John Wick: Chapter 5is officially on the way, but viewers understandably have several questions about how Keanu Reeves is going to return to this action franchise. After seemingly killing off the protagonist inChapter 4, the confirmation thatanother sequel is coming took many by surprise. However, director Chad Stahelski has affirmed thatChapter 5will be a very different movie from those that preceded it, sparking many interestingtheories about the nextJohn Wickmovie.
There’s a very specific path that could makeJohn Wick 5successful, butthe project is ultimately going to be under a lot of pressure. Not only is it already being called “unnecessary” because of how blatantly it counteracts the ending of the previous film, but the decision to try something different also means that manyimportantJohn Wickquestionswill be left in the past.Chapter 4set up plenty of interesting plot points and compelling mysteries, but it’s hard to see howChapter 5will pay off.
John Wick 4 Created A Lot Of Questions About The High Table’s Elder
The Elders Play A Mysterious Role In The High Table’s Leadership
ThroughouttheJohn Wickfranchise, the Elders of the High Table have been the overarching villains, controlling everything from the shadows. Each passing sequel revealed a new detail about how the High Table operates, withChapter 4confirming that new Elders are chosen whenever the existing one is killed. SinceReeves’ titular protagonist killed the previous Elderat the beginning ofChapter 4, it logically follows that somebody should have taken his place to lead the High Table.
However, nothing has ever been explained about how these Elders are chosen, or really what function they perform withinJohn Wick’s High Table. They’ve always been somewhat of a mystery, andChapter 4was the first time that it felt like audiences might finally get an answer. While John is technically free of his debt to the High Table,it seems unlikely that the new Elder would simply forgive his crimesand let him run free inChapter 5.
John Wick 5 Isn’t About The High Table, So Don’t Expect Any Elder Answers Now
Stahelski Is Expressly Leaving The High Table Behind
However, it’s already been confirmed thatJohn Wick: Chapter 5won’t include the High Tableat all. It will be a completely different story, introducing new villains for Wick to fight against and leaving his history with the Elders in the past. This is great news for those who’ve understandably grown tired ofJohn Wick’s repetitive storytelling, but it also means thatthe mystery of the High Table’s Elders will probably go permanently unsolved.
The decision to makeJohn Wick: Chapter 5thematically different from the previous movies is excellent, even though it means that audiences won’t get all the answers they want. Given theconclusive ending ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4,it simply wouldn’t make sense to return to the High Table and give audiences more of the same.That was a very definitive ending, andChapter 5has to be notably different. Stahelski clearly understands this, as he revealed toEMPIRE:
“The saga of John Wick was pretty wrapped up. So the only way to do a 5 is to have a new story that involves John Wick. It’s not a continuation, with the High Table. John dealt with his grief. It will be really different.”
Could Other John Wick Movies Explain The High Table’s Elder?
The High Table Could Still Appear In The Spinoffs
AlthoughJohn Wick:Chapter 5won’t go into detail about the High Table, there’s still plenty of room to explore this mysterious organization inJohn Wick’s many spin-off properties. The most likely candidate is the upcoming Caine spin-off, which is currently in development at Lionsgate.Donnie Yen’s character previously had business with the High Table, as explained inJohn Wick: Chapter 4, so this would be a very logical place to explain the presence of the Elders in more detail. It could also happen inBallerina, but this feels less likely since Eve’s story is pretty separate from the High Table.
