Should The John Wick Franchise End With Chapter 4?

Should The John Wick Franchise End With Chapter 4?

Warning: SPOILERS for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum are in play. If you haven’t seen the film yet, bookmark this page and come back once you’ve caught up.

If anyone had doubts about the John Wick franchise’s ability to print money at the box office, this weekend’s stellar performance of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum should be enough to put them to the side. Which is perfect, because as The Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) and John Wick (Keanu Reeves) have now sworn to basically team up to take down The High Table, there’s going to be room for at least one more sequel that’ll keep the franchise going.

Of course, it’s moments like these where a franchise really has to take stock in where it is and where it’s going. With a solid story and tighter action so far, the John Wick story seems to be hitting its stride. However, how long can it keep running before it’s backed against the wall, with one too many plot assassins to contend with?

We’ve seen it with almost any iconic series that’s made it to the trilogy marker, and since John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum represents exactly that, that question should be asked right now: should the hypothetical John Wick: Chapter 4 should be the final installment of the well-favored series of action films that has reinvented Keanu Reeves’ career as an stuntacular superstar? Or is this an overreaction that seems rather premature? Let’s look at the pros and cons together and discuss.

Yes, John Wick: Chapter 4 Should Be The Finale

With The Bowery King and John Wick’s alliance serving the purpose of waging all-out war with The High Table, it could act as a proper and fitting end to the John Wick saga. For so long, this organization has ruled over the world of assassins with a strict code of rules that seems to reap a fresh current of blood with the passing of each film.

So having that expectation set for whatever John Wick: Chapter 4 may be titled, it feels like the great game should end with a blaze of glory. Maybe the film incorporates a time jump forward rather than continue right after the previous chapter, and sees John and The Bowery King worn down from an extended period of street warfare. Then, out of nowhere, a cunning strategy, some new alliances and a Hail Mary to end all desperation moves send the John Wick series out in a blaze of glory.

Though director Chad Stahelski has gone on record as stating he could make John Wick movies for the rest of his career, the story naturally has to end at some point. Why not make it the point where John takes the battle to his former overlords, shatters their grasp of power and either dies a hero or lives as a hermit, with his dog as his only companion?

No, John Wick: Chapter 4 Should Be The Door To Something Bigger

On the other hand, an all-out war with The High Table is something that the John Wick series could definitely extend into at least two, maybe even three films. With all of the intricacies in the code of assassins, and the expansion of the lore that John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum added to the picture, things could just be getting started.

In fact, one of the John Wick franchise’s strengths is the fact that with each entry, there’s just enough lore to keep your mind occupied and enough action to satisfy the part of the audience that craves spectacle. Nothing is over explained, and everything seems to happen in its own due time, without too much retconning.

With no shortage of story, and an eager cast and crew ready to keep John Wick on his slow and steady descent into High Table Hell, the series doesn’t need to rush itself into a finite end. As long as there’s an exit strategy in mind, the John Wick series could continue for as long as it wanted. Maybe it could even go into a ninth installment, with just enough films to match the number of circles Hell itself contains.

Where We Stand On The Issue

While it’s tempting to try and walk away from the table while the streak is hot, it does feel like John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum sets up too big of a future story path to end with just one film. That’s not exactly an invitation to continue aimlessly over the course of unchecked sequel growth, as there should be a definite endgame for John’s quest to become a free man yet again.

Some franchises have amazing staying power, and if there are resources and enthusiasm to continue down a certain story path, then you really can’t keep a good franchise down. John Wick’s vengeance deserves to be seen, heard and felt in its due course of time, and rushing things would only water down the quality work we’ve seen thus far.

It’s not often you’ll see a franchise that builds such a compelling case for its own continuation as John Wick does. You really don’t know what’s going to come next, and the way the story has been told up until this point is not only deliberate in its pacing, it’s also still at a point where there’s unlimited potential for fun twists and turns.

This weekend’s box office result is only further proof that the viewing public is still in love with the series that started with a reluctant, but vengeful hero who’s now sworn to rip apart the world that’s only grown to torment him more as time goes on. Each time they’ve confronted him, The High Table has thought they’d cracked John Wick’s resolve, only to see him find a new way to reduce the competition’s numbers.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor was it destroyed in that short a span of time. So if John Wick needs a couple passages past John Wick: Chapter 4, who can argue with that? Actually, if you’re looking to continue this discussion, you could, dear reader.

Now that we’ve talked out both sides to the John Wick: Chapter 4 issue, it’s your turn to get involved. Take our poll below, and tell us in the comments section about whether you feel the John Wick series has run its course or if it’s just getting started.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is in theaters now.

All The Marvel Movies That Have Made $1 Billion

All The Marvel Movies That Have Made $1 Billion

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is, without question, the biggest movie franchise of all time. The 21-film series has brought in nearly $20 billion in total box office since it began in 2008. Of course, a large part of that success is due to the fact that so many movies have been produced. Only the James Bond franchise has made as many individual films, and nobody has done it quite as quickly as Marvel Studios.

However, what might be more amazing than the total business these films have done is that about half of the total revenue that's been generated actually comes from only a third of the movies produced. Less than 40 movies in the history of cinema have made $1 billion or more at the global box office, and Marvel has made seven of them. Here, in release order, are Marvel's members of the billion dollar club.

Marvel's The Avengers

Global Box Office: $1.518 Billion

When the MCU began, nobody was quite sure just how well it would work. A series of solo movies were released. Some did well at the box office (Iron Man), some didn't do as hot (The Incredible Hulk). However, the real test of the concept was when the heroes would first be brought together in The Avengers. Needless to say it worked. The massive team-up was the first Marvel movie to break $1 billion and it's still the second highest grossing Marvel movie ever. Domestically, it's actually number one if you adjust for inflation.

Iron Man 3

Global Box Office: $1.214 Billion

Once Avengers opened the floodgates, Marvel Studios wouldn't have to wait too long to for its second billion dollar hit. Iron Man 3 followed on the heels of Avengers as the first movie of the MCU's Phase Two and clearly, even 12 months later, interest was still incredibly high. Both previous Iron Man films performed solidly when they were released, though both have been dwarfed by more recent films, but Iron Man 3 absolutely soared. It was the highest grossing solo Marvel movie until quite recently.

Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Global Box Office: $1.405 Billion

After Iron Man 3, things began to calm down for the MCU a little bit. The rest of Phase Two put up solid numbers thanks to well regarded films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, which basically proved Marvel could do anything, but we all still knew the next time the Avengers got together, the audience would come. Avengers: Age of Ultron didn't quite match the total business done by the first Avengers, but it came awfully close. It would be three years before we got another Avengers movie, but other parts of the franchise would pick up the slack.

Captain America: Civil War

Global Box Office: $1.153 Billion

Captain America: Civil War isn't a full Avengers movie, but considering the cast that shows up for it, it might as well be. Thor and Hulk might be missing, but we throw in Black Panther and Spider-Man for good measure. Every other superpowered hero that we've met in the franchise is here. If there were people who only watched Captain America movies at this point, they were probably very confused. The story has significant repercussions for the rest of the MCU, making in a must watch for anybody who wants to keep up with the larger plot. Civil War was the Marvel movie at the bottom of the billion dollar club. We'll have to wait and see if it stays there.

Black Panther

Global Box Office: $1.346 Billion

In the weeks leading up to the release of Black Panther, the box office estimates for the film just kept increasing. Then the movie actually arrived and everything just exploded. While the final tally puts Black Panther just behind Age of Ultron, Panther actually had a bigger opening weekend than Ultron and it came within just a few million of outdoing The Avengers itself. It's currently the highest grossing non-Avengers movie in the MCU. The power of a diverse cast clearly helped this one, but nobody who loves superhero movies stayed away.

Avengers: Infinity War

Global Box Office: $2.048 Billion

Including Avengers: Infinity War in a list of movies that have done more than $1 billion feels like selling it short, as the movie actually doubled that number when it was released last year. Infinity War is the fourth highest grossing movie ever made, behind Avatar, Titanic and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Those four movies have each grossed over $2 billion and number five on the list isn't even close. Infinity War was an event like few other films could ever hope to be. It certainly makes one wonder what the future has in store considering there's more of that story to be told.

Captain Marvel

Global Box Office: $1.003 Billion (and growing)

It looked for a long time like Captain Marvel, the newest entry in the MCU, was going to reach that billion dollar mark, and while it took a slow and steady route, as of now, it has done it, marking the seventh Marvel movie, and the 38th film of all-time, to achieve the milestone. It will likely add a bit more to its box office total before it's all said and done. We'll have to see if the next couple weekend are enough to get to surpass Captain America: Civil War, but with another big Marvel movie on the way, attention will soon be shifting away to other things.

Of course, while Marvel has seven movies on this list, the eighth is practically a foregone conclusion. Avengers: Endgame is selling tickets ahead of release even faster than Avengers: Infinity War did, which implies it will have a bigger opening weekend and very likely a bigger final total. Then Marvel will have two movies that have made $2 billion. We may not know what's to come in Phase Four, but movies making giant piles of cash is probably a pretty safe bet.

Five Feet Apart Reactions Highlight The Divide Between Fans And Critics

Five Feet Apart Reactions Highlight The Divide Between Fans And Critics

Sometimes fans and critics just don't agree, resulting in some wildly different opinions on a single movie. Thankfully, there isn't just one right opinion and everyone else is wrong, but it's interesting to see what films can cause such different takes. The latest is Five Feet Apart, a young adult romance drama that audiences seem to love while critics were much less hot for it.

Five Feet Apart stars Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse as two people with cystic fibrosis who enter a relationship but have to stay five feet apart from each other at all times to avoid cross infection.

The film opened in theaters this weekend, and for the most part critics haven't been too smitten. Five Feet Apart has received mostly middling reviews, with critics writing that although the film features some strong performances (notably from Haley Lu Richardson), it gives in to too many cliches. The film is at 54% on Rotten Tomatoes at this point, but audiences are having much stronger reactions to the romance drama.

The audience score is currently at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, highlighting the divide between audiences and critics on this one. I personally tend not to place too much trust in user reviews, but fans are ranking it pretty high on other review aggregators. CinemaScore, which solely measures the audience's perception of a film, gave Five Feet Apart an "A" ranking, which really good. It's important to remember that CinemaScore surveys people right after they've seen the movie, so it usually gets them at their most passionate.

I don't think that it's too surprising that there's a divide on this one. Five Feet Apart is clearly going for a specific demographic, which critics don't seem to belong to. So, you could view this as the film playing well with the audience it was made for, but doesn't do much to appeal to others.

The more interesting reaction might be in the cystic fibrosis community. Evidently, those who possess the disease at the center of the film are mixed. According to Cystic Fibrosis News Today, some like the film and believe that it will bring a lot more awareness to their disease. However, others are insulted because they view the film as a way to profit from a disease.

The cystic fibrosis community is also divided on the portrayal of living life with the actual disease. Apparently, the movie only shows patients who are very ill, and not the ones who go on to lead successful lives. Additionally, the rule is that you have to stay six feet away from someone, not five.

You can decide where you fall on Five Feet Apart, which is out in theaters everywhere. For everything else premiering this year, be sure to check out our 2019 movie release guide.

The Fast And Furious Franchise Might Give Charlize Theron’s Cipher A Spinoff

The Fast And Furious Franchise Might Give Charlize Theron’s Cipher A Spinoff

With this summer’s Hobbs and Shaw release, the Fast and the Furious franchise is officially expanding into spinoff territory. And why not? The Universal property has made the studio over $5 billion in box office earnings worldwide. After Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham have their own blockbuster moment this summer, the next spinoff may shift its gear to techie badass Cipher, from 2017’s The Fate of the Furious played by Charlize Theron.

In addition to Hobbs & Shaw, and the upcoming ninth and tenth installments from the main franchise, Universal is reportedly exploring a female-fronted Fast and Furious spinoff built around Charlize Theron’s character Cipher. Universal reportedly has been promised three Fast and Furious spinoffs, including a previously announced female-fronted film. Is this the film starring Charlize Theron’s Cipher or an additional project?

A few months back, Vin Diesel said a female-led Fast movie was officially in the works from two of the Captain Marvel writers Nicole Perlman, Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Lindsay Beer. Furthers details have not yet been announced, but many assumed Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty would be leading the film since she’s been the franchise’s leading woman since 2001. So THR's new report about Cipher is especially surprising.

Michelle Rodriguez has also been vocal about her past disappointment with the series’ treatment of female characters. This could have led Universal to think up two female-led movies, one with Letty and one with Cipher, they could be in the same movie or Rodriguez may not be involved in the upcoming Fast and the Furious spin-offs at all.

In 2017, Charlize Theron joined the franchise as the main villain Cipher, a cyber terrorist who blackmails Vin Diesel’s Dominic into betraying his crew. In Fate of the Furious it was also revealed that she played a larger role in events in other films in the franchise, making her a key character to perhaps explored in another movie.

Not to mention the impressive track record the Oscar winner has with fronting action flicks in the past. Theron has played the lead in Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde and The Huntsman: Winter’s War. Another notable connection here is the director of Hobbs & Shaw also helmed Atomic Blonde, so if Universal is planning a continued collaboration with David Leitch, the pair may jump at the opportunity to work with one another again.

Following Theron’s debut in the Fast and the Furious franchise, she seemed open to reprising her role in another film, hinting at impending conversations with Universal. Perhaps it lead to a more meaty role for the actress to take on in a future?

The Fast and the Furious franchise will first continue with Hobbs & Shaw coming to theaters on August 2 and then with Fast and the Furious 9 on May 22, 2020. Do you want to see Charlize Theron’s Cipher return for a spinoff? Let us know in the comments below.

How Karen Gillan Elevated David Dastmalchian’s All Creatures Here Below

How Karen Gillan Elevated David Dastmalchian’s All Creatures Here Below

Although both Karen Gillan and David Dastmalchian are Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans, Nebula and Kurt’s paths haven’t crossed in this ever-expanding superhero franchise (just imagine what that would look like). Instead, the two actors finally got to work with each other through the new movie All Creatures Here Below, which Dastmalchian also wrote.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing David Dastmalchian about All Creatures Here Below and various other subjects, and right off the bat he offered effusive praise towards Karen Gillan’s performance in the movie, particularly with how she was able to fully immerse herself in her character, Ruby, who is living a troubled life with Dastmalchian’s Gensan. Dastmalchian explained:

I think [Karen] is our Daniel Day-Lewis. I really do. I feel like she’s got the ability and works very hard, but beyond just her work ethic, she’s one of the most chameleon-like talents I’ve ever witnessed firsthand, and it’s really mind-blowing what she can do with her face, her body, her voice. So the fact that she wanted to come be in our tiny, no-budget movie… the fact that she came and gave that performance, it’s so humbling. I’ll be grateful for that performance for the rest of my life that she brought that character to life so beautifully.

While she’s arguably best known for playing Nebula in the MCU, Amy Pond on Doctor Who and Ruby Roundhouse in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the actress is no stranger to more dramatic projects, and All Creatures Here Below provided her another opportunity to explore a truly dark role. Gillan had just finished work on Avengers: Endgame when she came to All Creatures Here Below, but as David Dastmalchain noted, she brought a positive attitude and great energy during her time on the much-smaller movie.

All Creatures Here Below follows Ruby and Gensan as they’re struggling to make ends meet in Los Angeles and then are forced to flee to Kansas City after committing a crime. It’s hard to go into more detail about the plot without spoiling anything, but suffice it to say that if you’re familiar with Karen Gillan’s through her fantastical work, this thriller will show you a new side of her acting chops.

As for how Karen Gillan joined All Creatures Here Below, David Dastmalchian explained that while he had seen her in a number of things beforehand, he didn’t realize she was the same person in some of those projects. When he and his team started putting All Creatures Here Below, producers wanted to pitch the role of Ruby to a “name actor,” i.e. somebody with an established name in Hollywood.

David Dastmalchian assumed an actor of that caliber wouldn’t want to join the movie, but the All Creatures Here Below script eventually made its way to Karen Gillan’s agents, and because she’d been looking for something that was “independent and really challenging and gritty,” she was game to star in the movie. One meeting with Dastmalchian and director Colin Schiffli later, and she was in.

Suffice it to say that David Dastmalchian had a great time working with Karen Gillan, calling her a “kindred spirit” and good friend. He told me that he would like to “do as many roles” with her as possible, saying that she helped him become a better actor because of her work ethic. While both actors have gone their separate ways for now, perhaps his wish will eventually come true, especially if he writes a script with a character he can only imagine her playing.

You can watch All Creatures Here Below on VOD now, and if you’re curious about what movies are headed to the big screen later this year, look through our 2019 release schedule. As for Karen Gillan and David Dastmalchian, the former’s upcoming movies include Stuber, Jumanji 3 and Call of the Wild, while the latter will be seen in Dune, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot and the Hulu series Reprisal.

IMAX Is Opening World's Biggest Screen In 2020, And It's Wider Than A Boeing 737

IMAX Is Opening World's Biggest Screen In 2020, And It's Wider Than A Boeing 737

In the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema was king and one of the major ways that people spent their entertainment dollar. While movies have always remained important, the theater has seen increased pressure from sources like television, video games, and streaming services. To combat the competition, theaters have tried everything from adding color, to 3D, to increasing the size of the screen. This last item has never stopped being a point of differentiation, as companies like IMAX use their massive size as a major way to compete not only with other forms of media, but with other theaters. Now, the company is getting ready to unveil its biggest screen ever, at a massive 38 meters wide and 22 meters tall.

The screen is being installed at the Traumpalast Leonberg multiplex located in Leonberg, Germany and is expected to open sometime in 2020. Needless to say this is a huge benefit to the independent theater in a city which has a population of less than 50,000 people. It's a bit surprising to see a world record screen going into a theater in a relatively small part of Germany, but IMAX is a fairly new addition to the nation as a whole, with only 10 theaters currently open or contracted to open, so putting IMAX's biggest screen ever in the country can only help those efforts.

In imperial measurements, the screen is just short of 125 feet long and just over 72 feet tall. A standard IMAX screen, for comparison, comes in at 72 feet wide and 53 feet tall. The previous record holder for IMAX was a screen in Sydney Australia which measures 117 feet long.

It should be pointed out that when Deadline and IMAX refer to it as the world's largest IMAX screen, that appears to be in length only. The screen in Australia is apparently significantly taller than the one being installed in Germany, at 97 feet, and therefore is also larger from a square footage perspective.

While a bigger screen is certainly attractive, I can't help but wonder if there's a point of diminishing returns here. With the screen being so large the seating location to be able to take it all in is going to be that much further back as compared to standard IMAX. If you end up too far back, you're going to lose the benefits of the massive screen. Maybe some people won't mind watching movies like they're watching a live tennis match, but I'm not one of those people.

Which is not to say that if I found myself in Leonberg, Germany, I wouldn't buy a ticket to whatever was showing on the world's largest IMAX screen. Whatever Marvel or Lucasfilm has planned for 2020 will probably look absolutely amazing on a screen that size.

AMC Adds Some Round The Clock Showings Of Avengers: Endgame

AMC Adds Some Round The Clock Showings Of Avengers: Endgame

As many of you dear readers would know, the blitz to get tickets for Avengers: Endgame was so great it stopped the box office world for a beat. Ticket apps crashed, which eventually lead to some fans being unable to get tickets as early as others. The initial wave of tickets were eventually sold out, which lead to a healthy resellers’ market of overinflated pricing.

It looked like if you wanted to see this movie this weekend, much as the Russo Brothers intended, you were out of luck. But now, it seems like hope is on the horizon, as AMC Theatres is adding even more showings of Avengers: Endgame to its calendar for opening weekend, with some locations staying open round the clock for the entire weekend.

Before you get too excited though, you’re going to want to check your local showtimes really carefully. We say this, because that “round the clock” business isn’t applicable at all AMC locations. As a matter of fact, it looks like most of the round the clock operations will be during the Thursday/Friday timeframe, with 29 AMC theaters being open through those two specific days.

Meanwhile, 18 locations will be open between Thursday and Saturday or Friday through Sunday, again with around the clock service for Avengers: Endgame fans. Finally, 17 AMC Theaters locations will be open from Thursday through Sunday, in full 24 hour shifts.

What’s even more interesting about this influx of tickets to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s grand finale to its Infinity Saga is the fact that this is only applicable to the AMC Theatres chain. Now this could mean that other chains, both major and independent, would be forced to compete in a similar manner, leading to other businesses adding showtimes to their locations much like AMC did in this recent report from THR. This massive push to keep movie fans happy promises to make this massive record-breaking weekend for Avengers: Endgame even more of an event, especially in the face of updated estimates for this weekend that have put the film within possible striking distance of a $300 million opening in the domestic marketplace alone.

So if you’re thinking of seeing Avengers: Endgame this weekend, and AMC isn’t an option due to locations and ticket availability, don’t lose hope just yet. Keep your eyes peeled for further updates, and again, be sure to check your local listings extra carefully. Good luck out there, True Believers, and may you see the Endgame in due time.

Avengers: Endgame starts its conquest of the box office market on Thursday night, and if you’re lucky, you might just get a ticket to see the movie that’ll be on everyone’s lips throughout the summer. But if you don’t find yourself with tickets, and want to see something anyway, head over to the 2019 release schedule to see some of the films already in theaters, ready for you to give them a shot.