SPOILERS for John Wick: Chapter 3
John Wick: Chapter 4 gets a May 2021 release date. From its humble beginnings as a throwback revenge action flick, the Wick franchise has become one of the premier series in its genre over the last five years. Audiences were drawn to not just the state-of-the-art set pieces and star Keanu Reeves' supreme commitment to his role, but also the intricate world-building and mythology that's almost comic book like in its execution and set it apart from its competitors. Because of all these factors, the property has only grown since its inception.Case in point: the recently released Chapter 3 - Parabellum scored the franchise's all-time best box office opening weekend, scoring $56.8 million domestically and ending Avengers: Endgame's three-week reign at the top of the charts. And though the sequel was initially positioned as a possible conclusion to the series, it's clear director Chad Stahelski and Reeves aren't ready to say goodbye to the Baba Yaga yet. And now, audiences know when John Wick will return.
Today, it was announced via the John Wick 3 viral text messaging service that Chapter 4 will hit theaters on May 21, 2021.
Anyone who's seen Parabellum knows there's very clear set up for a fourth movie, where John Wick and the Bowery King form an alliance to wage war against the High Table and the New York Continental. Both were extremely angry about previous transgressions made against them, and they're going to be out for blood. It goes without saying this should be the primary conflict of Chapter 4, delivering on the meaning of the third film's subtitle. In particular, John should be gunning for Winston, who betrayed the Baba Yaga in order to keep control of his beloved Continental Hotel. Surely, Winston knows what he'll be going against, so it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out. If John was able to survive everything thrown at him in Chapter 3 (including, somehow, his fall off the Continental building), there's no telling what he'll be going up against now.
Audiences are definitely invested in the continuation of the John Wick saga (each movie has earned more at the box office than its predecessor), but it's worth wondering if Chapter 4 will be the end of the line. While Parabellumreceived strong reviews that praised its incredible action and Reeves' performance, some felt the story got lost in the further expansion of the lore and others thought the nonstop carnage (however beautifully choreographed and filmed) got a little repetitive. There seems to be only so much more the creative team can do in this universe, especially after pitting John against the High Table and the Continental. Regardless of what transpires, hopefully Reeves gets his wish and John can ride happily off into the sunset with his dog.
Source: Lionsgate
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