Why A Reside-Motion John Wick Prequel Film Will not Occur, In accordance To Chad Stahelski

Chad Stahelski explains why he has little interest in doing a live-action John Wick prequel film, and says Keanu Reeves agrees with him. Reeves certainly appeared prepared for a break from the pains of taking pictures and stuntwork after Baba Yaga was apparently killed within the closing moments of John Wick: Chapter 4. However the Wick franchise is proving as unrelenting as its namesake character. All indications are that John Wick 5 is coming, and Reeves will likely be again. Within the meantime, followers can get pleasure from spinoff Ballerina, at the moment in theaters, whereas additionally wanting ahead to a recently-announced anime prequel.

Cool as an anime-style John Wick film is prone to be, questions proceed to come up a few attainable live-action movie in the identical prequel vein, however director Stahelski is fast to shoot down such hypothesis, explaining not too long ago why a non-animated John Wick origin story is not one thing he or Reeves are taken with (through THR):

“Keanu and I should not taken with going backwards. With the anime, you don’t must de-age, you don’t have clarify bizarre stuff, you don’t have so as to add a backstory. You settle for anime in its personal language with out explanations. Anime simply goes pop.”

What This Means For The John Wick Universe

There’s Already Been A Prequel, And It Wasn’t Good

Spinning off from John Wick by going into the previous has, in fact, already been tried. In 2023, Peacock streamed The Continental, a prequel sequence centered on John Wick’s someday ally, someday adversary Winston, and the goings-on on the titular Continental Lodge. Critics have been largely underwhelmed by the sequence, with ScreenRant mentioning how the present “struggles to duplicate the attraction of the John Wick films.”

Doing a John Wick prequel with out John Wick proved a foul concept. The franchise will now strive doing such a prequel with John Wick, however with out Reeves, besides in a vocal efficiency. Introduced at April’s Lionsgate CinemaCon presentation, this anime-style Wick venture will delve into John’s Unattainable Activity, a mission given to him previous to the occasions of the primary movie, the profitable completion of which allowed Wick to retire from the murderer recreation (although that retirement wouldn’t show as everlasting as he hoped).

Our Take On No John Wick Reside-Motion Prequel Being In The Playing cards

It is Most likely The Proper Name

Point out of the Unattainable Activity and all of the superior motion implied by that phrase “inconceivable” assured John Wick followers would yearn to see what really went down. However Stahelski and Reeves seemingly suppose depicting the Unattainable Activity in live-action can be, itself, an inconceivable job. By making the movie as an anime, they’re freed as much as render John’s most insane mission as bloody and brutal as attainable, with out being hampered by all the opposite stuff that goes into doing a live-action film set within the universe’s previous.

It’s most likely simply as nicely that the John Wick universe will proceed constructing itself out through spinoffs, and sequels that proceed on from John Wick 4, slightly than delving into the previous besides in animated kind. The Continental appeared to show that the bigger world of John Wick is just not a very intriguing place, although it arguably might be made intriguing by somebody with a very good prequel concept.

Early field workplace returns for the primary large John Wick theatrical spinoff, Ballerina, could counsel that there isn’t a lot starvation for extra films set in that universe, be they prequels, sequels, spinoffs or no matter else. This might result in reexamination of the Wick franchise’s viability, and the brakes being tapped on no matter long-term plans Stahelski, Reeves and firm could have in place.

Supply: THR