Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski Break Down the Shocking Ending of JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
So now that a lot of you were able to see John Wick: Chapter 4 over the weekend, let’s talk about that shocking ending! If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you might want to skip this until you have. This article contains an interview with Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski and in it, they discuss the surprise ending and why they chose to end it this way.
If you’re still here, let’s just jump right into it… John Wick dies!? What the hell!? Yeah, I was pretty upset about it, but it was such a beautifully badass film! I just didn’t want to see Wick die. In fact, when I first saw it, I thought that maybe Wick’s death was faked so that he could find some peace, but maybe the only way Wick could find any real peace is through death.
It’s really hard to imagine Wick being dead, in fact, I’m still in denial. At the end of the film, Wick sacrifices his life in a duel with his old friend Caine (Donnie Yen), ensuring Caine wins his freedom and his daughter Akira's safety, while also technically winning the duel himself by killing the Marquis. Wick winning also means that Winston gets his hotel back and Wick is free of the High Table.
Wick dies from the wounds he sustained during the duel and is buried next to his wife. His last word is his wife's name… Helen.
When talking about why they chose to end the movie this way, Reeves explained:
"We had the opportunity [to do another film] because the audience [response to] Chapter Three, and we were like, 'What was the why?'And when Chad and I was talking, the Why? was death – and it was John Wick's death. For him to get his peace, or freedom, in a way… that was the reason to make the movie. It can't just be, 'Let's do another one.' It was really about death, or a way of dying. We were really inspired by the Hagakure…"
Stahelski added that the Hagakure is a code of ethics from Japan. The Hagakure is also a book and a warrior's guide by the samurai Yamamoto Tsunetomo. The title of it translates to “hidden by the leaves.” Yamamoto was a retainer to Nabeshima Mitsushige, who ruled part of Japan, and the book is based on their conversations in the early 1700s. It's famous for the phrase "the way of the warrior is death."
Stahelski went on to say: "We kind of took the way of dying – or the way we live well to die well – as the theme.” Wick then shared that his favorite moment of the film, was Wick’s death and explained why saying:
"If I just looked at it from [the perspective of] John – John Wick – maybe him at the end on the stairs. When he says 'Helen.' That, for me, after eight years of playing the role and after shooting the [massive fight on the other set of stairs], that part that was [a poignant link] to the past."
I get what they are saying, and it is a beautiful ending to Wick’s character. But, if you watched the post-credits scene, then you know the franchise isn’t over. It will continue, but it looks like it will be without John Wick. It makes me sad because I love this franchise, I love the character John Wick. But, I also understand what they were looking to do with the ending.
Stahelski has said that he and Reeves are going to give the franchise a rest after Chapter 4, and now we have the big reason why. But, I still can’t shake what the director previously said about he and Reeves having John Wick movie ideas for days and that he could make these films for the rest of his career:
“I enjoy making these movies because there’s no limit. We create our own mythology, and we have a studio that both stays out of our way and supports us on the wacky decisions. If people go see the movie, and it makes money, and they came back to us, Keanu and I have ideas for days. I could live here for the rest of my career.”
I guess we’re just going to have to wait and see how the franchise continues without Wick’s involvement. I’m all for Donnie Yen taking the franchise from here!