Why The Bowery King Spin-Off Could Revive the John Wick Franchise!

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In a nutshell, the world built around “John Wick” movies appears ripe with intriguing spin-offs beyond its primary installments. However, it hasn’t fully realized this potential yet. Regardless, one can’t deny its efforts. John Wick still carries several more action scenes up his sleeve if you count a possible fifth movie. Some of the ideas seem a bit raw, placing Wick in various crossover possibilities with movies influenced by his unique concept. But there are still some captivating proposals worth considering. One intriguing long-term possibility revolves around Laurence Fishburne’s character, the Bowery King, and this concept is definitely worthy of discussion.

Nowadays, the primary ambition for many media properties is to establish an extensive, interconnected universe like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Star Wars. However, the John Wick series doesn’t quite fit that mold as it was a classic film series that achieved success through traditional means rather than interconnected storylines. Lionsgate has no plans to abandon one of its most profitable brands, but they are exploring potential ways to maintain consistency within the franchise. Here’s hoping they continue experimenting with fresh and innovative ideas for John Wick!

How Many John Wick Spinoffs Were Planned?

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  • Ballerina: Starring Ana de Armas as a dancer-turned-vengeful assassin, the first big-screen John Wick spinoff will hit theaters in June. They’re already talking about a potential sequel.
  • Caine: Donnie Yen’s blind assassin from the fourth film has an untitled solo project in production. It would likely follow the fourth film and explore Rina Sawayama’s Akira and her place in the never-ending cycle of violence. Chad Stahelski claimed that this project is in the works, with shooting beginning in Hong Kong sometime this year.
  • The Anime Prequel: An animated prequel in the Japanese style will allegedly focus on the impossible task John Wick completed to leave his former life behind. Stahelski also placed this in the timeline sometime soon.
  • Crossovers with Atomic Blonde and Nobody: David Leitch has spoken about potentially allowing Wick to interact with Charlize Theron’s character from Atomic Blonde or Bob Odenkirk’s character from Nobody, but these are unlikely to come to fruition.
  • Sofia: Halle Berry’s character, a fellow assassin with a pair of mighty attack dogs, also has a potential place in the universe. Stahelski mentioned the potential of Sofia returning alongside Shamier Anderson’s character in a new project.
  • Under the High Table: A TV series with a very vague premise in which a group of new characters try to fight the titular governing body of the underworld. This one’s quite up in the air, granting the opportunity for just about any character to pop up.
  • The Bowery King: Last but not least, Laurence Fishburne’s powerful leader over a network of homeless assassins has a potential prequel in the works. It’s gone quiet, but this could be the best pitch the world of John Wick has to offer right now.

The Bowery King Movie Has a Great Premise

The Bowery King, whose true identity remains unknown, was initially just a low-level guard working under the control of the High Table, much like many other minor criminal operatives. However, he crossed paths with John Wick and made a crucial decision that allowed him to survive – choosing not to press his injuries further, giving Wick an opportunity to stop him. Later on, the Bowery King gained control over The Soup Kitchen, a shelter for homeless people which, in reality, serves as a training ground and recruitment center for spies and assassins, disguised as homeless individuals. By exploiting New York City’s tendency to ignore those in need, he has built an untraceable information network that keeps him informed about all the city’s activities. The Bowery King claims that his power only exists as long as he holds it, making him a formidable adversary of the High Table operating covertly beneath the surface. Delving into this mysterious character and his influence on the secret criminal underworld could offer a fresh perspective in the John Wick franchise.

Could The Bowery King Movie Still Come Out?

So far, discussions about this concept have been minimal, yet no clear rejection has surfaced. Back in 2023, series producer Erica Lee showed interest in the project, and later, in the following year, Stahelski hinted at something related to a homeless network. Since November, there hasn’t been much talk about it, but given the lack of negative indications, it’s plausible that it might still be in development. Stahelski has mentioned the Caine project and an animated prequel as upcoming projects following Ballerina, but beyond that, it seems unclear where things stand.

The Bowery King offers an engaging tale and a fresh perspective on an ever-intriguing backdrop. Lionsgate appears to be relying increasingly on high-profile talent, often reaching back into history to shape the future. Although The Continental didn’t quite hit its mark, the Bowery King presents a more robust character that could shape a much more captivating new environment. If Lionsgate aims for the World of John Wick to thrive, they must continue exploring fresh angles. The Bowery King provides them an opportunity to explore from the ground up.

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2025-04-02 15:34