John Wick’s creator reveals he will NOT be a part of the fourth and fifth films

‘It wasn’t my decision’: John Wick’s creator reveals he will NOT be a part of the fourth and fifth films because he wasn’t asked to return but claims it’s ‘how things go’

John Wick creator Derek Kolstad has revealed he hasn’t been asked to return for the fourth and fifth films in the franchise.

Speaking to Collider on Monday, the screenwriter, 47, said he wouldn’t be back because the studio didn’t ask him to return, but claimed he wasn’t ‘hurt’ by the decision as it’s ‘how things go’.

He admitted: ‘It wasn’t my decision. When you think contractually [about] these things, the third one, I shared the credit with a number of people. 

‘It wasn’t my decision’: John Wick creator Derek Kolstad revealed on Monday he won’t be a part of the fourth and fifth films because he wasn’t asked to return but claims it’s ‘how things go’

‘They didn’t have to come back to me, and so they didn’t. You look at that and you could be hurt. I would say if it was 20 years ago, I would have been. 

‘But seeing what the industry is and how things go, I just believe that you bless everything and hope it all the best, and to the players involved who are doing other things elsewhere.’

Derek added that it was par for the course in Hollywood, as he said at some point in a franchise the studio will claim ‘your creation is graduated’.

Thoughts: Derek claimed as he co-wrote the script for John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum the studio 'didn't have to come back to me, and so they didn't' (Keanu Reeves pictured in third film)

Thoughts: Derek claimed as he co-wrote the script for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum the studio ‘didn’t have to come back to me, and so they didn’t’ (Keanu Reeves pictured in third film)

Although it is no doubt a disappointment not to be part of future John Wick projects, which stars Keanu Reeves as the lead, the writer said he’d never ‘talk s**t’ about the franchise because he wants it to continue to thrive and grow. 

Derek had sole writing credit for the first and second John Wick films, but co-wrote the script for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum alongside Shay Hatten, Chris Collins, and Marc Abrams.

He also confirmed that he would not be working on the franchise’s prequel TV series The Continental, which will focus on the chain of hotels that act as neutral territory for hitmen, like Wick, and other members of the criminal underworld.

Candid: Derek (pictured in 2019) said he would have been hurt by the decision if it was '20 years ago', but said bow he just 'believe[s] that you bless everything and hope it all the best'

Candid: Derek (pictured in 2019) said he would have been hurt by the decision if it was ’20 years ago’, but said bow he just ‘believe[s] that you bless everything and hope it all the best’

The John Wick franchise follows its eponymous character, who returns to his career as a hitman from retirement after his beloved dog is killed following his wife’s death.

In the second film, John is once again thrown back into the criminal underworld when he’s tasked with killing the head of the Italian Camorra crime syndicate, which leads him to gun down a member of the assassins guild The High Table. 

Following the death, John goes on the run without the protection of the guild and must survive being targeted by the world’s most ruthless killers after a $14 million bounty is put on his head.

John Wick 4 is set to be released on May 27, 2022, while the fifth film is expected to be released in 2023.

Supportive: Derek also said he'd never 'talk s**t' about the franchise because he wants it to continue to thrive and grow (Keanu and Halle Berry pictured in John Wick 3)

Supportive: Derek also said he’d never ‘talk s**t’ about the franchise because he wants it to continue to thrive and grow (Keanu and Halle Berry pictured in John Wick 3)