Summary
Keanu Reeves will executive produce a High Table TV show set after the events ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4, and this is not theJohn Wick 5update I was expecting. WhileJohn Wick 5is confirmed, the status of the project remains unclear. On November 2023, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president Joe Drake confirmed that a fifth movie was being written before the strikes and that the studio would continue to focus on the theatrical side of the franchise in addition to TV spinoffs likeThe Continental: From The World Of John Wick.
Now,Deadlinereports thatChad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves are teaming up again to produceJohn Wick: Under The High Table, a present-day series that will continue to expand the charming underworld of assassins introduced in the 2014 film.Under The High Tablewill be the secondJohn Wickspinoff show, the first being 2023’sThe Continental. While John Wick is dead as far as we know it, the franchise will soon return to the big screen withBallerinastarring Ana de Armas, which will be set beforeChapter 4and will see Reeves reprise his role as Wick.
John Wick Full Timeline Explained: When Each Movie & Spinoff Takes Place
The John Wick films and spinoffs have been released over a span of ten years. The In-universe storyline has a surprisingly shorter timeline.
Under The High Tables Picks Up After John Wick’s Death
The status ofJohn Wick 5may be confusing, butJohn Wick: Chapter 4is getting a sequel in the form ofUnder The High Table.The show, which is written by Robert Levine, will take place after the events ofChapter 4. The first official description of the project mentions new characters that will try to make a name for themselves now that Wick’s latest confrontation with the High Table has left this world in chaos.Deadlinealso reports that established characters from the movies will be involved in the story as they try to maintain their power and influence.
John Wick: Under The High Table
TBD
John Wick: Chapter 4’s endingfelt very definitive and self-contained, which is why whether a fifth movie should happen has been such a divisive topic for over a year now. As much as I adore Keanu Reeves’ John Wick, I’m not sure if the character’s death should be retconned for a fifth movie. Regardless,the world ofJohn Wickis fascinating and goes beyond Reeves’ character.Part of the reason why theJohn Wickmovies have worked so well is that they keep adding new characters and pieces of lore that keep the franchise fresh. This includes the High Table.
Will Keanu Reeves Return As John Wick In Under The High Table?
Reeves Is Executive Producing The Show
So far,Keanu Reeves is only an executive producer inJohn Wick: Under The High Table.In other words, Wick is not confirmed to appear in the upcoming show. Still, there will surely be a lot of speculation regarding Wick’s role in the future of the franchise. As a prequel,The Continentaldid not have to worry about addressingJohn Wick’s death.Under The High Table, however, will be directly informed by howChapter 4ended. It is also unclear whether Reeves will return forJohn Wick 5, assuming it will be an actual sequel toChapter 4.
Chad Stahelski will direct the pilot for Under The High Table.
Even if Keanu Reeves does not star in the High Table show, it is clear that John Wick’s death will be addressed in the series. John’s demise came after he challenged the High Table and won, meaning that his ultimate retirement changed the game forever.The deaths of The Marquis and Wick may have created a power vacuumthat caused a lot of turmoil and set the events of the spinoff show in motion. I would love to see the impact of Wick’s actions from the perspective of other characters in that world.
The High Table Could Bridge The Gap Between Chapter 4 & John Wick 5
John Wick’s Story Is Continuing Regardless Of Wick’s Fate
IfJohn Wick 5moves forward, the High Table show can bridge the gap betweenChapter 4and the fifth movie. Likewise, if Reeves does return in the next film, it makes sense to have a different story set shortly afterChapter 4in which the impact of Wick’s death can be explored.John Wick may be too big of a character to be left dead for too long, which does not mean that his ultimate confrontational against the High Table inChapter 4has to be pointless.
Under The High Tablecould also set up some clues regarding how John Wick can return inChapter 5.
John Wick: Under The High Tableis expected to have stronger connections to the movies compared toThe Continental, namely because the upcoming show is a sequel rather than a prequel.Under The High Tablecould also set up some clues regarding how John Wick can return inChapter 5. While I’m still curious to see whatJohn Wick 5will look like, the new series sounds like a promising addition to the world ofJohn Wick.
John Wick: Chapter 4
Cast
Following the events of Chapter 3 - Parabellum, John Wick Chapter 4 will see the titular character battle against some of his most dangerous foes yet. With a bounty on his head that continues to skyrocket, John decides to take the fight to the High Table on a global scale and battles across areas like Osaka and Paris to wipe out some of the strongest players in the underworld.
