CanBallerinaHow Ballerina’s Timeline Cleverly Preserves John Wick’s Legacy

 

The final scene of John Wick left fans feeling heartbroken, but the franchise may have planned his return all along. 

In John Wick: Chapter 4, viewers were shocked when Keanu Reeves's iconic character seemed to die after an incredible battle in Paris. Speculation about John Wick 5 continues, but the upcoming spin-off, Ballerina, could provide a way for his comeback without undermining the emotional conclusion of Chapter 4.

Ballerina is set between Chapters 3 and 4, which opens up the possibility of Wick's return without disrupting the character's fate. However, how that might happen remains unclear.

 

Ballerina Timeline: A Safe Space for John Wick’s Return 

 

The next Ballerina movie featuring Ana de Armas is a neat fit between Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 within John Wick’s storyline. Such thoughtful timing will see Keanu Reeves’s return with little imagination regarding how far back in his character’s life he would be going had Chapter 4 gone in another direction. Practically, the franchise positions itself to establish a fresh space in which stories can intrude without doing away with what has preceded. 

As per Screen Rant, this method regarding the timeline aligns with the established series canon. If Chapter 5 does the same—i.e., perhaps showing something that was never depicted and occurs before Wick’s seemingly definitive demise—then an emotional bypass might be possible for future progression beyond that which Chapter 4 provides. 

 

Chapter 4: Ambiguous Ending Leaves Room for Interpretation

 

The ending of John Wick: Chapter 4 is deliberately vague. The time from the duel and then the burial is not specified. It is not known whether he was dead or whether the whole ordeal was a hallucination.

 

How Chapter 5 of John Wick Can Carry on the Legacy of Chapter 4

 

Instead of bringing back Wick, Chapter 5 could explore the following:

  • A Prequel Story—This backgrounder chronicles his life up to his last duel.

  • A Secret Survival—Winston or another ally helped him escape.  

  • A Legacy Sequel—The torch is passed on; Wick's spirit remains alive.

As Collider points out, the John Wick franchise has always been about the effectiveness of storytelling. A return that respects the ending of Chapter 4 would fit perfectly into the series' endearing reputation for its well-thought-out creations.

 

The Obscured Indicators That Pinpoint Wick's Survival

 

  • Fans have poured over each frame of Chapter 4's closing section, picking up codes that indicate Winston's involvement as

  • The unclear period between the duel and the funeral

  • Winston exchanged a knowing look with the headstone. The smirk with which the Bowery King acknowledges the funeral scene

 

Conclusion: The Ideal Setup for Final Quest

 

Ballerina confirms that the John Wick saga is not over yet. With the franchise's current flexibility in timeline storytelling, Chapter 5 could convincingly bring back Keanu Reeves without feeling forced. Possibilities like flashbacks, undisclosed survivals, or a final mission before his demise could offer one last chapter in the legend of Baba Yaga.