- Chad Stahelski confirms that a John Wick TV series is still in development
- Keanu Reeves’ character holds significant importance to the franchise, comparable to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars
- Spin-offs such as The Ballerina and the TV series may not fare as well without Reeves’ involvement
Despite the Baba Yaga being killed off, the John Wick series continues to expand. With Peacock’s prequel event, The Continental, and the upcoming feature film spin-off, The Ballerina, hitting theaters in 2024, the action-packed universe is far from over. Moreover, Chad Stahelski, the mastermind behind the existing movies, ensures fans that a John Wick television series remains in development. In an exclusive interview with Collider, Stahelski expressed his enthusiasm for the future of the franchise and the ideas behind it.
Stahelski stated that he would love to direct some episodes of the John Wick TV series, as it would present a fun challenge and opportunity to explore different story structures without John Wick at the center. Although it makes sense to capitalize on the success of the franchise, with John Wick: Chapter 4 becoming the highest grossing installment at $440.1 million worldwide, the absence of Keanu Reeves’ character may prove problematic. The Continental, the first spin-off in the John Wick universe, did not impress fans or critics as much as the movies featuring Reeves, as evidenced by its Rotten Tomatoes’ scores (63% Tomatometer, 79% audience score).
Reeves’ character is crucial to the John Wick franchise, akin to Luke Skywalker’s importance in the Star Wars saga. Although spin-offs like The Mandalorian have been successful on their own, the reintroduction of Mark Hamill’s CGI-faced Jedi had fans in tears. As such, while The Ballerina and the upcoming John Wick TV series might find some level of success, they are unlikely to reach their full potential without the involvement of Keanu Reeves portraying the saga’s most popular character.