John Wick 4: How [SPOILER]'s Fate Can Be Reversed In The Franchise's Spin-Offs
Contains spoilers for "John Wick: Chapter 4"
As far as the events of "John Wick: Chapter 4" are concerned, Mr. Wick's (Keanu Reeves) flame has finally burned out, with the hitman being laid to rest following his duel with Caine (Donnie Yen). In Looper's exclusive interview with Chad Stahelski, the director confirmed, "This is the end we've always wanted. ... Creatively, we feel satisfied with that." Baba Yaga is no more, and there's even a headstone to prove it.
Given the clear effort to expand on the world of "John Wick" in the post-credits scene, however, that's not to say the creative forces aren't returning to it. It simply begs the question of how its main character will be involved since he's emptied his clip for the last time. The answer, it seems, is waiting to be revealed by way of an eagerly anticipated performance from Ana de Armas and her time as an up-and-coming ballerina with some serious killer moves.
Ballerina could bring back John Wick, just not in the way we hoped
With the book officially closed on "Chapter 4," what's left in this world are other stories that have either been prepped for some time or are waiting to be lit. One such entry is "Ballerina," which stars Ana de Armas as Rooney, the ballerina John sees dancing onstage in "John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum" (here played by Unity Phelan).
While we don't know how they tie into the plot of the upcoming film, currently in postproduction, both Keanu Reeves and the late Lance Reddick in one of his final on-screen appearances will be reprising their respective roles. Given that both characters are seemingly dead in the central "John Wick" storyline, this confirms that "Ballerina" is most likely set between the events of the last two films. Slotting John back in alive and kicking could also allow him to appear in other stories that have yet to be told, including the one teased in his final chapter that could see two families on the cusp of exploding.
An old friendship could bring John Wick back on-screen
Early on in "Chapter 4," it's indicated that John, Caine, and Shimazu (Hiroyuki Sanada) were all friends in a former life, which makes each of their personal goals and the losses that come from them in this film all the more heartbreaking. There's a mysterious history between the three of them that feels solid thanks to the legendary stars bringing it to life, which begs the question of how future installments could go back to those years when they, potentially, all worked together.
It's an option that wouldn't be impossible to accomplish given that a prequel spin-off of sorts is already coming to fruition with "Ballerina." Traveling back in time before the events of "John Wick: Chapter 4" with Ana de Armas' film certifies that the same could be done elsewhere, including visiting this friendship of tough guys who are forced to turn against one another.
Whether it'd be in a feature-length film with Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, and Sanada headlining or included in the spin-off that's itching to be brought to life after that post-credits sequence, it's a solid method to revive John Wick while paying respect to the Baba Yaga who has gone on to the great beyond. Either way, it's safe to say we'll be seeing Mr. Wick again soon, and we should be grateful just for that.