John Wick Movies in Order (Including Ballerina)

All John Wick Movies at a Glance

John Wick: Chapter 1 — The Beginning (2014)

Released in October 2014 with minimal marketing, John Wick (7.4) was an immediate sensation that announced directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch as the new kings of action cinema. The premise is deceptively simple: John Wick, the most feared assassin in the world, comes out of retirement to hunt down the men who killed his dog (a final gift from his deceased wife) and stole his car. Thematically, it's a film about grief, purpose, and the impossibility of leaving a violent life behind. The action is revolutionary — the 'gun-fu' style (inspired by Hong Kong action cinema, John Woo films, and The Matrix) uses real tactical shooting, jiu-jitsu close-quarters combat, and long takes that let Keanu Reeves do the work himself. The Continental Hotel, the gold coin economy, the Adjudicator, and the sprawling underworld mythology are all introduced in this film, establishing a universe that feels lived-in and endlessly fascinating. The Red Circle club shootout is the sequence that changed action movies forever.

John Wick: Chapter 2 — Expanding the World (2017)

John Wick: Chapter 2 (7.4) expands the world of the Continental exponentially while maintaining the same razor-sharp action quality. Wick is forced to honor a blood marker (a sacred oath) to Santino D'Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio), which sends him to Rome to assassinate his sister and claim her seat at the High Table. The film introduces the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne), the tattooed Ares (Ruby Rose), and the sommelier who equips Wick with a custom pistol. The hall of mirrors sequence is one of the most visually stunning action set pieces ever filmed — a kaleidoscope of broken glass, gunfire, and reflections that feels like an art installation designed by assassins. The ending is a gut punch: after killing Santino inside the Continental (violating the sacred 'no business on Continental grounds' rule), Wick is excommunicated and declared 'excommunicado' — stripped of all underworld privileges and hunted by every assassin in the world.

John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum (2019)

Parabellum (7.4) picks up exactly where Chapter 2 ends — John Wick has one hour before his excommunicado status goes into effect, and he's a $14 million bounty for every assassin on the planet. The opening sequence (Wick hiding in the New York Public Library, fighting Ernest with a book) is pure adrenaline. The film escalates in every direction: the horses in the stable fight, the knife-throwing museum sequence with Zero (Mark Dacascos, the most charming assassin in the series), and the 25-minute non-stop finale in the Continental where Wick fights through waves of assassins to reach the High Table's Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon). The film ends with Winston (Ian McShane) betraying Wick — shooting him off the roof of the Continental to reset his status — but not before Wick declares war on the High Table. Chapter 3 is the middle chapter that suffers slightly from narrative sprawl, but its action sequences are the most ambitious in the series up to that point.

Ballerina (2025) — The Spin-Off

Ballerina (6.6 on IMDb, 75% on Rotten Tomatoes) is the first spin-off in the John Wick universe, released in June 2025 starring Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, a young ballerina-assassin trained by the Ruska Roma (the same organization that trained John Wick). The film takes place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, showing what happens in the assassin underworld while Wick is on the run. Keanu Reeves appears as John Wick in a supporting role, alongside Ian McShane's Winston, the late Lance Reddick as Charon (in one of his final performances), and Anjelica Huston as The Director. The action is directed by Chad Stahelski and maintains the franchise's signature choreographic precision. Critically, Ballerina was well-received — praised for de Armas' physical performance and the film's emotional core — though some felt it was too derivative of the main series. It streamed on Starz and HBO Max after its theatrical run, with a John Wick 5 tease in its post-credits scene.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) — The Masterpiece

John Wick: Chapter 4 (7.6) is the highest-rated film in the franchise and one of the greatest action films ever made. At 2 hours and 49 minutes, it's a monumental achievement in action cinema — a nearly three-hour film that never drags, with set pieces that redefine what's possible in the genre. The overhead-level Dragon's Breath shotgun sequence in the Arc de Triomphe apartment is the single most stunning action sequence in modern cinema — a god's-eye view of Wick clearing rooms with incendiary shotgun shells that turns the screen into a canvas of fire and carnage. Donnie Yen as Caine (a blind assassin who was Wick's friend) is a phenomenal addition, as is Hiroyuki Sanada as Shimazu, Scott Adkins as the fat-suit-wearing Killa Harkan, and Bill Skarsgård as the Marquis de Gramont. The final staircase fight at Sacré-Cœur — where Wick literally climbs hundreds of steps, getting thrown down and climbing again — is the ultimate expression of the franchise's themes: relentless endurance in the face of impossible odds. The ending suggests Wick's death, but the post-credits scene of Akira (Rina Sawayama) approaching Caine with a knife strongly implies the story continues.

The Continental (2023) — The TV Prequel

The Continental: From the World of John Wick is a three-part limited series released in 2023, set 40 years before the events of John Wick in 1970s New York. It follows a young Winston Scott (played by Colin Woodell, replacing Ian McShane) as he rises through the criminal underworld to ultimately take control of the Continental Hotel. The series explores the origins of the Continental, the High Table, and Winston's relationship with Charon (played by Ayomide Adegun, replacing the late Lance Reddick). Mel Gibson stars as Cormac, the corrupt manager of the Continental who Winston must overthrow. Reception was mixed — the action is solid and the 1970s aesthetic is well-realized, but it lacks the balletic choreography of the films and the pacing is uneven. It's entirely optional viewing for understanding the main Wick storyline, but adds context to Winston's character. Streaming on Peacock.

Where to Stream the John Wick Universe in 2026

As of June 2026, the streaming rights for John Wick are split across two services in the US. The original trilogy — John Wick, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3 — stream on HBO Max (now simply called Max) thanks to a licensing deal that brought them back in January 2026. The two newest entries — Chapter 4 and Ballerina — stream exclusively on Starz, a premium cable channel and streaming service that costs $8.99/month. You can add Starz as an Amazon Prime Video channel or subscribe directly through the Starz app. For a complete marathon, you'll need both Max ($10.99/month with ads) and Starz ($8.99/month). Alternatively, all five films are available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and YouTube — typically $3.99 to rent, $9.99 to $14.99 to buy. The Continental TV series streams on Peacock ($7.99/month with ads). John Wick 5 has been confirmed to be in development and is expected to begin production in 2026 or 2027.