Well, time flies when you’re having fun! It feels like it was only yesterday that we witnessed a scene in which a beat-up SUV comes to a halt, with Keanu Reeves’ character staggering out of the vehicle, all bloody and wounded. After putting pressure on his wound, he takes out his phone and watches a video of his wife, Helen, before slumping over and shutting his eyes. The scene we just described is coming back to theaters November 3 and 6, 2024, for special screenings that mark John Wick‘s 10th anniversary.
The announcement, made by Lionsgate and Fathom Events, confirmed that 2014’s John Wick will return to theaters for two nights as part of the 10th-anniversary celebrations and was accompanied by a new 4K Steelbook release, a new trailer, and a new poster to spotlight the special occasion. But that’s not all. This event doesn’t just celebrate the release of the original film; it celebrates the entire franchise and its massive contributions to cinema and the action genre.
For those who steered clear of the John Wick franchise, for whatever reason, the original movie sees Keanu Reeves’ titular character searching for a purpose in New York City following the death of his wife, Helen. As he grieves and finds consolation in a puppy Helen gifted him before passing, Russian mobsters break into his home, assault him, kill the puppy, and steal his car. However, what the mobsters aren’t aware of is that John is known as the legendary Baba Yaga (a complex boogeyman from Slavic folklore) of the crime world (though he’s not actually supernatural).
After he recovers from the incident and is thirsting for revenge, John walks back into the crime world to take revenge on the mobsters who have done him wrong. The movie carefully unveils bits of John’s past to reveal that the crime empire he’s exacting vengeance upon is the very criminal enterprise built upon the foundations laid by John himself. Despite the lukewarm test screenings, the movie was a massive hit. It revolutionized action cinema and gave birth to a billion-dollar media franchise that’s currently under expansion.
The subsequent films, of which there are three, dive further into John’s past, tie him to the old Hashasin Order (the real-world order of assassins from the 11th century) and depict his ongoing fight against the High Table. The movies have received critical acclaim and are considered among the greatest action films of all time, with special praise going to the first and the fourth movies. However, they’ve also laid the foundations for various spin-offs, including The Continental: From the World of John Wick, which debuted last year, and the upcoming From the World of John Wick: Ballerina.
The Continental was a three-part series whose narrative was too big for a single movie but too short for a satisfying series. Nonetheless, it’s a blast to watch, especially if you’re a fan of Baba Yaga. Ballerina, on the other hand, is an upcoming movie starring Ana de Armas in the lead role. Narratively, the spin-off is set between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. It will, of course, feature Keanu Reeves and the late Lance Reddick in his final screen appearance.
Fans attending the 10th-anniversary screening will also get an exclusive sneak peek of Ballerina, which is scheduled to hit theaters on June 6, 2025, if everything goes according to plan. But that’s not all. Following the success of the magnificent John Wick: Chapter 4, Lionsgate decided to develop the franchise further with one mainline installment, John Wick: Chapter 5, and another spin-off centered on Donnie Yen’s character, Caine, whom we met in Chapter 4. Oh, and there’s apparently a John Wick anime in development as well.
The development of Chapter 5 won’t begin until all other franchise projects led by franchise director Chad Stahelski are completed. This potentially includes the Caine-centered spin-off project, so we’re not likely to receive Chapter 5 anytime soon — especially since the work on the script was hindered by last year’s labor strikes in Hollywood. Lionsgate also has a number of projects set in the same fictional universe, and Stahelski has expressed interest in working with Bob Odenkirk from Nobody, Jason Statham, Jason Momoa, Jurnee Smollet, Robert Downey Jr. and many other actors.
Whether or not any of the aforementioned names make their way into the John Wick franchise remains to be seen. A John Wick × Nobody crossover, or Bob Odenkirk’s cameo appearance in John Wick, would be interesting, to say the least. One thing is certain: judging by the sheer number of potential projects associated with one of the greatest action franchises of all time, the 10th anniversary celebratory screening is, apparently, just a beginning.
While The Matrix introduced Keanu Reeves to greater stardom and we’ll always love him as DC demonologist John Constantine, it’s the John Wick franchise that has forever cemented him as the Baba Yaga of the fictional crime world. Tickets for this fall’s 10th anniversary screening can be purchased on Fathom Events’ official website.