You Killed My Dog, Now I’m a Franchise

Is John Wick 4 the Best Wick?

May 30, 2025

Body count: astronomical. Dialogue: monosyllabic. Tailoring: immaculate.

This week on Unspooled, Paul asked the Action Boyz (John Gabrus, Ben Rodgers, Ryan Stanger) is John Wick 4 the best John Wick, they said, NO! What do you think?

What’s on the Docket

Paul has a Theory
Buster Keaton the Original John Wick
Concept Art of the Tokyo Continental
Lance
Is Wick Dead
The Triumph of the Triomphe
JW4 Kill Count
Unspooled Reccommends
Clubber Lang’s Apartment
Rejected Poster

PAUL’S HOT TAKE - A DELETED SCENE FROM THIS WEEK’S EP

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What Keaton and Wick Share?

Dana Stevens: It’s not hard to catch the overt Keaton references in the John Wick movies, like the projection of a scene from Sherlock Jr. on the side of a building at the beginning of the second movie. Or John falling out of an upper-story window and having the awnings break his fall on the way down in John Wick 3, a gag that comes straight from a Keaton film, Three Ages.
Chad Stahelski: Keaton’s also in John Wick 4. When Keanu’s walking to the Osaka train station, there’s a projection of Keaton going on in the background.

Read the Whole Article

Tokyo Raid CONCEPT ART by Thomas Möhring

Thomas Möhring, a concept artist who contributed to John Wick: Chapter 4, has showcased his work on platforms like ArtStation and Instagram. Check it out for more of his work.

No Body, No Burial

No body. No casket. Just Winston and the Bowery King looking suspiciously well-rested for two men who just buried a friend.

The Dog Knows

In the final scene, Wick’s dog perks up like he senses something. Is he near?

Winston’s Mona Lisa Smile

When asked where John is—heaven or hell—Winston says: “Who knows?”

Getting Faded

John slumps on the Sacré-Cœur steps. Cut to sunrise. No final breath. No pulse check. Verdict

Director Chad Stahelski revealed that an alternate ending was filmed, showing Wick alive, but it was ultimately not used to maintain ambiguity (and because audiences rejected it) and now with John Wick 5 being announced, the answer is YES, WICK LIVES

Toys R’ Me

We were so caught up in duels, dogs, and debonair headshots that we didn’t pause to acknowledge one of the most elegant weapons this franchise ever had: Lance Reddick.

From The Wire to Fringe to Bosch, Reddick built a legacy of commanding presences, restrained power, and voices that sounded like prophecy. And here’s the part not enough people talk about: he was hilarious.

He crushed in Corporate. He went absurd in sketches. And yes, he even showed up alongside Paul Scheer in NTSF:SD:SUV::, proving he could match wild comedy beat-for-beat without ever losing his gravitas. One of our favorite deep cuts?

Lance Reddick could do it all. And he did it with integrity, mystery, and real joy.

We miss him.

“It has been my great honor to be a part of your story.”
—Charon, John Wick: Chapter 4

The Triumph of D’ Arc

Director Chad Stahelski described this sequence as the most challenging to film, citing the coordination of 50 stunt drivers from various countries, language barriers, and the inclusion of live animals. Notably, a shot featuring five stunt performers being struck by vehicles simultaneously was achieved without cuts and done all practically.