Keanu Reeves Returns As John Wick This Year, And It Will Be His Final Appearance If They Don’t Retcon Chapter 4’s Ending

One upcoming John Wick movie set to release in June will feature Keanu Reeves playing his titular character, but unless the franchise makes some major changes, it will be his last appearance. Since the ending of John Wick: Chapter 4 included John’s death, Keanu Reeves’ future with the franchise has been uncertain. There have long been rumors, conflicting reports, and tentative plans for John Wick 5, but a sequel starring Reeves is far from guaranteed. For example, Reeves often offers updates on John Wick 5 that are less than hopeful, and he’s made it clear that he’s content with how John’s story ended.

Unless John Wick 5 does happen – and it actually retcons the ending of John Wick 4 and John’s death – Keanu Reeves’ time with the franchise is almost over. That is, besides one upcoming John Wick movie that’s already confirmed to feature the legendary hitman. Keanu Reeves will be playing John Wick again in Ballerina, Ana de Armas’ upcoming spinoff, and it may well be the last time he ever gets to put on the suit and tie.

How Keanu Reeves Is Back As John Wick In Ballerina After The Character Died

Ballerina Takes Place Before John Wick 4, & The Titular Assassin Trains Ana de Armas’ Eve

While John did die in John Wick: Chapter 4, there’s a very simple reason he’s able to appear in Ballerina. Ballerina takes place between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick 4, in the months when John was injured and recovering with the Bowery King. As such, Ballerina is effectively a mid-quel in the John Wick timeline, and John will still be alive and (mostly) well during the film. That also means that Ballerina won’t have to either double down on or confirm John’s death, and it can instead focus more on Ana de Armas’ character, Eve.

Along with the fact that Keanu Reeves’ John Wick will be in Ballerina, we also know a few things about why he’s in the spinoff movie. Eve is a former member of the Ruska Roma crime syndicate, which John was also formerly part of, and John agrees to train her as an assassin. A trailer for Ballerina even shows that John will have an action scene, and he’ll likely provide Eve with both practical knowledge and pearls of wisdom. However, that may be all that Reeves’ John has left to do in the John Wick franchise.

Ballerina Could Be John Wick’s Final Appearance If John Wick 5 Doesn’t Happen

John Wick’s Other Upcoming Projects May Not Include Keanu Reeves

Ballerina definitely has the next appearance of Keanu Reeves as John Wick, but it may also feature his final appearance. Ballerina is only able to use John without changing John Wick 4‘s ending because it takes place between movies. Other upcoming John Wick spinoffs, however, all take place after John’s death. Unless John Wick 5 retcons John’s death, Ballerina currently looks like the last time Reeves will play the character, barring any new spinoffs. There’s also a fairly likely chance that John Wick 5 never happens at all, which would take away Reeves’ last chance to play John again.

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Keanu Reeves’ John Wick Replacement Can’t Happen Unless One Specific Condition Is Met

Ana de Armas’ Ballerina could set her up as the replacement to Keanu Reeves’ John Wick, but the movie will need to recreate one thing to do it.

Currently, John Wick‘s timeline is the biggest obstacle to Keanu Reeves’ return. There isn’t much room between John Wick 3 and John Wick 4 to fit in a new story, especially now that Ballerina is filling that gap. Likewise, Reeves likely wouldn’t come back for a live-action John Wick prequel, and if such a project ever happens, the franchise will likely recast the character. The only feasible way to bring John back is to resurrect him in John Wick 5, so if it doesn’t actually end up happening, Ballerina would be the last chance to see Reeves play the assassin.

It’s Unlikely That John Wick Will Stay Dead, Regardless Of Chapter 4’s Ending

John Wick Is Far Too Popular To Completely Rule Out Another Movie With Him

Luckily, it looks like John Wick is, in fact, planning to resurrect John. In spite of Keanu Reeves’ feelings about John’s death and his many comments saying that he doesn’t think he’ll return as a main character, John Wick is almost certainly not done with him. Reeves’ portrayal of John has been hugely popular and profitable – to the tune of over $1 billion across four movies – and the rest of the franchise is currently unproven. Ballerina may prove to be a massive hit that establishes Ana de Armas as the franchise’s new leading actor, but Keanu Reeves is already a guaranteed hit-maker.

On top of Reeves’ general success with John Wick, there’s also so many conflicting reports about John Wick 5. It seems like every week there’s a new story about how Reeves is shooting down the possibility of a sequel, only for an executive or creator to make a public statement about how John Wick 5 is still happening. Nothing’s confirmed, but one thing is for certain: viewers can never rule out another appearance from Reeves as John Wick. Plans change constantly, and as long as new movies are being made in the franchise, there’s a chance Reeves will return in one way or another.

Where Else Keanu Reeves Could Return As John Wick If Not In John Wick 5

Reeves’ John Wick Could Appear In The Upcoming Anime

Aside from Ballerina and John Wick 5, there’s only one place where Keanu Reeves could realistically play John again. The upcoming John Wick anime, which is set to depict the “impossible task” John did to get out of the assassin life in the first place, could feature Reeves in a vocal role. The John Wick anime wouldn’t be as physically demanding for Reeves, which may be enough to convince him to voice John. Reeves also has a long history with voice acting – he played Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, as well as the Lumon building in Severance – and an anime series would be right up his alley.

Unfortunately, the John Wick anime is likely the only project that’s currently in development that Keanu Reeves would return for. Other spinoffs, like Donnie Yen’s Caine movie and the Under the High Table show both take place after John Wick 4, and wouldn’t be big enough for John’s resurrection. The franchise would likely want to use Reeves in live-action for John Wick 5 before any other spinoff movie got him, so animation may be the only hope of seeing him play John again in the future. In other words, after Ballerina, Keanu Reeves’ future with John Wick is far from certain.

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  John Wick

  “John Wick” is a neo-noir action-thriller franchise centered around a retired hitman who returns to the criminal underworld to seek vengeance. Known for its intense and stylistic action sequences, the franchise has redefined modern action cinema with its choreographed gunfights, hand-to-hand combat, and intricate world-building. The series explores themes of loyalty, honor, and survival in a secret society of assassins.

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  Ballerina

  
  

  Release Date

  June 6, 2025
  

  Director

  Len Wiseman

  Writers

  Shay Hatten, Derek Kolstad