John Wick Chapter 5 Confirmed: Keanu Reeves Returns
Is Keanu Reeves back before or after the bullets?
Hold up, so when the world believed John Wick's gone, he was actually waiting for the right moment to be back? Lionsgate has officially announced another chapter of Keanu Reeves -starrer John Wick under production. Chapter 5 will be part of the larger universe that now has spinoffs and prequels to keep the movie franchise going.
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Exciting as it is, many ardent fans of Keanu Reeves are left confused by the announcements. Can Baba Yaga coming back to life after what we saw as the ending of previous film. Or, is it set in a time pre-bullets so his presence feels organic?
While the announcement of Chapter 5, does not answer that, it definitely discredits the ending of the last film where John died. The sacrifice he made despite finally reuniting with his wife Helen, was a way to sway us into the wrong direction, as it felt like the perfect closure to the character's arch. Or have the makers changed their mind?
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As usual, the fans theories are creating a buzz. This time a little far-fetched, I should say! Some fans of the nunchuck wielding hitman believe Chapter 5: John Wick that is set for a 2026 release will take place in Hell. John Wick post his death will be off fighting Satan to finally...bear with me... unite with Helen in Heaven. Umm, are we sitting here for a neo-noir action thriller or a horror adventure !
Seriously, let the man rest in peace in his grave at least. Why would you want him to haunt himself with the question: Is it really over?
With an animated prequel and a standalone Caine-centric adventure film in the queue complementing Ana de Armas' Ballerina , the upcoming June 6 spin-off of John Wick ; the chances of Chapter 5 going in two different directions are high.
As A Prequel
If the 2026 film is going to be a prequel to Chapter 4, we might be opening the vault of John Wick's backstory. Since we don't have a blurb to direct us as of now, let's keep our mind open to it. So, by the end of Chapter 4 , we were told that Wick sacrifices his life and is buried. Unless the fan theory about hell is really the screenplay, bringing him back to life seems inorganic so far into the movie franchise.
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But if its a movie that takes us back into the past, that's long been a secret, we'll get answers to his “impossible task,” the body buried in concrete, the blood oaths signed in gold. It’s all legend, never fully seen. A prequel would mean more screen time for Keanu to tap into the darker, more mercenary version of Wick we’ve only heard whispers about!
As A Sequel
First off, if its a sequel starring Reeves as Wick, either we would need him dug out of his grave and resurrected or we'll need a twist - not an original one though- that claims he was actually never dead. This would actually fit perfectly with the franchise's theme of survival, deception, and a series of never-ending violence.
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In that case, the High Table is still not done with the Wick. If the creators are leaning into the idea 'even death fears his return' then as a sequel, Chapter 5 would have to answer one question: why come back? If we lean into it further, John Wick 5 would not be about revenge nor redemption, but reckoning. The final war. The closing of the circle. The death of the myth—on his own terms. After all, he is called Baba Yaga!
Or Entirely Something Else?
If we remove ourselves from the universe of John Wick, and take into the picture the spin-offs, Continental and Ballerina, it seems that Lionsgate is keen on expanding the assassin universe in John Wick, add more colour, more reasons to stick around to the saga that started a decade ago.
What if John Wick 5 isn’t a strict prequel or sequel, but a nonlinear dive into the world he built and broke? Imagine time jumps. Parallel stories. Wick’s past and future colliding in one last operatic flourish.
Whatever the 2026 Keanu Reeves starrer John Wick is going to be, one thing is certain: Wick’s story has always been about consequences and it needs to be well-presented and justified to make believe.