TheJohn Wickfranchise has been one of the few modern sagas that has maintained a consistent level of quality throughout every installment. Considering the level of anticipation thatKeanu Reevesand directorChad Stahelskiface with each film and the expectations to top their previous stunts,John Wick: Chapter 4had a lot to live up to. Thankfully, the fourth installment in the series managed to top the action in every film prior. At nearly three hours in length,John Wick: Chapter 4is the biggest sequel yet, but it’s also the most emotional with a great ending that concludes this era of theJohn Wickfranchise. Fans of theJohn Wickseries are in luck, asChapter 4is now streaming on Starz.
The ending ofJohn Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellumfeatured John being shot off the side of the New York Continental Hotel by Winston Scott (Ian McShane) for the crimes leveled at him by the High Table. However, Winston remains one of John’s closest allies and knows that he’s been rescued and taken to safety by the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne).John Wick: Chapter 4reveals that John is still looking for redemption, and wants to finally find peace after constantly having to kill people to stay alive.
Unfortunately, the High Table is still determined to see him dead. The powerful High Table leader Marquis Vincent de Gramon (Bill Skarsgård) has placed a bounty on his head, which can only be ended if John replaces him.John Wick: Chapter 4sees John searching for a way to clear his name by challenging Marquis’ place at the High Table. Here’s everything you need to know about the ending ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4,explained.
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Gives Us a New Path of Revenge
John Wick has been hunting down members of the High Table overseas, but he’s told that he can’t clear his name because he’s been excommunicated. This news comes at a time when his home is in danger; Winston receives a visit from Marquis, who destroys the New York Continental, declares the site as excommunicated, and kills Charon (Lance Reddick). Marquis later hires the assassins Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson) and Caine (Donnie Yen) to track him down.
John seeks refuge in the Osaka Continental, but Caine and Marquis’ soldiers storm the site and kill its manager Shimazu Koji (Hiroyuki Sanada). While John had been friends with Koji in the past, Koji’s daughter Akira (Rina Sawayama) swears that his debt has not been paid. When he returns to New York, John is told by Winston that he must earn a seat on the High Table by challenging Marquis to a duel on behalf of a crime family.
Sadly, these scenes bear the weight of a real-life tragedy. During the initial press cycle forChapter 4,Lance Reddick sadly passed away. Many of Reddick’s co-stars paid tribute to his legacy at the film’s premiere, with Reeves stating that “Lance was a beautiful person, special artist, a man of grace and dignity, and had such a passion for his craft.” Fishburne added that Reddick was “the heart of these movies in many movies,” and that “At the end of the day, he wouldn’t want us to not do this.” Sanada added that Reddick’s performance was among his favorite in the series and that he “recognized how he was a kind person and a great human being.” Even if the character of Charon has passed on, Reddick leaves an indelible mark on the series that will certainly be appreciated by generations ofJohn Wickfans.
How Does ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Tie to the Past?
John travels to Berlin to request a duel on behalf of the Ruska Roma syndicate. While his adoptive sister Katia (Natalia Tena) still holds a grudge against him, John is able to earn the family’s blessing after killing the German High Table senior member Killa (Scott Adkins). The Berlin encounter also reveals John’s friendship with Caine, who is forced to work for Marquis in order to spare his daughter’s life.
John is able to officially challenge Marquis to a duel with Winston as his second; Marquis claims Caine as his. Thebattle is set to take place at Sacré-Cœur, where they will separate by thirty places and duel with pistols. In exchange for his involvement, Winston requests that if John emerges victorious, both he and the New York Continental will be reinstated.
John’s arrival in Paris is met with carnage when Marquis raises the price on his head, inspiring the entire city of assassins to start hunting him down. After John receives several wounds before he makes his way to the church, he doesn’t believe that he will be able to make it to the top by sunrise. Failing to meet at the appropriate time would indicate he has conceded the duel. However, Cane appears at the right time and helps John reach his destination in time. He also spares the life of Mr. Nobody, who goes to the church in order to watch the duel.
What Happens in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’s Final Duel?
John Wick: Chapter 4’s final duel is set at thirty paces with ten-pace intervals closing each time the pistols are fired, and neither participant is killed. After several brutal rounds, Cane fires and nearly kills John, who falls to the ground. Before Cane can deliver the killing shot, Marquis takes his place so he can personally execute John. However, Marquis does not realize that John has not yet fired his gun. John kills Marquis and officially wins the duel.
Winston is allowed by the High Table’s Harbinger (Clancy Brown) to be reinstated as the concierge of the rebuilt New York Continental. John is still fatally wounded and collapses on the steps of the church, appearing to be dead. His funeral is later held in New York buried next to his wife Helen (Bridget Moynahan). Both Winston and the Bowery King pay their respects, white Cane goes to find his daughter.
Does ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Have a Post-Credit Scene?
John Wick: Chapter 4’s post-credit scene reveals that Caine is out to reunite with his daughter, but cuts away after Akira follows them and takes out a knife. Since she’s still out for vengeance and Caine was John’s ally, it’s likely that the two will be pitted against each other. However, it’s unclear when that next encounter will be. WhileJohn Wick: Chapter 5was greenlit,Stahelski statedthat the decision is in the studio’s hands and he and Reeves are still evaluating their options. However, it would certainly be in Lionsgate’s best interest to continue with the series, as thanks to the performance ofChapter 4, the franchise has nowpushed past $1 billion at the worldwide box office. It’s exciting that great, critically acclaimed films likeJohn Wick: Chapter 4are able to generate strong audience turnout; it just goes to show studios that audiences appreciate quality, andChapter 4certainly has many terrific action sequences that are well worth watching on repeated viewings.
John Wick: Chapter 4’s strong performance at the box office is notable in 2023, as many of the year’s most anticipated sequels and franchise films underperformed with both critics and audiences. Films likeShazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Fast X,andAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniawere expected to be blockbuster-sized hits, yet didn’t prove themselves worthy of repeated viewings. However,John Wick: Chapter 4proved that sequels that improved and surpassed the achievements of their predecessors could generate sustained interest.John Wick: Chapter 4has been subsequently hailed as one of the greatest action movies of all time.
Even if theJohn Wickseries does not continue pastChapter 4, the franchise has inspired many other popular action films that utilize the premise of an older, retired assassin getting back into the profession that they built their name on.Bob Odenkirkshowed a more comedic side to an action hero with 2021’sNobody, and Stahelski letCharlize Theronkick some major butt in the underrated 2017 comic book adaptationAtomic Blonde.
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Where Is the ‘John Wick’ Franchise Headed From Here?
Currently, Reeves and McShane are set to reprise their roles in thespinoff filmBallerina; it has been confirmed that Reddick also filmed scenes before his tragic death earlier this year. The new entry in theJohn Wickshared universe takes place betweenJohn Wick: Chapter 3 - ParabellumandJohn Wick: Chapter 4, and starsAna de Armasas the female assassin Rooney. Rooney is out for revenge after her family is killed.Len Wisemanis directing, and the cast also featuresAnjelica Hustonas the ballerina assassin instructor The Director, as well asGabriel Byrne, Norman Reedus,andCatalina Sandino Moreno.Ballerinais set to be released on August 17, 2025; however, the release date could potentially shift given the current SAG and WGA strikes that have been affecting production across the industry.
It will be interesting to see ifBallerinais able to kick-start a new original franchise that could pick up the legacy that Reeves left behind. WithChapter 4serving as a conclusion to the core series, the film industry is left without many major action heroes. TheMission: Impossibleseries is set to conclude with the upcomingMission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One. A new James Bond actor has yet to be cast, and even theKingsmanseries is in an uncertain place right now.John Wickhas been carrying the torch for the action genre, so hopefully,Ballerinawill be able to do the same thing. De Armas certainly proved inNo Time To DieandThe Gray Manthat she is more than capable of handling some extensive hand-to-hand combat sequences.
Additionally, Peacock will air theprequel seriesThe Continentalthis year.The Continentalfollows a young Winston (Colin Woodell) during his rise to power in 1970s New York.Ayomide Adegunis set to play a younger Charon, and will also featurePeter Greene,Mel Gibson,Ben Robson,Hubert Point-Du Jour,Jessica Allain,Mishel Prada, andNhung Kate. The terrificfootage that has been released thus farforThe Continentalteases another action-packed adventure that will more than satisfy fans of the series who are looking to see great action choreographed by a master stunt coordinator.
John Wick: Chapter 4is now available to stream on Starz, and can be purchased or rented on VOD services.
