The John Wick films in release order: John Wick (2014), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), the miniseries The Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023) and the spin-off Ballerina (2025). In story chronology, The Continental comes first, and Ballerina sits between the third and fourth films.
Below you’ll find US release dates, directors and running times, spoiler-free plot summaries, two viewing orders, and what has already come out around the films. The details were checked against the official Lionsgate franchise website and the Russian-language Wikipedia as of October 14, 2026. Titles are given in their original English form.
All the John Wick films in release order
| Film | US release | Director | Running time, min |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Wick | October 24, 2014 | Chad Stahelski (and David Leitch) | 101 |
| John Wick: Chapter 2 | February 10, 2017 | Chad Stahelski | 122 |
| John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum | May 17, 2019 | Chad Stahelski | 131 |
| John Wick: Chapter 4 | March 24, 2023 | Chad Stahelski | 169 |
| Ballerina | June 6, 2025 | Len Wiseman | 125 |
The full-length films include the four parts of the main series and Ballerina, the first full-length spin-off. The Continental: From the World of John Wick is not in the table, because it is a miniseries of three episodes.
Story timeline: what comes after what
By time of action, the order is different. The Continental: From the World of John Wick is a prequel set in the 1970s, featuring a young Winston Scott. Lionsgate writes that Ballerina takes place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum; in the franchise’s chronology, it is placed between the third and fourth films.
The Continental: From the World of John Wick
1970s, New York: young Winston Scott
John Wick
A former hitman returns to the criminal underworld
John Wick: Chapter 2
A blood oath and a trip to Rome
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Wick becomes the target of a manhunt
Ballerina
A spin-off about Eve Macarro, set during the period of the third film
John Wick: Chapter 4
The road to defeating the High Table
What each film is about, without spoilers
John Wick (2014)
Former hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) returns to the world he left after thugs attack him at home. Director Chad Stahelski; David Leitch was involved in production (the Lionsgate website lists both), but only Stahelski is credited as director. The screenplay is by Derek Kolstad. The cast also includes Ian McShane, Alfie Allen and Willem Dafoe.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
A former associate who plans to seize power in a secret international guild of assassins drags Wick out of retirement: he is bound by a blood oath and travels to Rome. The cast includes Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio and Ruby Rose.
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)
A bounty is placed on Wick’s head, and he goes into hiding in New York, trying to get out of the city. The cast includes Halle Berry, Mark Dacascos, Anjelica Huston and Asia Dillon.
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Wick finds a way to defeat the High Table, but first he must deal with a new enemy, relying on allies around the world. The film runs 169 minutes, making it the longest in the series. The cast includes Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rina Sawayama and Scott Adkins.
Ballerina (2025)
The official title is “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina.” Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) is only beginning her training in the traditions of the assassins from Ruska Roma. Directed by Len Wiseman, screenplay by Shay Hatten. The cast includes Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves as John Wick.
The Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023)
The miniseries ran from September 22 to October 6, 2023, on Peacock; outside the US, it was shown by Prime Video. The three episodes run from 79 to 97 minutes. Colin Woodell plays the young Winston Scott, and Mel Gibson plays the owner of a New York hotel.
On the official Lionsgate website, each of the first three films is linked to its own Continental hotel: in John Wick it is New York, in John Wick: Chapter 2 it is Rome, and in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum it is Casablanca.
Which order to watch them in
Newcomers will do best with the release order: this way you get to know the world in the order its creators revealed it, and in Ballerina and The Continental you’ll meet characters from the main series. Keep the chronological order for a rewatch.
| Release order | Chronological order |
|---|---|
| 1. John Wick (2014) | 1. The Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023) |
| 2. John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) | 2. John Wick (2014) |
| 3. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) | 3. John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) |
| 4. John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) | 4. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) |
| 5. The Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023) | 5. Ballerina (2025) |
| 6. Ballerina (2025) | 6. John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) |
If you like watching films in order, we have similar guides: all the Fast & Furious movies in order, all the Spider-Man movies in order and the order to watch the Batman movies.
What else has come out: a documentary and games
- Wick Is Pain. A documentary by Jeffrey Doe about the making of the franchise, with Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski: it premiered at the Beyond Fest festival on May 8, 2025, and came out digitally the next day.
- John Wick Chronicles. A VR game, released February 9, 2017.
- John Wick Hex. A tactical game, released October 8, 2019.
Sources and methodology
Analysis of public sourcesChecked 14 October 2026
- Lionsgate — John Wick Franchise (official website) johnwick.movie
- Lionsgate — From the World of John Wick: Ballerina johnwick.movie
- Lionsgate — John Wick: Chapter 4 johnwick.movie
- Russian Wikipedia — John Wick (franchise) ru.wikipedia.org
- Variety — Lionsgate announcements at CinemaCon 2025 au.variety.com
Frequently asked questions
How many John Wick films have been released?
Five full-length films: four parts of the main series (John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, John Wick: Chapter 4) and the spin-off Ballerina. In addition, the miniseries The Continental: From the World of John Wick came out, with three episodes.
In what order should you watch John Wick?
Newcomers should go by release order, starting with John Wick (2014). By story chronology, the order is: The Continental: From the World of John Wick, John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Ballerina, John Wick: Chapter 4.
Do you need to watch The Continental before the first film?
No. It is a prequel about a young Winston Scott in New York in the 1970s. You can watch it after the main series, or in chronological order on a rewatch.
Does Keanu Reeves appear in Ballerina?
Yes: on the official Lionsgate website, Keanu Reeves is listed in the cast as John Wick. The main character, Eve Macarro, is played by Ana de Armas.
When will John Wick: Chapter 5 come out?
Lionsgate announced the film at CinemaCon in April 2025, but we couldn’t find a release date. The article covers only what has already come out.
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