John Wick 4 & 5 Won't Be Written By Original Writer Derek Kolstad

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The writer behind the John Wick franchise, Derek Kolstad, has confirmed in an interview that he will not be involved with John Wick 4 and John Wick 5. John Wick is one of the most popular action franchises in modern memory, with beloved actor Keanu Reeves popularizing the titular character. The franchise has already been approved for films 4 and 5, though production details for John Wick 4 are still scarce.

Kolstad has been in the news recently thanks to his work on the new Bob Odenkirk action film Nobody. Much like John Wick, Nobody tells the story of a seemingly ordinary man with a violent past trying to protect the people he cares about. Fans of John Wick have pointed out the similarities between these premises and have suggested that a crossover between the two films would be entertaining. Kolstad, on the other hand, has said a Nobody/John Wick crossover shouldn’t happen. Nevertheless, this excitement for a crossover from fans shows that there are plenty of people who love Kolstad’s writing. Unfortunately, these viewers won’t be seeing any more of Kolstad’s work in the John Wick franchise.

In a recent interview with Collider, Kolstad explained that he would not be coming back for John Wick 4 & 5, and that the decision was that of executives, not his own. As Kolstad explains, he worked with many other people on John Wick 3, and those creators are now taking over the upcoming sequels. He also affirms that he has no issues with the production team for John Wick, and that he hopes the new movies will be just as good.

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In the interview, Kolstad also talks about how his departure from John Wick is not a bad thing, because he’s moving on to other projects. Obviously, his work on Nobody is getting a lot of press, but the writer says he’s excited for other productions as well. Kolstad specifically pointed to his upcoming partnership with Amazon Studios for an adaptation of the manga Hellsing. He states that the action-horror film is one of his dream projects.

Without Kolstad writing for John Wick 4 and John Wick 5, the films may end up being very different from the first three movies. But it’s also exciting to know that the creator of this franchise is moving on to telling even more exciting action stories. And of course, John Wick isn’t going anywhere - all this really means is that there'll be even more Wick-like action franchises for years to come.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2022)
Release Date: May 27, 2022