years.

As mentioned, John Wick has always been a franchise that prioritizes strong character development and rich, thematic storytelling above all else; it would make sense for John Wick 5 to bring back a returning villain to close his story with purpose and meaning. The Tarasovs would certainly do this, as everything that John has done throughout the franchise can ultimately be traced back to his feud with this family. There are so many possibilities, but this definitely feels like the most poignant and thematic.