The John Wick movies are the perfect reminder that hurting animals for fun is the quickest and most painful way to meet the world’s deadliest dog lover.
John Wick, immortalised by Keanu Reeves on screen, is one of the most formidable characters in cinema. Call him Baba Yaga or the Boogeyman, his name alone sends chill down the spines of even the most dangerous assassins in the world. His killer hands move faster than bullets in close combat.
The John Wick franchise started in 2014 and successfully blended the old-school cool of ’80s action heroes with a touch of modern thrill in cinema. As the franchise grew, Wick’s thirst for vengeance went beyond avenging his dog’s death. It morphed into exploring the themes of loyalty and betrayal as he takes on the entire world single-handedly.
There are four movies to watch in a particular order if you want to initiate yourself into the John Wick fandom. Although fans wish to witness Reeves in action for the fifth time, the release date of a potential final instalment is still uncertain. However, Lionsgate’s motion picture group chair Joe Drake confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter in May 2023 that the film is in early development.
As we eagerly wait for John Wick 5: Final Chapter, check out all the John Wick movies in order of their release to catch up with the world of the most dangerous hitman.
Here are all the ‘John Wick’ movies in order
1. John Wick (2014)
IMDb rating: 7.4
Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan and more.
Director: Chad Stahelski
“John Wick isn’t the Boogeyman… He’s the guy you send to kill the f*cking Boogeyman.”
In 2014, John Wick started the global phenomenon of “choosing the red pill”. The plot centres around John Wick (Keanu Reeves), a retired hitman, peacefully living his life alone after the death of his wife. Unaware of his real identity, Russian mobsters decide to kill his dog after an unpleasant encounter with him. Big mistake!
What follows is a relentless saga of revenge stained with blood. Wick paints every street and wall with the blood of his dog’s murderers. In his quest for revenge, he dives back into the shadowy underworld.
Although John Wick was a sleeper hit with a USD 86 million box office collection worldwide, the film earned praise for its immaculate choreography of action sequences and Reeves’ well-written stoic yet emotionally complex character.
Another appeal of the 2014 film was that it was more than just a well-executed action movie. The film not only revived Reeves’ career in Hollywood but also started an entire cinematic universe filled with unwritten rules, blood oaths and more aspects that every action-genre lover finds fascinating.
John Wick successfully expanded its universe by inspiring sequels, spin-offs, and comics. The movie redefined action in Hollywood.
John Wick trivia:
Director Stahelski’s journey in Hollywood is exceptional. He was Keanu Reeves’ stunt double in The Matrix movies.
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2. John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
Welcome back, Mr. Wick. Watch the first official clip #JohnWick2 – In theaters February 10! pic.twitter.com/1kBw0LF0mt
— John Wick: Chapter 4 (@JohnWickMovie) January 18, 2017
IMDb rating: 7.4
Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio and more
Director: Chad Stahelski
“Never stab the devil in the back”
Picking up shortly after the events of the first film, Wick faces the consequences of his gory actions by diving deeper into the underworld. He locks horns with Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio), who later betrays him by sending every assassin after him. You can imagine the trail of blood Wick left behind as he tries to survive every other second.
As expected, the second instalment in the John Wick franchise doubled down on the action, continuing the bloody saga of the hitman. The film pushed the boundaries of its universe with its explosive action sequences and intricate world-building. It also introduced the shady council called the High Table.
John Wick: Chapter 2 earned over USD 174 million against a budget of USD 40 million. The massive commercial success of the second film solidified the franchise in the Hall Of Fame of cinematic universes.
The second movie in the franchise perfectly sets up future conflicts by declaring Keanu Reeves‘ hitman an “excommunicado”. It was a clear signal to the world that John Wick won’t die anytime soon.
John Wick: Chapter 2 trivia:
Reeves performed 95% of the stunts in the film. One of the few stunts he did not perform included the one where he got hit by a car.
3. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)
IMDb rating: 7.4
Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos and more
Director: Chad Stahelski
“It’s the world Vs. Wick”
After being declared an “excommunicado”, John Wick navigates a way to survive a bounty of USD 14 million on his head. He seeks help from old friends from his past like Director (Anjelica Huston) and Sofia (Halle Berry).
The audience did not have enough of John Wick and the exceptional success of the third instalment is proof enough. Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves did not disappoint by taking the franchise to new heights.
One of the biggest highlights of the film is the ultimate showdown at the New York Continental between Wick and Winston (Ian McShane). Made on a budget of USD 75 million, the movie raked in over USD 327 million worldwide. The film’s attempt at expanding its lore gave us some of the best action sequences like the unforgettable horse chase through New York.
John Wick: Chapter 3 trivia:
At around 1 hour 22 minutes, when Wick is reunited with his dog, a smidge of peanut butter or some other substance can be seen on Reeves’ face to get the dog to lick him more.
4. John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
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IMDb rating: 7.7
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne and more
Director: Chad Stahelski
“No way back. One way out.”
The chronological order of the John Wick movies ends with this film being released in 2023. Needless to say, the makers ramped up the creative action to dizzying levels.
The fourth instalment took the franchise to a globe-trotting scale with an epic showdown between Wick and the High Table. The intense and mind-bending battles in the film explore the high-stakes game of chess with blood and bullets. Wick’s quest for freedom makes him determined to destroy the High Table once and for all.
With a massive budget of USD 100 million, John Wick 4 grossed over USD 425 million worldwide. The film upped the ante in terms of visually appealing action choreography, and emotional depth. The most fascinating part of the fourth instalment was the ending that hinted at both closure and the possibility of more sequels in the future.
All the movies over the years, regardless of their order, prove that John Wick is one of the most iconic action anti-heroes in cinema.
John Wick: Chapter 4 trivia:
Being the generous guy that he is, Reeves gifted his five-person stunt team Rolex Submariner watches, each costing around USD 10,000.
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Where do the ‘John Wick’ spin-offs fit into the timeline?
1. The Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023)
IMDb rating: 7.2
Rotten Tomatoes: 63%
Cast: Mel Gibson, Colin Woodell, Mishel Prada and Ben Robson.
Director: Albert Hughes and Charlotte Brändström
The neo-noir crime-action drama television miniseries is a prequel series set in the 1970s. It centres around the origins of Winston Scott (Colin Woodell). It follows his quest to take over the hotel from the hands of his ruthless manager Cormac O’Connor (Mel Gibson).
To jog your memory, Scott eventually becomes the manager of The Continental Hotel seen in the John Wick movies. The events in the series take place four decades before the events of the first John Wick film.
Apart from Winston’s climb to power, fans also explore the backstory of The Continental Hotel and all the rules of the underworld that eventually play a huge role in all the John Wick films.
Although The Continental was praised for its stylised action sequences and its efforts to dive deeper into the John Wick universe, it received mixed reception due to its pacing and underwhelming performances.
2. Ballerina (2025)
Cast: Ana De Armas, Keanu Reeves, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane and Anjelica Huston
Director: Len Wiseman
Release date: 6 June 2025
Ballerina starring Ana De Armas is an upcoming spinoff of the massively successful Keanu Reeves-starrer John Wick franchise. As the title suggests, Armas will step into the shoes of a graceful ballerina-assassin named Rooney. She was first introduced in Parabellumand was portrayed by Unity Phelan.
The film takes place between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). The trailer of the movie was released in April 2024 at the CinemaCon. It is yet to be released officially to the world.
The impressive trailer showed Armas engaging in ruthless hand-to-hand combat and torching a truck with a flamethrower in her quest to avenge her family’s death. Reeves will also be in the film along with some familiar faces from the previous instalments.
Ballerina will be released in 2025.
(Header and feature image courtesy: John Wick: Chapter 4/ IMDb)
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
