John Wick: Chapter 4 ending and post-credits scene, explained: What’s next?
Olivia Owen In John Wick: Chapter 4, Keanu Reeves' heartbroken hitman punches, kicks, shoots and slices his way through a seemingly endless barrage of opponents. With its extended action sequences, the film is perhaps the most high-octane instalment of the action-packed franchise. While the Chad Stahelski directorial was a blast from start to finish, the ending comes as a bit of a shocker. The big question at the film's climax is - Did John Wick die?
If you're still looking for answers, you're in the right place. Let's go over the ending of the film to figure out what really happened and how it sets up future John Wick projects.
First up, what happened in John Wick: Chapter 4?
John Wick is very much a man on the run at the beginning of Chapter 4. The big bad of the film is Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgard) from the High Table. Tasked with taking Wick down, he recruits the blind former assassin Caine (Donnie Yen) by threatening to kill his young daughter. After the New York Continental falls, Wick goes to the Osaka Continental where Caine and the Marquis' men nearly get him but an old friend - Shimazu Koji (Hiroyuki Sanada) comes to his aid. Koji dies while his daughter Akira (Rina Sawayama) is left devastated. This is also where a tracker who goes by "Nobody" (Shamier Anderson) begins following John for a bounty. When John finds out that challenging the Marquis to a duel can end the fight once and for all and earn his freedom from the High Table, he takes the shot. This sends him on a side quest to join a notable crime family and qualify for a sunrise duel. At the dawn of the duel, John goes through a brutal battle up 222 steps and finally reaches the top with some help from Caine.
What happened at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4?
The final duel takes place between John and Caine who is chosen as the champion by the Marquis. When it looks like Caine is winning, the Marquis decides to take the gun from him to finish the job. This turns out to be a bad move as John shoots him in the head. This frees both Caine and John. But by the time the latter is ready to leave, he collapses on the stairs. Things look definitive as he dreams of his late wife. Later we see Winston (Ian McShane) and Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) at John's grave that says, "John Wick, loving husband". King asks if Wick is in heaven or hell to which Winston says, "Who knows?". While that seems pretty definitive, we have seen several films where a tombstone isn't always proof of death. That being said, the movie offers no other hint of John's fate. So it looks like he's done for now. In a recent interview with Hollywood Reporter, director Stahelski explained, “In our minds, Keanu and I are done for the moment. We're going to give John Wick a rest. I’m sure the studio has a plan. If everyone loves it and it goes kooky, then we’ll take a quiet minute." Make of that what you will.
What happens in the post-credits scene of John Wick: Chapter 4?
John Wick doesn't have a mid-credits scene. And the scene that comes after the long credits list is not the one fans expect. It sees Yen's Caine who after the duel is a free man. He makes his way through the crowds to hear his daughter playing the violin. He brings flowers and it looks like he will finally be united with her. However, someone in a hood can be seen walking towards him and it's none other than Sawayama's Akira who seeks revenge for her father's death at the Osaka Continental. The scene sees her pull out a knife and that's where it ends. No hint of John Wick. This could mean we're getting a sequel film with Akira, however, details of the next instalment are not confirmed. There have been talks of John Wick sequels to expand the franchise. In fact, Ballerina starring Ana de Armas is a prequel show that will follow the initial days of the New York Continental.
So is John Wick dead?
The duel's outcome finally frees John Wick from the High Table. With his quest over, and his few friends gathered around his grave, it looks pretty final. Moreover, it ties up all the threads of the franchise as far as the main man is concerned. However, with the films minting money, it's safe to assume that the studio might be tempted to have Reeves show up in a prequel or in flashbacks. The narrative after all relied wholly on the actor's star power. For now, it looks like viewers, at least, need to be convinced that John is dead. In a franchise that's about dealing with the fallout of one's actions, it only makes sense for him to face the consequences of everything that went down.
SEE ALSO: John Wick: Chapter 4 Movie ReviewCover image: Krishna Sirdoshi/Filmfare
More on: John Wick, John Wick Chapter 4
