In the cutthroat world of action films, where every franchise is fighting tooth and nail for its moment in the sun, the John Wick series has managed to carve out its own niche like a hot knife through butter. Since its debut in 2014, the franchise has morphed into a global blockbuster phenomenon, propelled by Keanu Reeves’ magnetic performance that fans have come to cherish. But as the saying goes, “Don’t rest on your laurels”, and the franchise certainly isn’t.
With spinoff shows like The Continental: From the World of John Wick extending John Wick’s reach to the small screen, the saga now embarks on a new chapter titled John Wick: Under the High Table. Officially greenlit in August 2024, this series will be helmed by showrunner Robert Levine, who will also serve as writer and executive producer.
Overseen by an impressive team—Chad Stahelski, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Reeves, each adding their executive expertise—this project is also turning skeptics into some fans.
Everything We Know So Far About John Wick’s New Spinoff
Well, it looks like the John Wick franchise is expanding even further with the upcoming TV series, John Wick: Under the High Table. Months after whispers first began circling in 2023 (see Collider), the cat is finally out of the bag. The project will be spearheaded by franchise stalwart Chad Stahelski, who will direct the pilot episode (via Deadline).
The director will be joined behind the scenes by Keanu Reeves, who will serve as an executive producer. Though the latter won’t be making an appearance in this series, his fingerprints will undoubtedly be all over it.
While it took until August 2024 to get the confirmation, the buzz started long before, with Stahelski teasing fans about the project while keeping the specifics tightly under wraps. According to insights from Discussing Film, the spinoff will delve into the enigmatic realm of The High Table.
But Stahelski has made it clear that not all secrets will be laid bare, as he noted during an episode of The Discourse podcast (via The Playlist):.
We’re never going to show the whole High Table; we’ll show the representatives, but we’ll always keep some of that [mystery]. And now that we’ve got… Lionsgate is having us develop the ‘John Wick’ TV show, so we thought we could explore The High Table in that a little bit.
Despite the excitement, the path hasn’t been entirely smooth. The plot of the series will pick up right where John Wick: Chapter 4 left off, with fresh faces gunning to topple the High Table (via THR). However, not all fans were initially thrilled by the expansion of the franchise.
Why Are Fans Giving this John Wick Spinoff Another Chance?
Indeed, some fans were concerned that the continuous spinoffs might end up stretching the John Wick universe thin, fearing that the franchise could end up as just another cash cow. Despite the skepticism, the latest twist is that John Wick: Under the High Table is starting to earn back respect—thanks to Reeves’ involvement as a co-producer.
Fans are cautiously optimistic, with Reddit users weighing in:
Ergo, whether the series will be a smashing success or just another blip on the radar remains to be seen, but we can’t deny that the world of John Wick is far from ready to bow out gracefully.
Moreover, the franchise is expanding at full throttle, with a smorgasbord of projects revving up the excitement. First on the docket was the high-octane limited series The Continental: From the World of John Wick, crashing onto screens in 2023! Hot on its heels, John Wick Presents: Ballerina is set to leap into theaters in 2025.
So, get ready because the John Wick franchise is going into overdrive, and it’s clear the action is only getting bigger and better!
Stream John Wick on Pluto TV.
