'John Wick 5' confirmed by Lionsgate, will shoot back-to-back with 'John Wick 4'

A fifth instalment in the Keanu Reeves-starring John Wick franchise has been confirmed.

Studio Lionsgate, which had already announced John Wick 4, said it is aiming to shoot both films back-to-back next year.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum arrived in May last year to critical acclaim. Directed by Chad Stahelski, it saw Reeves reprise his role as the titular assassin who operates in a hidden criminal underworld, and featured a memorable horse-riding action sequence.

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer announced the fifth film on Thursday and said the studio is preparing the scripts, with the next instalment set to launch in cinemas in May 2022.

He added: “We hope to shoot both John Wick four and five back-to-back when Keanu becomes available early next year.”

The John Wick franchise began with the original film in 2014 and has become a critical and commercial success, with the three movies grossing more than £447 million at the global box office.

Reeves, 55, has been in Berlin while shooting The Matrix 4. He was due to start shooting John Wick 4 earlier this year after he wrapped on the fourth Matrix film, but both productions were pushed back by the coronavirus pandemic.

Read more: Female-led John Wick spin-off in development

Talking to Collider earlier this year, Stahelski said he would be upping the action for the fourth film.

“There’s been a couple days where I’ve decided to do number four and I’ve woken up in a cold sweat going, ‘Horses! How do I beat horses?!’ Like, I have no f***kin’ idea, to tell you the truth. […]

“I think I have a lot of really cool ideas for the next one that I think are different and shocking and fun and unique. How to do them, I have no f***in’ idea right now. I’m still figuring it out.”