John Wick movies in order

Four chapters that run in a straight line, plus a prequel series and a spin-off set in the middle of the story.

Updated 4 August 2026 · 6 titles tracked

The four main films are strictly sequential — each picks up almost immediately after the last, and Chapters 2 and 3 are effectively one continuous run. Watch them in order and you cannot go wrong.

The complication is Ballerina, released after Chapter 4 but set before it.

The John Wick films in story order

Ballerina sits between Chapters 3 and 4, where it actually takes place.

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Where Ballerina goes

Ballerina takes place between Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, and overlaps directly with the events of Parabellum. John Wick appears in it, at a point in his story where he is still very much in the middle of things.

Watching it in release order — after Chapter 4 — means jumping backwards past that film's ending, which is a real ending. Slotting it before Chapter 4 keeps the throughline intact.

And The Continental?

The three-part series is a prequel set in 1975, following a young Winston taking over the hotel. It is entirely optional and connects only loosely. Watch it first if you want the history, or not at all.

The recommended order

John Wick, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Ballerina, Chapter 4. Add The Continental at the front if you want it.

The first film is also the most self-contained. If you want to sample the series, it works completely alone.

Common questions

What order should I watch the John Wick movies?

John Wick, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 – Parabellum, then Ballerina, then Chapter 4. Ballerina was released last but is set between Chapters 3 and 4.

Where does Ballerina fit in the John Wick timeline?

Between Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, overlapping with the events of Parabellum. Watching it before Chapter 4 preserves that film's ending.

Do I need to watch The Continental?

No. It is a prequel series set in 1975 and connects only loosely to the films.