Lionsgate was always going to need to take the John Wick franchise in a new direction if it wanted to keep the film series going after the inevitable exit of its central star. A spinoff series came and went with a telling lack of fanfare that spoke,

In fact, Keanu Reeves actually pops up multiple times in the movie. The first comes early on, as he pays a visit to the Ruska Roma compound. He has a short exchange with Eve, where he promises that he’s working on getting out of the assassin life.

Ana de Armas takes center stage in a John Wick prequel about a dancing orphan's quest for vengeance. The plot flails, but the creative carnage gets an ovation.