“We hated the ending”: Chad Stahelski opens up about one of the key moments in ‘John Wick’

One of the most controversial installments of now-franchise-turned-franchise John Wick was the third Parabellum. Although the film was not only a success with critics and spectators, Keau Reeves and its director were not very happy with the ending. And despite the fact that we already have a fourth installment, in the beginning John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum was to bring the franchise to a close.

As a result, actor and director, felt that the end of the third installment of the film was a “disappointment for everyone.” As on other occasions, it has been in the podcast Happy Sad Confusedin which the film’s director, Chad Stahelski, confessed that, after the release of the third installment of John Wick, he met with Keanu and together they came to to the same conclusion: the end of Parabellum was a disappointment to viewers.

That was, precisely, the reason they wanted to make John Wick: Chapter 4feeling they had disappointed the public with the ending of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.

Although it was intended to be the last, the ending of the third installment directly establishes that there would be a sequel. And given the commercial and critical success of the film, made it seem as if a sequel was more than guaranteed.but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it would have been really disappointing to leave as the end of the franchise the end of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. However, commercial success, and the fact that both actor and director agreed to give Wick a more dignified ending, is what led to a fourth film:

“We did the third movie and we really finished. We thought, ‘We’re done.’ And, again, a year later, Keanu and I felt that we kind of let everybody down with the ending of the third one. “I think it was well received, but people really like John and they’re like, ‘What the hell? You know, that was a cool action ending. But hey, what the hell? A huge mythology that you didn’t really explore.’ And we started talking more and more, and we felt like we hadn’t brought out everything we had on the table.”

Will we see a fifth installment with Keanu Reeves?

In the same podcast, the director wanted to pronounce himself on this matter, despite the fact that the end of the fourth film does leave clarifies the fate of the character.

“Yes, Keanu and I have talked. Keanu, if you ask him right now, ‘Would you do John Wick 5?’ He’d say, ‘Hell, yeah.’ But then he’ll tell you, ‘Well, I have no fucking idea.’ That’s it. Trust me. It’s not like, ‘Let’s clear it up today.’ (…) If I was driving or walking the dog and I come up with a good idea, within 30 seconds I’d be on the phone with Keanu and we’d be riffing.”