Chad Stahelski, Director of John Wick, Expresses Star Wars Aspirations

Renowned for his mastery in crafting intense action and epic fight sequences, director Chad Stahelski, best known for the John Wick series, is setting his sights on a new frontier – the Star Wars universe.

“I’m a Star Wars guy,” Stahelski shared with the Happy Sad Confused podcast. Reflecting on the profound impact of the first Star Wars on his life, he expressed his eagerness to contribute to the iconic franchise. “Maybe someday out there, Disney if you’re listening, hit me in a couple of years. I have a couple of takes for Star Wars. I’d take a swing at that, see if Disney could survive me.”

With a wave of esteemed directors already lined up to leave their mark on the galaxy far, far away, including James Mangold, Taika Waititi, and Sharmeen-Obaid Chinoy, along with Lucasfilm’s chief creative officer Dave Filoni, Stahelski would be joining a notable queue of creative minds.

However, entering an established franchise like Star Wars would require Stahelski to relinquish some of the creative freedom he cherishes while helming the Keanu Reeves-led action series. Reflecting on inquiries about his dedication to John Wick, he explained, “I’ve been asked a lot about, ‘Why do you do John Wicks? Don’t you want to try something else?'” Stahelski acknowledged his desire for variety but emphasized the unique opportunities and creative autonomy the John Wick series has afforded him.

“Yes, of course I do, but given the choice I’ve had and the parameters that were presented to me, as far as those opportunities went, I felt like I could do more and bring something more, and do more of what I want, and do the fights and the anime and the action more my way by doing [John Wick]. Why work within somebody else’s parameters of what I feel to be a duel or mythology when I can create?”

As Stahelski continues his journey with the John Wick universe, the next installment, Ballerina, a spin-off featuring Ana de Armas as a ballerina-assassin, is set to grace the big screen on June 7, 2024, with Stahelski serving as the producer.