Watch John Wick in release order: John Wick (2014), Chapter 2, Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. Ballerina (2025) is set during Chapter 3, and The Continental is a prequel series; both are optional.
- Titles
- 6
- Films
- 5
- Series
- 1
- Watch time
- 15 hours
- Box office
- $1.17 billion
- Avg IMDb
- 7.3
John Wick movies in release order
Here is every John Wick (Ballerina) title in the order it came out, 2014 to 2025: 5 films and 1 series. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Wick | 2014 | Film | 1h 41m | 7.5 |
| 2 | John Wick: Chapter 2 | 2017 | Film | 2h 2m | 7.4 |
| 3 | John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum | 2019 | Film | 2h 11m | 7.4 |
| 4 | John Wick: Chapter 4 | 2023 | Film | 2h 50m | 7.6 |
| 5 | The Continental: From the World of John Wick optional | 2023 | Series | 4h 25m | 7.1 |
| 6 | Ballerina optional | 2025 | Film | 2h 5m | 6.8 |
John Wick timeline: movies in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Continental: From the World of John Wick | 1970s | 2023 |
| 2 | John Wick | Present day | 2014 |
| 3 | John Wick: Chapter 2 | Days later | 2017 |
| 4 | John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum | An hour later | 2019 |
| 5 | Ballerina | Between Chapters 3 and 4 | 2025 |
| 6 | John Wick: Chapter 4 | After Chapter 3 | 2023 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 6 titles here. In release order you start with John Wick (2014); in story order you start with The Continental: From the World of John Wick, set in 1970s, which came out 9 years later.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns John Wick into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
Where to start
Start with John Wick and go in release order, skipping the 2 optional titles on the first pass.
The essentials are 4 titles and about 9 hours, 43% less than the full run.
The three highest rated: John Wick: Chapter 4 (7.6), John Wick (7.5), and John Wick: Chapter 2 (7.4).
Every John Wick movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 2014 · Film · 1h 41m · 2nd in story order
John Wick
Ex-hitman John Wick comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him.
Why it matters: They shouldn't have killed the dog; the place to start.
- Starring
- Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, and Alfie Allen
- Director
- Chad Stahelski
- Box office
- $86 million on a $20 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 87%
No. 02 · 2017 · Film · 2h 2m · 3rd in story order
John Wick: Chapter 2
John Wick is forced out of retirement by a former associate looking to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to aid him, Wick travels to Rome and does battle against some of the world’s most dangerous killers.
Why it matters: A marker pulls John back into the High Table's world.
- Starring
- Keanu Reeves, Common, and Laurence Fishburne
- Director
- Chad Stahelski
- Box office
- $172 million on a $40 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 89%
No. 03 · 2019 · Film · 2h 11m · 4th in story order
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
Super-assassin John Wick returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn.
Why it matters: Excommunicado; picks up minutes after Chapter 2.
- Starring
- Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, and Ian McShane
- Director
- Chad Stahelski
- Box office
- $328 million on a $55 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 89%
No. 04 · 2023 · Film · 2h 50m · 6th in story order
John Wick: Chapter 4
With the price on his head ever increasing, John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.
Why it matters: John takes on the High Table directly.
- Starring
- Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, and Bill Skarsgård
- Director
- Chad Stahelski
- Box office
- $447 million on a $100 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 94%
No. 05 · 2023 · Series · 4h 25m · 1st in story order · optional
The Continental: From the World of John Wick
The origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, as he's dragged into the Hell-scape of 1970's New York City to face a past he thought he'd left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the hotel's mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the hotel where he will eventually take his future throne.
Why it matters: A 1970s prequel series about Winston; optional.
- Starring
- Colin Woodell, Mel Gibson, and Mishel Prada
- Creator
- Greg Coolidge, Kirk Ward, and Shawn Simmons
- Scores
- IMDb 7.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 65%
- Episodes
- 3
No. 06 · 2025 · Film · 2h 5m · 5th in story order · optional
Ballerina
Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Eve Macarro begins her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.
Why it matters: A spin-off set during Chapter 3; optional.
- Starring
- Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves, and Ian McShane
- Director
- Len Wiseman
- Box office
- $137 million on a $90 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.8
John Wick box office and budgets
The 5 John Wick films with reported numbers have grossed $1.17 billion worldwide on about $305 million in combined budgets, roughly 3.8 times what they cost. The biggest is John Wick: Chapter 4 at $447 million, 38% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum ($328 million) and John Wick: Chapter 2 ($172 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, which made 6.0 times its $55 million budget. The weakest was Ballerina at 1.5 times its $90 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated John Wick movies
Across 6 rated titles, John Wick averages 7.3 on IMDb. The top of the list is John Wick: Chapter 4 at 7.6, then John Wick (7.5) and John Wick: Chapter 2 (7.4). At the bottom: Ballerina (6.8) and The Continental: From the World of John Wick (7.1).
- John Wick: Chapter 47.6 · RT 94%
- John Wick7.5 · RT 87%
- John Wick: Chapter 27.4 · RT 89%
- John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum7.4 · RT 89%
- The Continental: From the World of John Wick7.1 · RT 65%
- Ballerina6.8
Who appears in the most John Wick movies
Keanu Reeves leads with 5 appearances as John Wick, ahead of Ian McShane (5) and Lance Reddick (4). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keanu Reeves | John Wick | 5 | John Wick (2014) to Ballerina (2025) |
| Ian McShane | Winston / Winston Scott | 5 | John Wick (2014) to Ballerina (2025) |
| Lance Reddick | Charon | 4 | John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) to Ballerina (2025) |
| Laurence Fishburne | Bowery King | 3 | John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) to John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) |
| Bridget Moynahan | Helen / Helen Wick | 2 | John Wick (2014) to John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) |
| John Leguizamo | Aurelio | 2 | John Wick (2014) to John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) |
| Anjelica Huston | The Director | 2 | John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) to Ballerina (2025) |
John Wick directors and creators
5 filmmakers have directed or created John Wick; Chad Stahelski has the most, with 4.
- Chad StahelskiJohn Wick (2014), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
- Greg CoolidgeThe Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023)
- Kirk WardThe Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023)
- Shawn SimmonsThe Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023)
- Len WisemanBallerina (2025)
How long it takes to watch every John Wick movie
All 6 titles add up to 15 hours: 11 hours of film and 4 hours of series, counting every episode. That is about 8 two-hour evenings, or 2 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 9 hours. The longest film is John Wick: Chapter 4 at 2h 50m.
The 4 best rated films: John Wick: Chapter 4, John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, and John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.
Everything takes about 3 weeks; the essentials about 9 days.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Which John Wick movies can you skip?
2 titles can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 7 hours.
- The Continental: From the World of John Wick2023 · Series · 4h 25m · optionalA 1970s prequel series about Winston; optional.
- Ballerina2025 · Film · 2h 5m · optionalA spin-off set during Chapter 3; optional.
Common questions
What order should I watch the John Wick movies in?
Watch John Wick in release order: John Wick (2014), Chapter 2, Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. Ballerina (2025) is set during Chapter 3, and The Continental is a prequel series; both are optional.
How many John Wick movies and shows are there?
There are 6 titles in the John Wick franchise: 5 films and 1 series, released from 2014 to 2025.
How long does it take to watch all the John Wick movies?
About 15 hours for all 6 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (4 titles) take about 9 hours.
What is the first John Wick title in chronological order?
The Continental: From the World of John Wick, set in 1970s. In release order the first is John Wick (2014).
Which John Wick titles can I skip?
The Continental: From the World of John Wick and Ballerina. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.
What is the best John Wick movie?
By IMDb score, John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) at 7.6, followed by John Wick at 7.5.
What is the highest-grossing John Wick movie?
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), with $447 million worldwide. John Wick films have made $1.17 billion in total.
Who has appeared in the most John Wick movies?
Keanu Reeves, in 5 of them as John Wick.
What is the longest John Wick movie?
John Wick: Chapter 4, at 2h 50m.
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