John Wick: Chapter 4Ending, Explained: Is Keanu Reeves’ Character Really Dead?

Mar. 15, 2025

Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.Photo:Lionsgate

Lionsgate

John Wick will be back… or will he?

“We had a different ending,” franchise directorChad StahelskitoldEmpire.“[The theatrical ending] was the ending Keanu and I wanted, but we shot a different ending. We shot an ending where you actually saw John Wick at the end of the movie. So it was very clear that he was still alive. The audiences we tested with absolutely preferred the ambiguous ending.”

Although Reeves and Stahelski initially planned to give Wick “a rest,” the former later revealed that they were more open to continuing the franchise — which had its greatest box office success yet withJohn Wick: Chapter 4— as long as they can come up with a worthy idea.

“Yeah, Keanu and I have talked,” Stahelski said onHappy Sad Confused. “Keanu, if you ask him right now, ‘Would you do John Wick 5?’ He’d be, ‘F— yeah!’ But then he’d look and go, ‘Well, what is it? I have no f—— idea.’ ”

Here’s everything to know about the ending ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4and whether or not the titular character is really dead.

How didJohn Wick: Chapter 4end?

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.Lionsgate

After Wick fought against an increasingly priced open bounty on his head sinceJohn Wick: Chapter 2, he knew he needed a way out from a life indebted to the High Table — an international assassin’s guild.

Winston Scott (Ian McShane), the manager of the Continental Hotel — a safe haven for those in the assassin-based underworld — informed Wick that he could challenge a high-ranking member of the High Table called the Marquis de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård) to a duel for Wick to finally secure his freedom.

Despite Wick lying on the ground incredibly injured, it is revealed he saved his third bullet to kill the Marquis de Gramont, which freed him and Caine of their debts to the High Table.

John Wick: Chapter 4seemingly ended with Wick’s death, even showing his gravesite, with the words “loving husband,” which he requested be put on his gravestone earlier in the film.

Winston also smirked as he said, “Farewell, my son,” while touching the gravestone, and Wick’s dog turned back as though looking at something while departing the grave.

“Yes, that is a very deliberate shot with the dog. That’s meant, in my little mind, to [mess] with you a little bit, because ambiguity, like is he still [alive] or not?” Stahelski told Comic Book Movie. “It’s a story about fate and consequence.”

What happened to John Wick and what does this mean for him?

Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.Lionsgate

Wick appeared to die at the end ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4. However, there is no burial and his on-screen “death” shows him keeling over from afar.

SinceJohn Wickfinally earned freedom from his life as an assassin working for the High Table, the idea of him faking his own death to live a quiet life in peace seems to make sense. In fact, Reeves said that he hopes the character finds peace, though he can’t rule out a return as Wick.

“I don’t know, I guess I’m going to have to lean onnever say never,” Reeves toldEntertainment Weekly. “I mean, I wouldn’t do aJohn Wickfilm without Chad Stahelski. We’d have to see what that looked like. For me, it feels really right that John Wick finds peace.”

Wick is now free from being an assassin working under the High Table, but a constant theme in theJohn Wickfilms is consequences. With all the enemies Wick has made, if he did live, he may have to face the repercussions of his actions to truly experience tranquility.

Will there be aJohn Wick 5?

Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.Murray Close/Lionsgate

Murray Close/Lionsgate

Despite what looked like John Wick’s death,John Wick 5appears to be happening. In 2023, Lionsgate announced thatJohn Wick 5was in the early stages, among other franchise projects.

“What is official is that, as you know,Ballerinais the first spinoff that comes out next year. We’re in development on three others, including [John Wick 5]and including television series,The Continental,” former Lionsgate chair Joe Drake said, perThe Hollywood Reporter.

He continued, “So, we’re building out the world and when that [fifth] movie comes, [it] will be organic — will be organically grown out of how we’re starting to tell those stories. But you can rely on a regular cadence of John Wick.”

While it appears fans will have to wait forJohn Wick 5, there will be plenty ofJohn Wickmaterial to hold fans over.Ballerinawill starAna De Armasas a ballerina assassin similar to John Wick, elaborating on the Ballerinas introduced inJohn Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum.

The film will be set between the events ofJohn Wick: Chapter 3 — ParabellumandJohn Wick: Chapter 4,with Reeves’ Wick returning as a supporting character. This may be the last viewers see of Wick as they know him because franchise producerBasil IwanyktoldScreenRantthat the next film will be set a long time after the end ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4.

“If there is anotherJohn Wickmovie, which I do believe there will be … I do feel like it will be a completely other book,” he said. “If these movies were four chapters, you kind of blame it on the metaphor. The nextJohn Wickwill be another book. It won’t be like six months later fromJohn Wick: Chapter 4.

What implications doesJohn Wick: Chapter 4’spost-credits scene with Cainehave for the franchise?

Donnie Yen as Caine in a ‘John Wick’ movie.Lionsgate

In May 2024, it was announced that the blind assassin Caine will have his own spinoff. Like his friend Wick, Caine got out of the assassin life under the High Table before being pulled back in.

While Wick was trying to seek refuge in the Osaka Continental Hotel, Caine had promised the High Table that he would hunt Wick down, killing Koji with a samurai sword in the process. Akira swore to avenge her father’s death, and Caine will likely have to deal with this in his spinoff film, set for a 2025 release.

“While the logline is being kept under wraps, the new film will continue Yen’s story arc following the events ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4, as Caine has been freed from his obligations to the High Table,” Adam Fogelson, Chair ofLionsgatesaid in an official statement.

source: people.com