John Wick: Chapter 5 - cast, plot, and release date: everything you need to know

John Wick has turned into a major action film sensation. Created by Derek Kolstad, the series features Keanu Reeves as an iconic hitman who is pulled back into the criminal underworld.

The franchise, which began in 2014, has produced four films and is branching out with spin-offs such as The Continental series in 2023, Ballerina in 2025, and an untitled Caine film. Together, the first four movies have earned over $1 billion globally.

What is the release date of John Wick: Chapter 5?

According to Deadline, the initial plan was to shoot John Wick: Chapter 5 consecutively with Chapter 4, but that didn't happen in the end.

Director Chad Stahelski was uncertain about Chapter 5 during Chapter 4's release, unsurprising to fans due to the conclusive ending in March 2023.

However, Lionsgate revealed in May 2023 that John Wick 5 was in early development. Former Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chairman Joe Drake stated during the Q4 meeting that the John Wick franchise intends to expand.

He mentioned that this expansion includes John Wick 5 and that fans should anticipate "a regular cadence of 'John Wick'" films in the future.

The 2023 writers' strike initially slowed progress, but writing for John Wick 5 has started, according to Drake during a November 2023 earnings call.

John Wick Chapter 5 is expected to release in 2026, although a 2027 debut is also possible.

Who will be in the cast of John Wick: Chapter 5?

The challenging question: Is Keanu Reeves coming back as John Wick?

In John Wick: Chapter 4, the film ends with John appearing to perish following a battle to escape from the High Table. He envisions encountering his deceased wife before collapsing at the Basilica of Sacré Coeur.

The movie concludes with Winston and the Bowery King paying a visit to John's grave, hinting at their potential roles in Chapter 5.

Director Chad Stahelski revealed in an interview with Empire that they filmed an alternate ending where John clearly survives, but test audiences preferred the more ambiguous conclusion.

The uncertainty led to speculation about whether Keanu Reeves would return for John Wick Chapter 5, with various theories circulating about his potential comeback.

Speculated returning characters for John Wick 5's cast may include Shamier Anderson's Mr. Nobody and Donnie Yen's Caine. Additionally, there's anticipation regarding Ana de Armas possibly reprising her role as Rooney, introduced in the 2025 film Ballerina.

What is the plot of John Wick: Chapter 5?

If John Wick is essential to John Wick 5, how might his survival be explained?

The film does not clearly depict John's death; he collapses after the duel, but the movie avoids showing his actual demise on screen, leaving it open to interpretation.

Secondly, the movie does not depict John's burial, and the scene where Winston and the Bowery King visit his grave seems to occur after the time of his presumed death, hinting that his death may have been staged.

Winston and the Bowery King possess the means and influence to assist John in staging his death, leveraging their history of support and extensive connections within the criminal underworld.

In addition to John's presumed return, a post-credits scene in Chapter 4 shows Caine, liberated from the High Table, reuniting with his daughter. However, he is confronted by Akira, who seeks vengeance for her father's death at Caine's hands.

This scene emphasizes the recurring theme of revenge in the series and suggests the possibility of a spin-off featuring Rina Sawayama's character.

With Sawayama's significant role as a powerful concierge, there's speculation that she might join forces with Ana de Armas' character to seek revenge for their fathers, potentially leading to new storylines within the John Wick universe. This post-credits scene could also lay groundwork for developments in the Caine spin-off movie.