John-wick John-wick-4 Movies

8 Big Clues John Wick Is Still Alive After Chapter 4's Shock Ending


John Wick appears to be dead at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, but there are tons of clues that hint that he actually survived. The sequel continues to follow John (Keanu Reeves) on his journey to get back to his normal, non-assassin life, but the increasing price on his head makes that more and more difficult. The movie is full of groundbreaking action sequences, but it's also surprisingly emotional, as John is seen killed in a duel with Caine (Donnie Yen). The assassin shares his final words with his old friend Winston (Ian McShane), and he's then buried in New York with a headstone that reads, "Loving Husband."

The John Wick movies have grown in popularity since the first film's modest box office success in 2014. Three movies later, John Wick has become a billion-dollar franchise. John Wick: Chapter 4 made over $432 million alone — a huge achievement for Lionsgate, but it calls into question why the studio would kill off the character at the highest point of the series' popularity. It's a bold move, but in an industry where franchises never die if they're still popular, no matter how unnecessary they are, there's no doubt that John Wick 5 will happen. The studio has even left some clues that the titular assassin is still alive.

8: John Wick's Burial Isn't Shown


While John Wick supposedly dies in a duel with Caine, as he keels over on the steps in Paris, the movie doesn't actually show him die. Not only that but, while Winston and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) are standing at his grave in the cemetery at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, there isn't a proper burial in the movie. It's unlikely that the day Winston and the Bowery King visit the cemetery is John's burial, as the grass is uncut, and it's as if John has been buried for months. With action movies, if a character dies off-screen, the chances are high that they're probably not dead.

7: John Wick 5 Discussions Are Already Happening


It seems as if nobody is on the same page about John Wick 5, as director Chad Stahelski seemingly doesn't want to make another movie, and Keanu Reeves is yet to properly comment on the sequel, but Lionsgate has outright confirmed it. The studio hasn't verified whether John Wick: Chapter 5 is a prequel, which could very well be the case and keep the emotional John Wick: Chapter 4 ending intact. However, the movie will most likely be a sequel and follow on from John Wick: Chapter 4, and it'll probably reveal how John Wick survived. Nevertheless, while it has been confirmed, Reeves' silence on the sequel speaks volumes.

6: John Wick: Chapter 4 Cut A Scene Confirming John Survived


Director Chad Stahelski revealed that John Wick: Chapter 4 originally featured an alternate ending where John Wick survived, but the scene tested badly during test screenings. As a result, Stahelski made the brave decision to remove it, making the prospect of John Wick 5 much harder for Lionsgate. However, Stahelski is working on a director's cut of John Wick: Chapter 4, and it's possible that he could include the cut scene of John surviving. That would significantly help John Wick 5 swerve its biggest problem. I Am Legend 2 is following on from the first movie's alternate ending, and audiences could see the same happen with the John Wick franchise.

5: Winston & The Bowery King Are Powerful Enough To Fake John's Death


Between Winston and the Bowery King, they have more than enough power to fake John's death in John Wick: Chapter 4. The Bowery King alone has so many resources and connections that he can get his hands on weaponry, vehicles, and bulletproof suits across the world, and Lionsgate even wants a Bowery King spinoff. In that respect, there's no denying that he could have helped John fake his death. However, one thing that undermines this clue is that the Bowery King and Winston expressed genuine sadness when they were standing at John's grave at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4.

4: The Dog In John Wick: Chapter 4 Sees Something In The Cemetery


During the cemetery scene in John Wick: Chapter 4, Winston and the Bowery King aren't alone at John's tombstone. John's trusty pit bull is there, too. During the scene, the dog's ears perk up, and he looks to the side as if he notices somebody in the distance, or maybe he smells his master's scent. Given that dogs in the John Wick franchise are extremely clever and skilled, it wouldn't be surprising if the pit bull sensed his master. After all, this is the same dog who found John in the Bowery King's lair after he was left in a New York taxicab in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.

3: John Wick Has Survived Much Worse


It's hard to believe that one bullet killed John Wick when it wasn't even a headshot, especially given all the injuries he has sustained and the beatings he has endured. Throughout all four movies, John has sustained over 200 injuries, including getting stabbed multiple times, being thrown through windows, and falling from such great heights on countless occasions. Outside the ending of John Wick: Chapter 4, John has only been shot cleanly once, but thanks to the doctor in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, that was taken care of. There's no reason why John couldn't have been rushed to that same doctor after the duel.

2: Several Of John's Allies Weren't At The Cemetery


Whether it's John's burial or funeral at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, it's strange that Winston and the Bowery King were the only two characters to pay their respects. While John has made a lot of enemies, he still has several allies. Garage owner Aurelio and police officer Jimmy should have both been at the cemetery. The movie also made it clear that Caine and John Wick knew each other for a long time and were close, so it doesn't make sense that Caine wasn't there either. All the people in attendance at Helen's funeral in the first John Wick movie would surely have known John, too.

1: Marquis Vincent De Gramont's Words In John Wick: Chapter 4 Were Literal


In John Wick: Chapter 4, Marquis Vincent de Gramont says, "John is nothing but a ghost searching for a graveyard." That line of dialogue clearly implied that the Marquis believed that John was inevitably going to get killed sooner or later. However, that dialogue could also have been a hint to audiences that this was John's plan all along. Throughout the movie, John could have been planning to fake his death and that he wanted to have a burial so that the High Table believed he was dead and assassins stopped hunting him. The Marquis's comment could have been a clever foreshadowing of John Wick's return.


•
Read More Comments
John-wick John-wick-4 Movies

The Case for John Wick 4 Being the End of His Story


John Wick: Chapter 4 -- which will be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD on Jun. 13 -- is a marvel of action-cinema, an epic adventure that only becomes more powerful as a result of its final moments. After four films of non-stop fighting, John Wick finally lays down his weapons and dies, finding the peace he'd long sought.

It's an emotionally resonant ending, which could be upended by the character's potential return in the recently announced John Wick 5. But just because the world introduced in these films can continue doesn't mean John himself should. In fact, undoing his death would rob the series of its emotional throughline and prevent it from growing into something new. John's apparent death in John Wick: Chapter 4 needs to be the case in any follow-ups, even if that means Keanu Reeves' involvement in the series is severely reduced.

How John Wick: Chapter 4 Closed the Book on John's Character Arc

The conclusion of John Wick: Chapter 4 feels like the inevitable final stage for the titular character, a send-off he would appreciate. Despite his repeated efforts to escape the world of murder and mayhem around him, John is forced to work his way through hundreds of would-be killers, finally finding his final opponent in the form of Caine. The two have a duel, using pistols to settle their respective debts and feuds with The High Table. In the end, John is fatally wounded but still gets the opportunity to kill the Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont, freeing Caine from his debt to The High Table representative and saving Winston's life.


John has enough life left in him to walk the stairs of the church and get a view of the sunrise, thinking of his dead wife as he seemingly fades from his injuries. The film doesn't explicitly show John's death, but it's clear what the intention at the moment is -- only further solidified by subsequent shots of John's grave next to his wife. Since the film's release, though, some fans have suggested John could have survived his injuries. And the apparent development of John Wick 5 could be seen as a suggestion that the franchise will go in that direction. But just because the franchise may continue doesn't mean the character will carry on. In fact, John's death is the perfect ending for that character and shouldn't be undone in any follow-ups.

Why John Wick's Death Should Stick

Being the end of John's story, John Wick: Chapter 4 gives the film and its lengthy third act a sense of closure that can't usually be found in blockbuster cinema these days. While the world John inhabited is still there -- and set to be further explored in stuff like The Ballerina and the Peacock prequel series The Continental -- John's lengthy quest for freedom and peace concluded with him finding those things. Undoing John's death wouldn't just fly in the face of the emotional throughline present in the film, but it would also take John beyond his already wild endurance and capabilities. It would effectively turn John into a superhero, incapable of dying by conventional measures -- which would remove any stakes to any future action sequences focused on the character. It'd also likely invite inevitable comparisons to John Wick: Chapter 4, and given the impressive action of that film, it'd be a self-inflicted criticism levied at any film directly trying to top it.

In regard to the franchise's future, John has far more power in death than in life. John's actions in the film saved a scant few of his allies and propelled some (like The Bowery King and Katia) into new positions of power. John's infamous worldwide adventure might convince others they can fight back against The High Table, potentially setting the stage for something like The Ballerina to go in an unpredictable direction.

John could also become something truly unstoppable in death, proof that there are ways to be free of a syndicate that seems to operate in all fields of life. The power vacuum left in John's wake opens the possibility of pure chaos in the world of John Wick, which could allow for any number of established or even new characters to take center stage. This could even open the door for flashbacks to John or imagined conversations with him, allowing Reeves to return without undoing the weight of John's fate. John's death is fitting for the overall narrative of the character's growth. But the practical reasons not to bring him back and the potential for more distinct follow-ups should hopefully allow John to remain buried.

More


•
Read More Comments
John-wick John-wick-4 Movies

John Wick 4's Longer Cut Gets Brutally Honest Review From Producer

John Wick: Chapter 4 producer Erica Lee says the lengthy original cut was not very good. Franchise star Keanu Reeves returns to the title role for the fourth installment along with director Chad Stahelski. With John Wick: Chapter 4, they deliver some of the most extensive and most impressive action set pieces of the series, which see John dispatching more enemies than ever before. The movie is 169 minutes long, coming in just under three hours. However, it was revealed that John Wick: Chapter 4 had a longer cut, initially running 3 hours and 45 minutes.

While speaking with Collider, Lee opened up about John Wick: Chapter 4's longer cut, revealing that it was "not good." According to the producer, the nearly 4-hour-long cut of the sequel featured some rough spots, making for a boring watch. Check out Lee's comments on John Wick: Chapter 4's longer cut below:

There [weren't] really that many big lifts. We definitely shot a lot, but the movie's hovered around three hours for almost all of post. The 3:45 was so rough and boring in parts, and just a lot of... I mean, it was not good [Laughs]. You didn't miss anything.

There's More John Wick On The Way

After John Wick: Chapter 4's finale, the future of the titular assassin may be in question. Stahelski and Reeves have stated they want to take some time away from the character, with Lionsgate pleased over the fourth installment's box office, hoping for a fifth film. However, whether Reeves returns to the franchise or not, spinoffs are on the way to keep the world alive.

The Continental is a limited prequel series that will explore the origins of the unique underworld hotel and Winston, the manager character originated by Ian McShane in the films. Colin Woodell will play a younger version of Winston, with the series taking place in the 1970s. The Continental is set for three 90-minute episodes, expected to debut on Peacock later this year.

The John Wick franchise is also getting a spinoff with Ballerina, which is expected to release in 2024. Ana de Armas stars in the spinoff as a female assassin seeking revenge for the murder of her family. Reeves is said to make an appearance in the film, along with McShane as Winston and the late Lance Reddick as Charon. The cast of Ballerina also includes Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, and Norman Reedus, with director Len Wisman, known for Underworld and Live Free or Die Hard, at the helm. So while John Wick: Chapter 4 was cut down, the franchise is set to expand, continuing on even if Reeves doesn't return.
•
Read More Comments
John-wick John-wick-4 Movies

Here’s What Happened in 'John Wick: Chapter 4's Original Post-Credit Scene

 


If you stuck with John Wick: Chapter 4 to the very end, then you know there’s a short end-credits scene that changes the game for at least one character in the film series. In the scene, Caine (Donnie Yen) finally gets to approach his estranged daughter after being released from his duties with the High Table. However, as he starts to move in her direction with flowers in his hands, a figure emerges among the crowd: It is Akira (Rina Sawayama), the Osaka Continental Hotel Manager whose father was killed by Caine right in front of her.


The very last scene before the movie cuts to black is Akira revealing a blade in her hand, suggesting that she’ll avenge her father’s death. However, we don’t get to see if she really kills Caine, even though earlier in the movie the blind man tells her that he would be waiting for her revenge. In an interview with Collider, John Wick director Chad Stahelski revealed to our own Editor-in-Chief Steve Weintraub that the scene originally played out a lot differently, and was much less subtle.


It's funny, we shot that, there's a real scene that goes along, like Donnie coming up, you think he's got it, and then Rina goes and gets him, and then there's this whole death scene with Donnie Yen dying. We had a whole thing where you actually see the demise. But we watched it and I kind of felt like, “Well, that's not as cool as not knowing.” Like, does Rina go down that road? You know, we have John Wick and his demise, and we’re like, “Well, let's open the door to the new John,” like, “Who's the new…” And we're like, “Akira.”

She's got the motivation. She gave John the ultimatum. John chose not to honor that, but he chose to honor something much bigger. So, we had this whole scene and we're like, “Well, that doesn't really say what we want.” It was a little too much, and we didn't think it was really nailing it. So, my editor Nathan Orloff had a nice idea and was like, “What if we don't see it? What if you leave the audience to that? What's the choice?” Rina has a choice, she opens the knife, but does she actually, you know, hit Caine with it? And we're like, “That's awesome. Let's just try it.”




Smaller Was Better For the End-Credits John Wick 4 Scene

Stahelski also revealed that having the scene play out more suggestively opened the door for a kind of “new John,” since the movie ends with the title character meeting his end. The director suggested there was no question that Akira could be the next mega-killer in the franchise, and that having a scene with virtually no violence was a nice contrast to everything the audience would have seen up to that point.


“And it had that little punch to it, like, not too much, not too little, and you still don't know: So did she go down that dark road, or did she go, ‘not my battle?’”


We’ll have to wait a little while to discover the answer to that question, since John Wick 5 is yet to be greenlit by Lionsgate, and we’ll visit a different set of characters in the same universe when Ballerina comes along. One thing is sure, though: Akira has already established herself as a great character, and she’ll be a welcome addition if it comes around to it.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is in theaters everywhere now.
•
Read More Comments
John-wick-4 Movies Movies list news Shazam

Every Movie Coming To Theaters In March 2023

March 2023 will see the arrival of some of 2023’s biggest and most anticipated releases, such as the latest installment in the Rocky film series, a new version of a Stephen King story, the rise of a new Ghostface killer, the return of Billy Batson, John Wick’s latest mission, and an action movie based on a famous game. February also saw the release of some highly-anticipated releases, such as M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin, the comedy-drama Magic Mike’s Last Dance, the slasher movie Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and the dark comedy thriller Cocaine Bear.

Unfortunately, none of February’s releases are available to stream yet, but the wait won’t be a problem as March is packed with exciting releases from a variety of genres. March will welcome the third installment in the Creed movie series, a new version of Stephen King’s Children of the Corn, the sixth installment in the Scream franchise, a new adventure from the DCEU starring Billy Batson and company, a new chapter in John Wick’s movie saga, and the long-awaited movie adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons, among others. Here’s every movie coming to theaters in March 2023.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre – March 3


Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is a spy action comedy directed by Guy Ritchie. It follows Orson Fortune (Jason Statham), an elite spy who must track down and stop the sale of deadly weapons technology possessed by billionaire arms broker Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant). Fortune reluctantly teams up with some of the world’s best operatives and they recruit Hollywood star Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) to help them on their mission to save the world. Also starring in Operation Fortune are Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes, Eddie Marsan, and Bugzy Malone. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre was released internationally on January 4, 2023, and after its release in the US on March 3, it will be released digitally on Amazon Prime Video in the UK on April 7.




Creed III – March 3


Creed III is a sports drama directed by Michael B. Jordan in his feature directorial debut, and it’s the ninth installment in the Rocky film series. After the events of Creed II, Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is thriving in his boxing career and in his personal life, but when Damian “Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors), a childhood friend of his and former boxing prodigy returns after serving a long sentence in prison, Adonis faces his friend on the ring, putting his future on the line while Damian has nothing to lose. Also starring in Creed III are Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Florian Munteanu, and Phylicia Rashad.




Children of the Corn – March 3

Children of the Corn is a slasher movie directed by Kurt Wimmer and based on Stephen King’s short story of the same name, serving as a reimagining of the film series that began in 1984. Children of the Corn follows Eden Edwards (Kate Moyer), a psychopathic 12-year-old in a small town in Nebraska who recruits all the children to go on a bloody rampage, killing corrupt adults and anyone who stands in their way, and the town’s only hope is a high schooler who doesn’t go along with Eden’s plans. Children of the Corn will be released in an 18-day theatrical window beginning on March 3.




Scream VI – March 10


Ghostface is back in Scream VI, and they are taking the murders outside Woodsboro one more time. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, Scream VI follows the survivors of the latest Woodsboro massacre – Sam (Melissa Barrera), Tara (Jenna Ortega), Chad (Mason Gooding), and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Bronw) – as they move to New York City to start a new chapter of their lives. However, they will be haunted by a new Ghostface killer, and the group will count on the help of two Scream legacy characters: Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere). Also starring in Scream 6 are Jack Champion, Dermot Mulroney, Tony Revolori, and Samantha Weaving.




Unwelcome – March 8


Unwelcome is a folk horror movie directed by John Wright. Married couple Maya (Hannah John-Kamen) and Jamie (Douglas Booth) escape from the urban nightmare that London can be at times to the tranquility of rural Ireland. Once there, they discover that murderous goblins lurk in the ancient wood at the foot of their new garden, and Maya, who is pregnant, is soon targeted by these creatures. Also starring in Unwelcome are Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, Colm Meaney, Chris Walley, and Paul Warren.




Shazam! Fury of the Gods – March 17


Billy Batson/Shazam is back in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, directed by David F. Sandberg. In this new adventure, Billy Batson (Zachary Levi and Asher Angel) and his foster siblings Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody), Eugene (Ross Butler and Ian Chen), and Darla (Meagan Good and Faithe Herman) are forced to get back into action to fight the Daughters of Atlas and stop them from using a weapon that could destroy the world. Joining the fun in Shazam! Fury of the Gods are Rachel Zegler as Anthea, Lucy Liu as Kalypso, and Helen Mirren as Hespera.




Moving On – March 17


Moving On is a comedy movie directed by Paul Weitz. Moving On follows Claire (Jane Fonda) and Evelyn (Lily Tomlin), two long-time friends who reconnect at a funeral, where they decide to take revenge on the widower (Malcolm McDowell), who wronged them many years ago. Also starring in Moving On are Richard Roundtree and Catherine Dent. Moving On premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival and it’s now ready to be released in cinemas.




John Wick: Chapter 4 – March 24


The fourth installment in the John Wick movie saga will arrive on March 24. Directed by Chad Stahelski, John Wick: Chapter 4 will see professional hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) uncovering a path to defeating the High Table, but before he can be free, he must face a new enemy with powerful alliances around the world and old friends that have turned into foes. Also starring in John Wick: Chapter 4 are Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown, and Hiroyuki Sanada.




A Good Person – March 24


A Good Person is a drama movie written, directed, and produced by Zach Braff. It’s the story of Allison (Florence Pugh), a young woman with a fiancé, a wonderful career, and a supportive circle of family and friends. After being involved in a fatal accident, Allison comes out of it with opioid addiction and unresolved grief, and in the following years, she forms an unlikely friendship with her would-be-father-in-law, who gives her a chance to put her life back together and move forward. Also starring in A Good Person are Morgan Freeman, Molly Shannon, and Zoe Lister-Jones.




Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – March 31


The famous tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons has made the jump to the big screen in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. It follows Edgin the Bard (Chris Pine), a charming thief who along with a band of unlikely adventurers goes on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but it all takes a turn when they clash with the wrong people. Also starring in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves are Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Paget, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant, Daisy Head, Chloe Coleman, and Jason Wong.



•
Read More Comments
John-wick John-wick-4 Movies

New Hand-Painted ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Poster Shows a Colorful Keanu Reeves Ready for a Fight


We are counting down the days to John Wick: Chapter 4. Fans are eager for the return of Keanu Reeves as their favorite assassin as he goes on a run after the events of Chapter 3 – Parabellum. The movie promises a globe-trotting experience for fans as well as its signature action sequences and stunts. The promotion for the feature is in full swing as we got details about the movie from previously held Wick Week and now the makers are revealing posters made by handpicked artists from around the world.

The latest poster comes from artist Yann Coueder, who hand-painted a picture of Reeves in the character. The image sees him pensive as the colorful strokes bring out different facets of his personality. It has been quite an experience to see John from the perspective of various artists as they reimagine the character and highlight different sides of his personality from their own point of view like building on the legend of Baba Yaga to capturing his serene side.

What’s John Wick: Chapter 4 About?

The end of Chapter 3 – Parabellum saw John injured and on a run after the High Table puts a bounty on his head. All the bounty hunters are coming for him and to escape them once and for all he’ll be trotting the globe in the upcoming feature. The movie has shot in locations like New York, Paris, and Berlin among other places, so fans can expect show epic showdown in the most iconic locations. Though John will have help in the new feature as a previously revealed clip shows his new friends and some old friends that now turn into foes. Before dealing with High Table though our favorite assassin has to go through one more nemesis, a member of High Table, Marquis de Gramont, played by Bill Skarsgård. As director Chad Sathleski previously told Collider, “he’s the one in charge of cleaning up all the messes from the first three movies.” So, he’ll undoubtedly be a bit pissed off by John’s disobedience.


The movie features Reeves as John Wick, Laurence Fishburne as The Bowery King, Ian McShane as Winston Scott, along with Skarsgård as John’s nemesis Marquis de Gramont, Hiroyuki Sanada as Shimazu, Shamier Anderson as The Tracker, Lance Reddick as Charon, Rina Sawayama as Akira, Scott Adkins as Killa, Clancy Brown as The Harbinger and many more.

John Wick: Chapter 4 drops on March 24. You can check out the new poster below:



•
Read More Comments
John-wick John-wick-4 Movies

John Wick 4 Is the Franchise's Longest Film (But Not by Much)



The highly anticipated John Wick 4 is set to be the longest film in the franchise, although not by much.

Franchise director Chad Stahelski recently sat down with Collider to discuss the upcoming fourth entry in the wildly popular Keanu Reeves-led action series. In the interview, Stahelski was asked about the length of the new film, and while he didn't go into any specifics, he said "It's longer than the other three, but not that long."

The first John Wick film ran for a total of 101 minutes, John Wick: Chapter 2 was 122 minutes, and the most recent John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum clocked in at a total of 131. This means that the fourth film will run for at least two hours and twelve minutes.

Stahelski also opened up about the film's editing process, stating "We're on the final stretch for picture lock, and then we have our VFX music. But this is the furthest along I've ever been, this much in post. We love the music that we've got so far." He also clarified that "the movie is essentially done," before adding "there's probably another few weeks of tweaking overall, then we lock picture, and we're about music sound and the effects."

When asked about getting the action sequences right for John Wick 4, Stahelski mentioned there are some practical obstacles that were tricky to overcome but were equally rewarding. "We've tried to do something at the end that is emotional and has cool lighting and looks. And we took our best stab at it, how we shoot all the pieces. And now, putting them together, we're still like, 'Yeah, it's a little bit more of a puzzle than we thought,'" he stated.

The John Wick franchise follows a former hitman who is thrust back into the criminal underworld that he left many years ago after a group of mobsters break into his home and murder his puppy. All three films in the series have been commercially successful, with a collective gross of more than $587 million worldwide. The series proved so popular that it even spawned a comic book and graphic novel series.

A spin-off film is also in the works, titled Ballerina, which will star Ana de Armas in the lead role. Additionally, a spin-off television show called The Continental is in development and will center around the hotel safe haven for hitmen and assassins as seen in the films.


John Wick 4 arrives in theatres on Mar. 24, 2023.

•
Read More Comments
John-wick John-wick-4 Movies

John Wick 4's New Training Tool Secretly Reveals The Sequel's Dark Story



John Wick’s punching post in John Wick: Chapter 4 is a traditional training tool that also reflects John’s story. John Wick 4 debuted its first teaser trailer, including looks at martial artists like Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada, for 2022’s San Diego Comic-Con. Not only did the teaser showcase the incredible action and martial arts audiences associate with the series, but it also showed John training his punches on a tool that many martial arts practitioners will instantly recognize.

The tool John is punching in the teaser is called a makiwara, which is a padded post used to train punching techniques in many schools of karate. The design of the makiwara is crafted to provide resistance to the puncher, with the makiwara rebounding into its straight position after taking each strike. This design enables the karate practitioner to strengthen their punches, while it can also be used for kicks, knees, and elbows.

With his makiwara wrapped in rope and the power John puts into his strikes, there is also a fairly sizeable patch of blood from John's punches. Interestingly, with the John Wick movies being full of martial arts, the makiwara also is very reflective of what John’s life has been like since he came out of retirement. The makiwara represents the constant opposing force John finds himself fighting against.


The Makiwara Reveals John Wick's Strength (& That Of His Enemies)


The design of the makiwara is emblematic of the kind of opposition John has consistently faced throughout the series, one in which John is able to hold his own just as his opponent spring back at him like the makiwara. As soon as John embarked on his mission to avenge the killing of his dog in the first John Wick, he has been beset with a non-stop onslaught of enemies from all sides. That attack ramped up in John Wick: Chapter 2 and even more so once John was on the run in John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum.


With John and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) facing the High Table in John Wick 4, their enemies are sure to only continue coming. The makiwara, coated in the blood of John’s knuckles from repeated punches just as his battles are, captures the ongoing challenge even an assassin as legendary as John faces. For every strike he gives, John has not managed to escape his continuous battle with one opponent after another.


The makiwara’s inclusion in John Wick 4 shows a side of John’s training that draws from traditional Japanese martial arts, and likely from director Chad Stahelski’s own extensive martial arts experience. The makiwara itself is also a storytelling tool as much as a training one in John Wick: Chapter 4, showing the Baba Yaga's continuous battle to defeat constantly charging and rebounding enemies, John Wick occasionally team-up with his friends to do so. It could end up being that John can only win by finally “breaking” the High Table and its many assassins that the makiwara is a physical stand-in for.

•
Read More Comments
John-wick John-wick-4 Movies

Chapter 4 May Tease a Dark Fate for John Wick

The John Wick franchise has seen a man pushed to his limits and fighting for the life he thought he had earned years ago. Now, with the fourth entry in the series on the way, John has taken a chance to start over and instead used it to get the justice he was robbed of. But with each film, it's become more obvious that John can't continue fighting forever, and John Wick: Chapter 4 may be the writing on the wall for what could be his final battle.

In the first John Wick film, John was forced to get back into the life he had lost after an injustice was done against him. But his second outing forced him to tie up loose ends that ended with him having a target painted on his back. Now, that target has only gotten larger, and even though he's given his fair share of blood, he seemingly won't stop until his previous employers are dead. Essentially, John is an unstoppable force, whereas the High Table is an immovable object. But no matter how often John has gotten back up, there's a lingering sense that it can't last forever.



The latest trailer for John Wick: Chapter 4 has a man asking John if he's given any thought to how his story could end. As he's shown plowing through armies of hired guns, he's also reminded that he can't kill everyone to get what he wants. Because of this, it could be implied that John has given up on the peace he wanted so long ago and has resorted to going down fighting and taking everyone down with him.

In the past, John was given an unbeatable task to escape the life of an assassin. He did this so that he could be with the wife he loved dearly. Unfortunately, while he succeeded in completing his task, his happiness wouldn't last as his wife took ill and died. Since then, John has never been the same, and while he didn't want to return to killing, he was forced into it when the last gift his wife gave to him, a dog, was killed in front of him. Now, driven by his actions that started with the unjust death of his dog, John likely wants nothing more than a chance at peace. But that peace may not come from killing the High Table.


Instead, John's peace over the course of John Wick: Chapter 4 and the upcoming fifth entry may come when John goes down fighting. There's no telling who could be on the other side of him when the time comes, but there's truth in the idea that he won't stop until the killing stops completely. But to do this, he may have to give everything to stop the violence. As a result, his constant battle against insurmountable odds seems less aimless and more focused on ensuring that everything goes down with him before he dies.

The John Wick franchise has helped transform action films into the perfect blend of realism and stylish. From its first film to the upcoming fourth entry, Keanu Reeves' portrayal of the character has been of a man tortured by his past choices. In the past, he was told that his peace would never be achieved, but John has always been known to beat the odds. Therefore, he may not die in the fourth film, but it could set the stage for a climactic final showdown where John will draw his last breath and end the killing for himself and every assassin out there.

The fourth John Wick film releases in theaters on March 24, 2023.
•
Read More Comments
John-wick John-wick-4 Movies

John Wick: Chapter 4 Gets First Image of Keanu Reeves


Lionsgate has revealed the first John Wick: Chapter 4 photo from the upcoming action film. The Keanu Reeves-led sequel will wow fans early next year when it releases on March 24, 2023.

Check out the first John Wick: Chapter 4 image below:


John Wick: Chapter 4 was first announced immediately after the record-setting opening weekend of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, which went on to gross over $300 million worldwide. The fourth installment will feature the return of Keanu Reeves as the eponymous assassin, who was last seen suffering from multiple injuries after his falling from the top of the Continental Hotel.

Joining Reeves, Lance Reddick, and Ian McShane are franchise newcomers Japanese-British pop superstar Rina Sawayama in her film acting debut, Shamier Anderson, Bill Skarsgard, Clancy Brown, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Donnie Yen, who is reportedly playing an old friend of John Wick.

John Wick: Chapter 4 was first announced immediately after the record-setting opening weekend of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, which went on to gross over $300 million worldwide. The fourth installment will feature the return of Keanu Reeves as the eponymous assassin, who was last seen suffering from multiple injuries after his falling from the top of the Continental Hotel.

Joining Reeves, Lance Reddick, and Ian McShane are franchise newcomers Japanese-British pop superstar Rina Sawayama in her film acting debut, Shamier Anderson, Bill Skarsgard, Clancy Brown, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Donnie Yen, who is reportedly playing an old friend of John Wick.
•
Read More Comments