In a recent interview with Collider, Basil Iwanyk, the producer of the John Wick film series, revealed that lead actor Keanu Reeves begged the team to let his character “die” in the fourth installment of the action franchise.
“After the third film, we felt that making another sequel was a daunting task. We were excited to work with Keanu. He was adamant, saying: ‘I can’t do it anymore’ when we finished the last shoot. We agreed with his sentiment,” Iwanyk shared.
During the filming of John Wick 4, the actor faced numerous dangerous stunts, including riding atop a moving vehicle and enduring intense fight scenes in Paris, France, all while filming various action sequences. Reeves mentioned that he was exhausted because he had been committed to the franchise for so long.
“I want my character to be killed off at the end of the film,” Keanu Reeves expressed to the director.
To “follow through” on Reeves’ wishes, the director placed John Wick in a scene in front of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, followed by a sequence featuring characters Winston and Bowery King confronting John Wick. The ending leaves audiences questioning the future of the series.
However, in a different interview, director Chad Stahelski mentioned that he had filmed an alternate ending, contrary to the ending where John Wick dies. Despite the challenges faced in the film, Keanu Reeves stated he is ready to return for another installment if Chad Stahelski continues to direct.
In an interview with Deadline, the producer disclosed that the director recently traveled to Japan to start planning for the fifth installment of the franchise, hoping to break free from the series’ typical narrative constraints.
Despite the exhausting demands of the franchise, John Wick remains a significant box office success and has elevated Keanu Reeves’ profile in Hollywood. The fourth installment of the assassin saga grossed approximately $430 million for Lionsgate, bringing the total for all four films to about $1 billion. The film also received critical acclaim, boasting a 95% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
