John Wick: Where and how to watch the Keanu Reeves action franchise

The John Wick franchise has come a long way since its first installment arrived back in 2014. That film’s dazzling fight choreography and rich mythology struck a chord with audiences, so much so that Keanu Reeves has since returned as brooding assassin John Wick a further two times. What’s more, Reeves just retured in John Wick: Chapter 4, which is out now in theaters (Buy tickets on Fandango or Atom Tickets).

As such, now is the ideal time to revisit John Wick and its sequels, John Wick: Chapter 2 and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. It’s also the perfect moment to refamiliarize yourself with the various John Wick spinoffs also headed our way, and how they fit within the wider franchise canon. Not sure where to start? That’s where this John Wick watch order will come in handy – it’ll get you up to speed even more efficiently than Wick clearing out a goon-infested nightclub.

Where to watch the John Wick franchise

The first three John Wick movies are available in three ways:

• physical media purchases (including DVD and Blu-ray box sets)
• a HBO Max subscription
• view-on-demand services (including Apple TV+ and Prime Video)

John Wick: Chapter 4 is a different story. To see that film, you’ll need to visit your local cinema (Buy tickets on Fandango or Atom Tickets).

There are also two other John Wick installments currently in production: the spinoff movie Ballerina and streaming series The Continental. Neither project has a confirmed release date yet, although The Continental is slated to debut on Peacock sometime in 2023. Production on Ballerina kicked off in November 2022, which means it’s not likely to hit the big screen until 2024 at the earliest.

How to watch the John Wick franchise in chronological order

The John Wick franchise’s timeline has to date been relatively straightforward. The original movie and its sequels favor streamlined storytelling over flashbacks and the like, and each new entry in the canon takes place following the events of its direct predecessor. So, basically, to watch the full story in chronological order, you start with John Wick, move on to John Wick: Chapter 2, and wrap up with John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.

Things are about to get a little more complicated, though. That’s because Ballerina and The Continental are both set before John Wick: Chapter 4, which means that the franchise’s release order will no longer line up with its in-universe chronology. The Continental precedes every other John Wick entry – it chronicles the exploits of supporting character Winston in the '70s – whereas Ana de Armas vehicle Ballerina slots in between the second and third movies.

Confused? Here’s how it all fits together:

• The Continental
• John Wick
• John Wick: Chapter 2
• John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
• Ballerina
• John Wick: Chapter 4

How to watch the John Wick franchise in release order

Alternatively, you might prefer to experience the John Wick movies and streaming series in the same order they were originally released. This watch order breaks down as follows:

• John Wick
• John Wick: Chapter 2
• John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
• John Wick: Chapter 4
• The Continental
• Ballerina

How to watch the John Wick franchise in machete order

The John Wick chronological and release watch orders represent a considerable amount of couch time. Indeed, as of this writing, the whole franchise clocks in at just under six hours. If that doesn’t fit your busy schedule, consider this machete watch order – we’re calling it 'The Wick and the Dead' – instead. It covers all the essential plot beats you need to follow the series’ overarching narrative, plus the very best of its many action scenes. Just punch these scene descriptions into YouTube and before too long, you’ll be fully versed on all three of John Wick’s adventures to date:

• Iosef's men break into John’s house [John Wick]
• John comes out of retirement [John Wick]
• John checks into The Continental [John Wick]
• The Red Circle nightclub fight [John Wick]
• John attacks Iosef’s safehouse [John Wick]
• John versus Viggo [John Wick]
• John fights Tarasov’s men [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• Winston explains how blood oath “markers” work [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• John accepts Santino’s marker [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• John kills Gianna [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• Ares and Santino’s men betray John [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• Santino puts a bounty on John’s head [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• Assassins try to collect John’s bounty [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• The Bowery King saves John’s life [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• John versus Ares [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• John kills Santino in The Continental [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• Winston declares John "excommunicado" [John Wick: Chapter 2]
• John versus assassin gangs [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• John meets with the Director [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• The Adjudicator meets with Winston and the Bowery King [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• John and Sofia visit Berrada [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• The Kasbah fight [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• The Adjudicator and Zero attack the Bowery King [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• John swears loyalty to the High Elder [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• Zero and the High Table attack The Continental [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• John fights Zero’s students [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• John versus Zero [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• Winston shoots John [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]
• John joins forces with the Bowery King [John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum]

Other upcoming John Wick projects

Finally, there are currently three additional John Wick projects on the horizon – only one of which franchise owner Lionsgate has officially greenlit. They are:

John Wick: Chapter 5

Stahelski originally intended to shoot the fourth and fifth John Wick installments back-to-back, however, Lionsgate nixed these plans in favor of focusing solely on Chapter 4. According to Stahelski, Lionsgate is still planning to move forward with John Wick: Chapter 5 in the near future, despite Chapter 4 serving as the 'conclusion' to several of the franchise’s overarching plot threads.

Sofia spinoff

As its name suggests, this spinoff would focus on Halle Berry’s ex-assassin Sofia Al-Azwar introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Berry mentioned the possibility of a Sofia solo movie getting off the ground in February 2022. Lionsgate is yet to publicly confirm that the project is in the works, though.

John Wick/Nobody crossover

Kolstad floated the possibility of a crossover between John Wick and his other action-thriller franchise, Nobody, in March 2021. Since then, Nobody director Ilya Naishuller expressed interest in seeing the worlds of John Wick and Hutch Mansell overlap, as well. Despite their enthusiasm, the two properties are controlled by different studios, which means fans shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for this one to happen.

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