The John Wick franchise has another spinoff movie in development, and it is a good sign that Keanu Reeves’ character will remain dead. All signs pointed to John Wick: Chapter 4‘s ending being the end of Reeves’ time playing the deadly assassin due to the seemingly definitive way that he died. However, that did not stop constant speculation that future installments will revive the character. The various updates that John Wick 5 is in development only made it become more likely that the franchise will reveal that John Wick is not dead.

There is now a world where John Wick can continue without bringing Keanu Reeves’ character back from the dead. It has been confirmed that Donnie Yen will return as Caine for a new spinoff movie. This comes after his scene-stealing debut and John Wick 4‘s post-credits scene setting up more of his story that needs to be told. The development of another spinoff movie does prevent John Wick 5 with Keanu Reeves from happening. But announcing a Caine spinoff is a good sign that John Wick’s death will not be reversed.

Caine’s Spinoff Movie Can Move The Franchise Beyond John Wick’s Death

It Should Take Place After John Wick: Chapter 4

Story details for Caine’s John Wick spinoff are not yet confirmed, but there is every expectation that it will take place after John Wick 4. The movie directly teased how the franchise could revisit Donnie Yen’s character by setting up a conflict with Rina Sawayama’s Akira. The post-credits scene showed Akira approaching Caine as she held a knife. She is ready to get her revenge on the man responsible for killing her father, and Caine’s spinoff telling that story would mean taking the John Wick timeline beyond the point when John Wick died.

If the franchise is going to expand, there must be the freedom to move past John Wick’s death. This movie should build directly on the events of John Wick 4 and explore the assassin underworld at a time when John Wick is now dead. It would be cheap for future installments to then reveal that John was still alive during the events of this spinoff and did not get involved. Caine’s spinoff is better off taking place in a world where Keanu Reeves’ character is definitively gone and not secretly lurking in the shadows.

Keanu Reeves Could Still Be In Caine’s Movie Even If John Wick Stays Dead

Caine & John Wick Have A Past

The temptation to include Keanu Reeves in the Caine spinoff is likely to be strong, and the franchise is in luck there. Thanks to John Wick 4 establishing that Caine and John know each other from the past, there is the option to include flashback scenes that explore this portion of their lives. This would be the simplest way to have Keanu appear in the spinoff without worrying about retconning John’s death.

Considering it is already confirmed that Keanu Reeves will appear in Ballerina, the John Wick franchise does not need to shy away from including its star in another spinoff appearance. Caine’s movie could benefit in many ways from having Keanu make a cameo, but it would still be a mistake for it to reverse John’s death. Ballerina will already establish the precedence of the John Wick movies exploring more of John’s life before John Wick: Chapter 4, so it only makes sense that Caine’s spinoff could do the same.