'John Wick' director reveals alternate ending for 4th movie

Miscellaneous / by admin / April 03, 2023

It was filmed, but not included in the cut for theatrical release.

After the premiereJohn Wick - 4» the audience was excited, but they did not have a clear understanding: is this the end or will there be a continuation? Director Chad Stahelski in an interview with Collider told about how the creators came to the ending - and what was the alternative version.

Warning: Spoilers for the movie ahead

When the director and writer decided to end the fourth installment with the popular hero's grave scene, they knew Lionsgate would have a hard time agreeing to this decision. Therefore, they agreed with the studio to shoot two versions of the finale, which they will later test at test screenings. So they did.

The endings differed by a few seconds, but their tone is completely different. Here is how Stahelski proposed this idea in a conversation with Lionsgate management:

Let us make it the way we see it. Let us build the story and lead to a logical ending. Let's even say this: I'll shoot the ending in two versions, the second will differ only in a couple of additional frames. In them, I will let the audience know that the hero survived. We'll run test screenings and let the audience decide which is best.

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Chad Stahelski

director of the John Wick series

According to Stahelski, the producers accepted such an offer - and if you went to the film, you know which ending the audience chose at the test screenings.

At the same time, even the less optimistic end is quite open. We weren't shown the body, just a tombstone, the inscription on which Wick himself chose. A hero with the same probability can be both underground and somewhere in a quiet place on a well-deserved retirement with a new puppy at his side.