History of John Wick in Timeline
John Wick is a neo-noir action thriller franchise centered on John Wick, a retired legendary hitman portrayed by Keanu Reeves, who is forced back into the criminal underworld. The franchise began with the film John Wick (2014) and continued with sequels: Chapter 2 (2017), Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), and Chapter 4 (2023). The franchise has been expanded into various spin-offs, including a prequel comic book series John Wick: The Book of Rules, a prequel television miniseries The Continental, and a spin-off film Ballerina.
1966: Inspiration from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
In 1966, Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly influenced the series.
1967: Influence from Point Blank
In 1967, Point Blank influenced the series.
1970: Inspiration from Le Cercle Rouge
In 1970, Le Cercle Rouge influenced the series.
1989: Influence from The Killer
In 1989, John Woo's The Killer influenced the series.
2002: Influence from The Vengeance Trilogy
In 2002, The Vengeance Trilogy influenced the film due to minimalist composition and graphic nature.
2005: Influence from The Vengeance Trilogy
In 2005, The Vengeance Trilogy influenced the film due to minimalist composition and graphic nature.
2010: Influence from The Man from Nowhere
In 2010, Lee Jeong-beom's The Man from Nowhere influenced the film due to minimalist composition and graphic nature.
December 2012: Thunder Road Pictures Buys John Wick Script
In December 2012, Thunder Road Pictures bought the script with discretionary funds, with Kolstad agreeing to Thunder Road's plan to make the film straight away. Iwanyk was immediately drawn to the main character and admired the emotional weight and action elements of the piece.
2012: Development of the film
In 2012, the development of the first John Wick film commenced.
May 2013: Chad Stahelski and David Leitch to Direct John Wick
In May 2013, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch came to direct the John Wick film. Impressed with Reeves' enthusiasm and the quality of the script, Stahelski and Leitch told him that they wished to direct the film and later presented him with their version of the story which was based on the idea of Wick as an urban legend. Due to DGA rules, only Stahelski was given the director credit, while Leitch was credited as a producer.
September 25, 2013: Start of Principal Photography
On September 25, 2013, principal photography for the first John Wick film began.
December 5, 2013: Filming of John Wick Wraps Up in New York City
On December 5, 2013, principal photography for the first John Wick film wrapped up in New York City.
December 20, 2013: Completion of Principal Photography
On December 20, 2013, principal photography for the first John Wick film wrapped up.
2013: Keanu Reeves Secures Lead Role
In 2013, Keanu Reeves secured the male lead in John Wick. Reeves and Kolstad worked together on developing the screenplay and story. The title of the film was changed from Scorn to John Wick because Keanu liked the name.
2014: Release of John Wick
In 2014, the first film in the franchise, John Wick, was released, introducing the character and his world to audiences.
February 2015: John Wick Sequel Development Begins
In February 2015, directors Stahelski and Leitch stated that a John Wick sequel had begun development, which was later titled John Wick: Chapter 2. Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer stated that they see John Wick as a multiple-title action franchise.
May 2015: John Wick Sequel Greenlit
In May 2015, it was confirmed that a sequel was green-lit, and Lionsgate would be selling the film at the Cannes Film Festival.
October 26, 2015: Start of Principal Photography for the second film
On October 26, 2015, principal photography began for the second John Wick film.
March 2016: John Wick VR Game Announcement
In March 2016, the John Wick virtual reality game was announced as John Wick: The Impossible Task (also known as John Wick: An Eye for an Eye and John Wick: The VR Experience). It was described as "one of the first major VR first-person shooters".
October 2016: Third John Wick Film in Development
In October 2016, Stahelski stated that a third John Wick film was in development.
October 2016: Announcement of the Third Film
In October 2016, the third John Wick film was announced.
February 9, 2017: John Wick Chronicles VR Game Release
On February 9, 2017, John Wick Chronicles, a virtual reality game set in the Continental Hotel, was released. Players take on the role of John Wick and assassinate targets using various weapons. The game was released by Starbreeze Studios as a launch title for the HTC Vive.
February 2017: Premiere of the second film
In February 2017, the second John Wick film premiered.
June 2017: The Continental TV Series Development Announced
In June 2017, Chad Stahelski and Derek Kolstad were announced to be developing a television series for Lionsgate based on the characters and setting of the John Wick films, tentatively titled The Continental. The series was reported to center around the hotel safe-haven for hit men and assassins, which features in the films. It was reported that Reeves would reprise his role, and that the series would be a prequel to the film series that takes place years prior to the events of the films.
June 2017: Kolstad to Write John Wick 3 Screenplay
In June 2017, it was reported that Kolstad would return again to write the screenplay for the third John Wick film.
July 2017: Development of Spin-off Film Announced
In July 2017, Lionsgate announced the development of a spin-off film written by Shay Hatten and titled Ballerina.
September 2017: Release Date Announced for John Wick: Chapter 3
In September 2017, Lionsgate announced a release date of May 17, 2019, for the third John Wick film.
September 2017: Proof of Concept Uploaded
In September 2017, the proof of concept for the Ballerina script had previously been uploaded to YouTube.
November 29, 2017: Release of John Wick Comic Book Mini-Series
On November 29, 2017, Dynamite Entertainment released the first issue of a John Wick comic book mini-series. Written by Greg Pak and illustrated by Giovanni Valletta, the series chronicles a young John Wick after his release from prison.
2017: Release of Chapter 2 and The Book of Rules
In 2017, John Wick: Chapter 2 was released, continuing the story of the hitman. Also the prequel comic book series John Wick: The Book of Rules began publication in 2017.
January 2018: Stahelski Returns to Direct Third Film; Casting Updates
In January 2018, it was reported that Chad Stahelski was returning to direct the film and Common, Laurence Fishburne, and Ruby Rose were set to reprise their roles from the second film. Additionally, it was announced that Hiroyuki Sanada had been cast as the film's antagonist.
January 31, 2018: John Wick Comic Book Mini-Series Concludes
On January 31, 2018, the final issue of the John Wick comic book mini-series, written by Greg Pak and illustrated by Matt Gaudio, was released by Dynamite Entertainment.
May 21, 2018: Additional Casting for John Wick: Chapter 3
On May 21, 2018, it was reported that Halle Berry, Asia Kate Dillon, Anjelica Huston, Mark Dacascos and Jason Mantzoukas had joined the cast of John Wick: Chapter 3.
2018: Production began on the third film
In early 2018, production began on the third John Wick film.
May 2019: John Wick Hex Game Announcement
In May 2019, John Wick Hex, a tactical role-playing game, was announced.
May 2019: Discussions of Another Film
In May 2019, prior to the release of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, discussions arose regarding another film in the series, with Keanu Reeves expressing his willingness to continue as long as the films were successful. Lionsgate announced the film during John Wick 3's opening week.
May 2019: Release of the Third Film
In May 2019, the third John Wick film was released.
May 17, 2019: John Wick: Chapter 3 Release Date
On May 17, 2019, John Wick: Chapter 3 was released.
October 8, 2019: John Wick Hex Game Release
On October 8, 2019, John Wick Hex, a tactical role-playing game, was released. The game involves the player controlling Wick in missions, utilizing his skills against opponents.
October 2019: Len Wiseman Signed On
In October 2019, Len Wiseman signed onto the Ballerina project as director, with Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski serving as executive producer and producer, respectively.
2019: Release of Chapter 3 – Parabellum
In 2019, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum was released, further expanding the John Wick universe.
April 2020: Release Date Delay
In April 2020, Chad Stahelski revealed that the film would most likely not make its May 21, 2021 release date due to his commitment to The Matrix Resurrections.
May 5, 2020: John Wick Hex PlayStation 4 Release
On May 5, 2020, the PlayStation 4 version of John Wick Hex was released.
May 2020: Wiseman's Pitch and Actress Search
In May 2020, Stahelski stated that Wiseman had read the script earlier, and approached the studio with a pitch of how he would develop the project, based on Hatten's draft. Also, the studio was looking for an actress, with Chloë Grace Moretz as the template.
August 2020: Fifth Film Development Confirmed
In August 2020, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer confirmed that a fifth John Wick film was also being developed.
March 2021: Production Delay
In March 2021, Lionsgate opted to delay production of the fifth film and move forward with Chapter 4 first.
April 2021: The Continental Series Focus and Format
In April 2021, Kevin Beggs, chairman of Lionsgate Television, announced that The Continental series will center around a young Winston in the 1970s and explore real-world events. The series will be a limited series consisting of three 90-minute episodes.
May 23, 2021: The Simpsons Parodies John Wick
On May 23, 2021, The Simpsons aired "The Last Barfighter", a parody of John Wick: Chapter 2 and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Ian McShane guest starred as Artemis Scott, a character inspired by Winston.
June 2021: Cast Additions and Production Start
In June 2021, Donnie Yen, Rina Sawayama, Shamier Anderson, Bill Skarsgård, and Hiroyuki Sanada joined the cast of the fourth movie. Production was due to commence in Paris and Berlin, with additional filming in Japan and New York City.
June 28, 2021: Principal Photography Begins
On June 28, 2021, principal photography began for the fourth film.
October 2021: Ana de Armas in Negotiations
In October 2021, Ana de Armas entered early negotiations to portray the eponymous character in Ballerina.
October 2021: Mel Gibson Cast in The Continental
In October 2021, it was announced that Mel Gibson would star in The Continental series, along with Colin Woodell as a young Winston Scott. Additional cast members were also announced.
October 2021: Principal Photography Wraps
In October 2021, principal photography for the fourth film had wrapped.
November 2021: Additional Cast Members Join The Continental
In November 2021, Ayomide Adegun, Peter Greene, and Jeremy Bobb joined the cast of The Continental as young Charon, a younger Uncle Charlie, and a new character named Mayhew, respectively.
February 2022: Katie McGrath Cast as The Adjudicator
In February 2022, Katie McGrath was announced to be cast as The Adjudicator in The Continental TV show.
April 2022: Ana de Armas to Star
In April 2022 at CinemaCon, Lionsgate announced that Ana de Armas would star in the lead role in Ballerina, with principal photography to commence later that year.
May 2022: Continuation of the Franchise
In May 2022, Stahelski stated that while Chapter 4 has some "conclusion" elements to the story, there would be a fifth installment to the franchise.
August 2022: The Continental Premiere Rights Sold to Peacock
In August 2022, Lionsgate announced it had sold the premiere rights to The Continental series to Peacock, expecting the series to premiere in 2023.
September 2022: Delay of Principal Photography
In September 2022, it was announced that principal photography for Ballerina was delayed from its previous tentative start and would commence later that fall.
November 7, 2022: Filming Begins
On November 7, 2022, filming for Ballerina began in Prague, Czech Republic.
November 2022: Lionsgate Receives Pitches for AAA John Wick Title
In November 2022, Lionsgate revealed that they were considering several pitches for a AAA John Wick video game, but had not yet accepted any proposals.
November 2022: Filming Scheduled to Begin and Cast Announcements
In November 2022, it was announced that principal photography for Ballerina was scheduled to begin imminently. Ian McShane and Keanu Reeves were announced to be reprising their roles as Winston Scott and John Wick, respectively, followed by Anjelica Huston as The Director and Lance Reddick as Charon.
March 2023: The Continental Nearing Completion
In March 2023, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Joe Drake stated that the episodes of The Continental are "nearly finished" and expected to release later in the year.
March 2023: Future John Wick Projects
In March 2023, producer Erica Lee stated that in addition to previous identified projects, there's "... lots of other things. But we're developing a lot of stuff and having a lot of discussions with a lot of writers and brand management and Wick... is my utmost priority."
March 2023: Untitled Film Announced
In March 2023, producer Erica Lee stated that the studio is working on an as-of-yet untitled film that will further expand the franchise.
March 24, 2023: Film Release
On March 24, 2023, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was released.
April 2023: The Continental Series Official Title
In April 2023, the series was officially titled The Continental: From the World of John Wick.
October 6, 2023: The Continental Series Release Date
On October 6, 2023, The Continental: From the World of John Wick series was released.
November 2023: Exploring Criminal Organizations in Future Projects
In November 2023, Chad Stahelski confirmed that multiple projects were in development, with plans to explore various criminal organization establishments within the John Wick continuity; including Italian, French, Japanese, Chinese, Middle-Eastern, Indonesian, and Russian cultures.
November 2023: Another John Wick Spin-off Series in Development
In November 2023, Chad Stahelski revealed that developments are underway for another spin-off television series that will not include the character of Wick. He also stated that the show will explore the various cultures of the world through the John Wick franchise and feature the supporting cast from the feature films in starring roles; while identifying Caine, Shimazu Akira, The Tracker / Mr. Nobody as characters who may appear.
November 2023: Animated Project Announced
In November 2023, Stahelski announced that an anime-styled animated project was in development.
November 2023: Work Resumes on Script
In November 2023, following the resolution of the writers and actors strikes, Lionsgate revealed that work on the script for the fifth film had officially resumed.
2023: Release of Chapter 4 and The Continental
In 2023, John Wick: Chapter 4 was released, continuing the film series. Also, the prequel television miniseries The Continental was released in 2023.
January 2024: Spin-off Series Development Ongoing
In January 2024, Stahelski stated that development for the John Wick spin-off series is ongoing with a tentative debut slated for an unspecified date in the following year and that various characters from the films would feature in its story.
January 2024: Oversight Roles for John Wick Franchise
In January 2024, it was announced that Chad Stahelski, Basil Iwanyk, and Erica Lee will serve in oversight roles for the John Wick franchise. Stahelski's production studio 87Eleven will create a comprehensive multiplatform content strategy to guide the short- and long-term creative direction, franchise strategy and strategic growth.
May 2024: Stern Pinball Releases John Wick Pinball Games
In May 2024, Stern Pinball, Inc., in collaboration with Lionsgate, released three editions of John Wick pinball games: Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition versions.
May 2024: Caine Spin-off Announced
In May 2024, it was officially announced that a spin-off film centered around Caine was in development, with Yen reprising his role as the titular character.
August 2024: John Wick: Under the High Table Greenlit
In August 2024, the series was officially greenlit with the title John Wick: Under the High Table, and will be shopped around to various streaming companies; with Robert Levine serving as showrunner, writer, and executive producer. The show will be overseen collaboratively by Chad Stahelski, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Keanu Reeves. The plot of the series will take place chronologically after the events of Chapter 4 and will follow new characters who strive to usurp the High Table, while returning cast members of the franchise seek to maintain the current order.
October 2024: Release as a Feature Film
In October 2024, Stahelski revealed that the anime project would now be released as a feature film, and that it will be one of the next installments released in the John Wick franchise.
October 2024: Script Iterations
In October 2024, Stahelski stated that the script has gone through various iterations, but that it would not move forward until he, Reeves, Iwanyk, and Lee were satisfied with the story. The filmmaker revealed that the project would not continue directly from Chapter 4, but will be a separate storyline.
April 2025: Project Officially Announced
In April 2025, Lionsgate officially announced the project at CinemaCon, with Donnie Yen serving as director in addition to reprising the role from John Wick: Chapter 4, while Mattson Tomlin will write a new draft of the previous draft written by Askins, which was based on a pitch from Stahelski and Yen.
April 2025: Project Green-lit
In April 2025, Lionsgate officially green-lit the animated project at CinemaCon, with Reeves confirmed to reprise the lead role through voice acting performance. Shannon Tindle directs the film from a script written by Vanessa Taylor.
May 8, 2025: Wick Is Pain Documentary Film Released at Beyond Fest
On May 8, 2025, the documentary film Wick Is Pain, directed by Jeffrey Doe, about the John Wick franchise, was released at Beyond Fest.
June 6, 2025: Ballerina Release Date
Ballerina was released in the United States on June 6, 2025, after being delayed from a previous release date.
June 2025: Eve Macarro Added to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
In June 2025, as a collaboration to promote Ballerina, Eve Macarro was added as a playable character to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, with Ana de Armas reprising her role. An in-game event themed after Ballerina was also released the same month.
2025: Principal Photography Planned
In 2025, principal photography was planned to commence in Hong Kong for the Caine spin-off film.
2025: Scheduled Release of Ballerina
In 2025, the spin-off film Ballerina is scheduled to be released, expanding the franchise.
February 2026: New AAA John Wick Video Game Announced
In February 2026, Saber Interactive and Lionsgate announced a new AAA John Wick video game for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC. The game will feature an original story and Keanu Reeves reprising his role.
April 2026: Production Scheduled to Commence
Production for the Caine spin-off is scheduled to commence in April 2026.
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