Popular John Wick Fan Theory Suggests Franchise Is About the Five Stages of Grief

The John Wick franchise will take place over 5 movies all themed around the stages of grief

Since John Wick hit theaters in 2014, the protagonist has been solid for revenge. In the three films we have, the retired hitman – played by superstar Keanu Reeves – has turned down hundreds of people standing in his way. Now, a popular fan theory has begun to gain some steam online, as it suggests that the franchise has a clear connection to the five levels of grief.

This theory, shared by u/coces, suggests that the John Wick franchise will run for five films, each representing one of the saddest stages – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Interestingly, the first three films are representative of the early three stages.

The John Wick franchise will take place over 5 movies all themed around the stages of grief from FanTheories

As suggested in theory, the original John Wick movie saw him move about his house with his dead wife’s belongings, which shows a strong denial of her recent passing. John Wick: Chapter 2 then enters in the anger phase. We see the chaos throughout, from dozens of dead hitmen and bodyguards to character’s neglect of the Continental’s ancient code of honor.

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John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum pursued the bargaining phase, as the character digs deeper through his life, dealing with anyone who needs help, even if he has not been approached over the years. So far, so good – right?

Using the logistics behind this theory, this means that the next film is representative of the stage of depression – which is already well set. Looking back at Parabellum, Wick seems to have been betrayed by Winston (Ian McShane), as the former fell to his death. He is beaten to the core and forced to work with Bowery King.

The last phase – or John Wick: Chapter 5 – will then be acceptance, which means Wick can come to terms with what happened and eventually bury the hatchet for good. Alternatively, Chad Stahelski, director of the series, says he and Reeves are ready to move on with the franchise until the box office guarantees additional films.

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“I enjoy making these movies because there’s no limit,” Stahelski said last year “If people go see the movie, and it makes money, and they came back to us, Keanu and I have ideas for days. I could live here for the rest of my career. If people like it and want to watch more, I could think of way worse ways to spend your career. But, you know, we’re in the entertainment business. We’ll let the audience figure that out.”

The installment John Wick 4 is set for release on May 21, 2021.
What’s been your favorite Wick film yet? Let us know in the comments section!