By Robert Scucci
| Published
If you haven’t yet worked your way through the John Wick franchise, but need some excitement in your life before the upcoming Ballerina spinoff movie sees its June 6, 2025 release, then you can blast your way through the first four films on Hulu faster than you can say “Baba Yaga.” Starting with one man’s quest for revenge before quickly snowballing into the convoluted politics of the High Table council that runs the world, the John Wick franchise is celebrated as the best of its kind for its high body count, nuanced storytelling, elaborate worldbuilding, and meticulously choreographed action sequences. If that’s not enough to get your motor going, it’s also worth noting that John Wick once killed three men in a bar with a pencil.
It Starts With A Dog
The John Wick universe slowly builds on itself, starting with such a painfully simplistic premise that you’ll first wonder how it grew into a billion-dollar franchise. With each installment more complex than the one that precedes it, you’re taken on a wild journey that starts with a man avenging his dog that ends up traversing continents as the politics of the High Table become increasingly convoluted but nonetheless operate like a well-oiled machine. Unlike other action franchises that can never fully recreate the lightning in a bottle that was captured with the first installment, the John Wick universe has proven that if you slowly fold in the lore without ever fully showing what’s going on behind the curtain, then the sequels will be successful.
After all, John Wick: Chapter 4 is the highest-grossing film in the franchise (over $440 million in box office receipts, worldwide), and considered to be one of the greatest action movies of all time.
Why It Works
Known for their over-the-top action sequences that have unthinkably high body counts, every film in the John Wick franchise is an adrenaline rush from start to finish, and Keanu Reeves never seems to phone it in with his portrayal of the eponymous character. Even after he’s been beaten into submission, Reeves still manages to request “Guns. Lots of Guns.” while making a cheeky reference to the Matrix franchise when John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum begins to heat up.
Guided by the owner of the Continental Hotel, Winston Scott (Ian McShane), and his concierge, Charon (Lance Reddick), John Wick, through “sheer f*cking will” always manages to stay one step ahead of the powers that be. As the John Wick film franchise expands, we’re introduced to Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King, who isn’t afraid to play against the rules.
Continues to Build
At its heart, the John Wick franchise focuses on one man’s journey for peace as he returns to the life of crime he abandoned when given no other choice after a dog gifted to him from his deceased wife is murdered, and his car is stolen. From this launching point, the seedy politics of a criminal underworld are slowly exposed, making you wonder how deep everything really goes. After four films, The Continental spinoff prequel series, and the upcoming Ballerina film, which will take place between the events witnessed in Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, there’s no sign that the John Wick franchise will be letting up any time soon, and future film installments are in varying stages of production at the time of this writing.
Presently, you can stream John Wick and its sequels with an active Hulu subscription (Chapter 4 will require the STARZ add-on).
