John Wick 4 Producer Says Keanu Reeves Wanted His Character ‘Definitively’ Killed Off

John Wick: Chapter 4 producer Basil Iwanyk claims Keanu Reeves wanted the titular character to be killed off once and for all in the movie.

John Wick: Chapter 4 producer Basil Iwanyk reveals lead star Keanu Reeves begged for the titular hitman to be “definitively” killed off in neo-noir action sequel.

Speaking with Collider while promoting The Continental, Iwanyk admitted an exhausted Reeves was desperate to bring an end to Wick as the action star wanted an undisputed demise for his acclaimed character. However, the ending Chapter 4 went with was a more ambiguous one as they wanted to leave a “little opening” in case John Wick 5 was on the horizon.

“After the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th movie, making these films is so exhausting, and it destroys Keanu, physically and emotionally,” he said. “By the end, he’s always like, ‘I can’t do this again,’ and we agree with him. The guy is just a shell of himself because he just goes off and goes for it. He was like, ‘I wanna be definitively killed at the end of this movie.’ We were like, ‘You know, we’ll leave a 10% little opening.'”

Chapter 4 director Chad Stahelski initially shot a more definitive alternative ending for the film but scrapped it after the test screening audience flatly rejected it.

With Lionsgate confirming this past May that John Wick 5 is in development, it makes the ending of Chapter 4 more profound given the possibility of Wick returning despite seemingly being killed off at the end. Iwanyk said he is looking forward to doing another John Wick movie despite being unsure what the film will look like.

“We don’t know what it looks like and when it will happen, but we love each other and we love this world,” he said. “It’s gonna be all hands to try to figure it out. Have we figured it out? No. And if we can’t figure it out, will there be one? No, of course not. No one is gonna try to just jam it for the sake of jamming it.”

The most recent John Wick sequel proved to be the franchise’s best entry critically and commercially, with Chapter 4 attracting a 94% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes and raking in over $432 million at the international box office.

Also starring Bill Skarsgård, Donnie Yen, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane Scott Adkins and the late Lance Reddick, Chapter 4 is one of the most popular entries of the year and boasts a director’s cut done by Stahelski, which he plans to release down the line.

While Stahelski is less sure about John Wick 5‘s prospects, Reeves seems up to the challenge, with Stahelski insisting the movie won’t go ahead if Reeves isn’t a part of it. There is no word yet on whether the supporting characters that have been franchise stalwarts like Fishburne, McShane and Adkins.

John Wick 5 Is Coming… Eventually

As fans wait for John Wick 5‘s eventual arrival, The Continental will help bridge the gap. The upcoming spinoff miniseries chronicles the eponymous hotel chain and the origins of its leader, Winston Scott, who’s played by McShane in the John Wick movies but will be portrayed by Colin Woodell throughout the show. Mel Gibson also stars in the show, which is set in the 1970s and explores real-life events such as the rise of the American Mafia and the Winter of Discontent.