The end of John Wick: Chapter 4 sees the franchise’s main character succumb to his wounds, and though the next movie will have to figure out how to bring John back, their bigger problem is what they will do after that. John Wick is a neo-noir action franchise that first began in 2014, and has since spawned three sequel films, with more on the way. Starring Keanu Reeves, John Wick is a beloved franchise that has cemented itself among the greats, however, the latest movie’s ending could be a major roadblock for the franchise’s future.
Released in 2023, John Wick: Chapter 4 follows Wick as he takes his fight against the High Table to a global scale, searching for the most powerful criminals around the world. The film’s final battle includes John taking on the High Table’s The Marquis in a duel, that proves to be bloody even before their guns are drawn. At the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, John successfully kills The Marquis, but ultimately dies afterward. It isn’t uncommon for action heroes to die before their story is complete, so the real question that remains is this: how will John Wick continue after his resurrection?
If Keanu Returns, Future John Wick Movies Can’t Kill John Again
Though it isn’t confirmed that John Wick will bring its beloved protagonist back to life, if they do, there will be stipulations. First and foremost, if the franchise kills then revives John Wick, that means that they can never try to kill him again. This is because audiences will no longer trust that a death is truly a death. If John can be resurrected once, why couldn’t he be resurrected every time? Even if the franchise does kill John Wick for good in a later movie, it would feel unsatisfying to an audience that has already seen him “die” once before.
Along with the fact that a second John Wick death would be unbelievable, it would also be boring. Killing a character is quite an extreme, and now that John Wick has gone there once, it would be repetitive to try and go there again. No matter how much the film tries to switch things up, ultimately, the end result would be the same. John Wick’s death was sad in John Wick: Chapter 4, and it is almost a guarantee that if it were to happen again, it would be much less sad, and would automatically make audiences think he was coming back again like the first time.
Would John Wick Surviving Work As A Franchise Ending?
Now that John Wick has essentially played its single “kill John Wick” card, this raises questions about how the franchise will end. Typically, an action franchise can end with a bang if it kills off its main character, and more often than not, these deaths will be followed by resurrections that are hinted at in end credits scenes or final shots. John Wick obviously can’t end the franchise like this because they will have already done it before. So, how can the John Wick franchise end without killing or resurrecting John Wick?
Ending the franchise with John living isn’t the worst thing in the world. It certainly isn’t as dramatic as death, but it would likely make for a happier ending that could satisfy audiences in a variety of ways. If John succeeds in taking down the High Table, and then lives to see another day, that would certainly call for celebration. Furthermore, if John is able to return to a life of normalcy, that could be a pleasant ending as well. Really, the best thing the franchise can do if John survives is giving him exactly what he wants. Therefore, John and the audience will be satisfied.
The John Wick Movies May Have Killed John Off Too Early
Ultimately, John Wick may have killed off John too early. The franchise creator, Chad Stahelski reportedly has ideas for the franchise up until John Wick 9, and if this becomes a reality, then John’s death will definitely feel premature in the grand scheme of things. The main concern is that the franchise won’t be able to top killing off the main character. And as previously mentioned, once a franchise uses the death card, they really shouldn’t use it again. Therefore, John’s death in John Wick: Chapter 4 leaves many questions as to where the John Wick franchise is headed, and whether it will be any good.
