Latest news with #JohnWick5
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ballerina's Disappointing Box Office Return Has Me Worried About The Future Of The Franchise That I Love
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. I'm a huge fan of the John Wick franchise, and while I was a little frustrated with the timeline issues in Ballerina, I thought it was a solid, though not spectacular, movie. However, the spinoff's disappointing box office has me concerned that the franchise can only succeed if Keanu Reeves is the star, and I hope that's not the case. Ana de Armas certainly has the star power to carry a movie, and the rest of the Ballerina cast, including Gabriel Byrne, Norman Reedus, Anjelica Houston, Ian McShane, and the late Lance Reddick, bring plenty of glitz and glamour to the film as well. Then, of course, there is the star of the franchise, Keanu Reeves. Reeves was originally only announced as a cameo in Ballerina, but he ended up with a bigger role. That star power didn't translate to box office power, though. According to the latest numbers from Box Office Mojo, Ballerina has brought in just under $92 million worldwide. That is on a reported budget of $90 million. There is still time for the movie to make a little more money in theaters, but I think it's safe to say that wherever the final numbers land, it will be underwhelming. That has me worried about the future of the franchise, especially in projects that don't include Reeves, like the planned spinoff starring Donnie Yen as his character, Caine. Director Chad Stahelski and writer Derek Kolstad (along with writer Shay Hatten) have created an incredible world in the John Wick movies. They've managed to do the seemingly impossible these days in Hollywood: build a new franchise without relying on existing I.P. The four films have all been successful with fans and critics alike, and while Ballerina has been generally praised by reviewers and audiences who have seen it, it seems not enough people are excited to see a movie that isn't focused on John Wick himself. This leads to the natural question: as popular as the character is, and as great as all the movies have been, including Ballerina, can this franchise succeed without the titular character? It's a question I can't answer yet, but if it's going to, the box office returns will have to be better. John Wick 5 is on the way, and it's a safe bet that it will be massively popular, just as the first four have been. Reeves and Stahelski will be back, and it's hard to imagine it won't be as good – and as successful – as the first four. Stahlelski is also excited about the Caine spinoff, which won't feature Reeves. On the flip side, however, is the undercurrent of both Ballerina's less-than-stellar box office numbers and the spinoff prequel show, The Continental, that didn't set the world on fire, either. The show, starring Mel Gibson and Colin Woodell, which you can stream on Peacock, got mixed reviews, and while it continued to build the world, it didn't bring a whole lot more to the table. So, that leaves us where we are today. We know the future of the John Wick franchise is bright when Reeves' now-iconic character is the focus, but it has me wondering if it can be without him. I sure hope so, because I really want more of the this world in my life.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New ‘John Wick 5' Update Reveals Keanu Reeves Isn't Onboard With a Prequel
While the ending of John Wick 4 left the obvious impression that we had seen the last of Keanu Reeves in his popular role, fans were given a Christmas present in early April. At CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas, Adam Fogelson, the chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, revealed that Reeves and director Chad Stahelski were working on John Wick 5. The news came a bit out of left field, but the initial belief was that it'd happen after spinoffs such as the recently released Ballerina and upcoming film Caine. Regardless, given how John Wick 4 ended, it was bound to be a tall task for Stahelski and Reeves to finalize a game plan quickly. That's proven to be the case, and since the announcement, the comments from Stahelski about the fifth movie in the series have been candid, but they have also led to some concern for fans. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, a question was posed to Stahelski, citing the director's plan not to renege on the ending of the fourth film, meaning John Wick will still be dead, and whether it's "evolved." Stahelski first discussed the writing, but mentioned that "it's a matter of whether we crack [the story]." "I'm not going to lie to you, it's a bit of a conundrum. Me and Mike Finch — the writer on 4 who's also writing 5 — we've got a pretty good story that I think is cool," Stahelski said. "Once we have a 50-page book, and if we're feeling it, we'll sit with Keanu and shape this thing. Look, everybody seems to want it. It's a matter of whether we crack it. We're actively working on it. It's just … is it going to be satisfying?"Along with a mildly worrisome comment about "cracking" the story, the director also tossed out the hypothetical that they "go down the road of John Wick 5" but "decide this isn't right." "If we go down the road of John Wick 5 and build this story and decide this isn't right, there are probably going to be 10 other things we'll discover that we'll use for other things," he said. "It's a great creative exercise. It's being in the room riffing with people we love. That's nothing but wins." The general approach leaves the feeling that there's plenty of uncertainty around John Wick 5, at least from Stahelski and possibly Reeves. He ultimately told The Hollywood Reporter that "the studio would very much will [the movie] into existence" at some point, and that "we're going to try" while citing that they do have a couple of really good ideas already. So by this point, fans are likely thinking about what you may consider the obvious route for the fifth installment of the John Wick series—a prequel. To the credit of THR, the question about a possible prequel was posed to Stahelski, but was promptly turned back. Stahelski revealed that Reeves isn't interested in a John Wick prequel, and that he's in the same boat. "Keanu and I are not interested in going backwards," Stahelski said of a possible John Wick prequel. With Reeves and Stahelski both out on the idea of a prequel, and the latter planning to stick with the storyline that leaves John Wick dead, the director needs to formulate a highly unique approach for a fifth film. It's easy to understand why Stahelski is approaching John Wick 5 in the fashion he is. Fortunately, it doesn't appear there's a reason to sound the alarm at this point, but we also shouldn't expect significant news about the fifth movie anytime in the immediate 'John Wick 5' Update Reveals Keanu Reeves Isn't Onboard With a Prequel first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 11, 2025
Gizmodo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘The Last of Us' Season 3 Will Have an Unsurprising Focus
Plus, a bunch of familiar faces join Mike Flanagan's 'Carrie' TV show. The cast and crew of Jurassic World Rebirth tease what's to come in a new featurette. Chad Stahleski talks wanting to raise the bar for John Wick 5. Plus, what's coming on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Spoilers now! The DCU During a recent interview with Screen Rant, Zoe Saldana confirmed she has not spoken to James Gunn about what character he has in mind for her to play in his DCU. No, but I can't wait for Superman. I think we're all sort of anticipating. He's so talented and I'm pretty sure that he's going to bring a lot of heart, but also a lot of humor and levity to this beautiful legacy of a story. Jurassic World Rebirth The cast and crew of Jurassic World Rebirth discuss the plot in a new behind-the-scenes featurette. John Wick 5 In conversation with THR, Chad Stahleski confirmed John Wick 5 'will move the bar to something we haven't done before' even as Keanu Reeves enters his 60's. For the first John Wick, Keanu had a really bad knee injury and he couldn't punch and kick. So we came up with the Jiujitsu and gun-fu. We're not going to lower the bar [for John Wick 5]. We're just going to move the bar to something we haven't done before. Abraham's Boys: A Dracula Story Abraham Van Helsing's two sons, Max and Rudy, take up the family business in the trailer for Abraham's Boys: A Dracula Story starring Titus Welliver, Jocelin Donahue, Aurora Perrineau, Judah Mackey, and Brady Hepner. MORGAN: Killer Doll Meanwhile, M3GAN gets its own mockbuster from The Asylum with the trailer for MORGAN: Killer Doll. The Last of Us The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckman confirmed the show's third season will largely focus on Kaitlyn Dever's Abby in at a recent FYC event for The Last of Us season 2 (via THR). I think it was good to go on that journey to end up at HBO, end up at a place that leaned into those controversial decisions, I guess […] But the decisions are just what the story required, and even now, it's like I can't believe that they let us structure the series in this way. Meaning like we just ended season two, and season three is going to be starring — spoiler alert — Kaitlyn. Carrie Deadline reports that a whole host of stars, including–deep breath–Katee Sackhoff, Rahul Kohli, Michael Trucco, Crystal Balint, Danielle Klaudt, Heather Graham, Tim Bagley, Tahmoh Penikett, Mapuana Makia, Rowan Danielle, Naika Toussaint, Delainey Hayles, and Cassandra Naud have joined the cast of Mike Flanagan's Carrie in undisclosed roles. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Spoiler TV has several new images from the third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Click through to have a look. The Institute Finally, MGM+ has released a trailer for its new Stephen King series, The Institute, starring Mary-Louise Parker, Ben Barnes, Joe Freeman, Simone Miller, Fionn Laird, Hannah Galway, Julian Richings, Robert Joy, and Martin Roach star.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Will Ana de Armas' Ballerina get a sequel? Here's what we know about the future of John Wick spinoff so far
Ana de Armas stunned audiences with her fierce performance in Ballerina, the latest addition to the John Wick universe. The film, which premiered on June 6, 2025, follows Rooney, a young ballerina trained as an assassin, as she hunts down the people responsible for her family's murder. Set between John Wick: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, the movie combines elegant choreography with brutal action and emotional depth, and fans are already wondering if there's more to come. The director definitely left the door open Director Len Wiseman has hinted that this might not be the last we see of Ana's Rooney. While speaking about the casting of Norman Reedus as the mysterious Daniel Pine in the new film, he shared that Pine's role was designed with future stories in mind. He admitted that although the main focus was on this film, the characters were created to have paths that could continue. "I cast Norman Reedus because I have plans for him," Wiseman told Entertainment Weekly. "And I would love to see him come back in a way that he's now kind of indebted to her." The producers are already thinking ahead Even before the film's release, producer Erica Lee spoke about the potential for more. Back in 2023, she said they had already started discussing a follow-up and that Ana de Armas was expected to return. She called the early plans "hopeful" and hinted that Ballerina could become a key part of a larger universe that ties in with John Wick 5. Ballerina's ties to the John Wick world Ballerina is not just a side story. It takes place between John Wick: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 and features several familiar faces, including Keanu Reeves as Wick himself, Anjelica Huston, Lance Reddick, and Ian McShane. This direct connection to the main timeline makes the spinoff feel like part of something much bigger, not just a one-time detour. So, is Ballerina 2 happening? There's no official confirmation yet, but all signs point to yes. With the cast and crew already talking about continuing the story and the way the film fits into the larger John Wick world, it feels like Ballerina was built to be the start of something more. Fans will just have to stay tuned. But if the excitement around the film is any clue, Rooney's story probably isn't over just yet.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Does 'John Wick 5' Come Next After 'Ballerina'?
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." THE franchise is going strong. Now spanning five movies and a TV series (and counting), it's clear that this is not only a violent, unique, and action-packed world, but one with just about endless possibilities. In fact, the latest film, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (or, as we'll refer to it to avoid that clunky title, Ballerina) is proof that the franchise can explore new ground and succeed even without the titular Mr. Wick himself. Sure, Keanu Reeves is in the movie, but the main character is Ana de Armas's Eve—and watching her kick ass in a Wick-esque manner should fill any Keanu-size holes in your heart in the meantime. It's clear that the Wick franchise will continue from here—it's just unknown in what direction. This is a series and brand that's now been making Lionsgate lots of money for over a decade, and with multiple recognizable stars in the fold, there are a bunch of ways things could go. For example, we know that we could do another John Wick movie, and now it seems more than possible that we could do another Ballerina movie. But there's also a spinoff film coming on the John Wick: Chapter 4 character Caine, played by Donnie Yen, which will also star Rina Sawayama's Akira (Yen will also direct). We've already gone down the road of a prequel; the little-watched limited series The Continental focused on the exploits of a younger Winston (Ian McShane). So that's probably not a road that will particularly be gone down, though Wick director Chad Stahelski and McShane don't think particularly highly of it. So maybe don't rule out some kind of re-do. Again: the possibilities do feel kind of endless. But we know the primary question that everyone is going to be asking after Ballerina—will we be getting John Wick 5? And at this time we do seem to have a pretty definitive answer. From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. It picks up the character of "The Director," played by Angelica Huston, who was introduced in Chapter 3, and, perhaps most notably, includes Keanu Reeves as played by John Wick. This is the key part of the equation, considering John Wick dies at the end of Chapter 4. That would seem to signify a closed book, right? But as we've established, the possibilities in this world are pretty endless. Most likely. Despite the titular character's death at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, Lionsgate officially announced that John Wick 5 was in the works at this year's CinemaCon back in April. That being said, director Chad Stahelski is still a little apprehensive that the film will actually get made—because he wants to make sure it's as good as it can possibly be. "Look, everybody seems to want it," he said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "It's a matter of whether we crack it. We're actively working on it. It's just … is it going to be satisfying?" Throughout the conversation Stahelski repeatedly suggested that while they're early in the process on John Wick 5, it's still just that—early in the process. And that he hasn't even officially brought the idea to Reeves yet. Stahelski is meticulous, and holds himself to a high standard. And so he doesn't want to proceed with something until it's actually ready to proceed. "If we go down the road of John Wick 5 and build this story and decide this isn't right, there are probably going to be 10 other things we'll discover that we'll use for other things," he says. Which implies it still could not happen. But, he says, sooner or later, it probably will. "The studio would very much will it into existence, I'm sure, at some point," he says. "Look, they've been great and they've asked us to really try and we have a really good couple of ideas and we're going to try." But still, they are very early on. And it seems like for now the Caine spinoff, which has Donnie Yen attached to star and direct, Rina Sawayama attached to reprise her Akira character, and Mattson Tomlin attached to write, is much further along in production, and will certainly come first. Now that much truly remains to be seen. But it would feel like kind of a missed opportunity if it didn't, right? Keanu Reeves and Ana de Armas are both bona fide movie stars, and scenes between the two of them are action magic. Let's say Wick 5 opens up with John Wick fighting his way up from hell. Might be a little tricky for him to meet up with Eve down there, but once he gets back to the surface, it feels like a pretty good bet that we'll see these two together (and with guns at each other's throats) again. Shop Now Shop Now You Might Also Like The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein
