For the upcoming fourth movie in the John Wick series, Chad Stahelski is breaking the mold.

One example of Keanu Reeves’ action-hero legacy is his work as the franchise leader for the John Wick movies.

Pressure to produce a film of the same caliber as the rest of the trilogy is great as John Wick 4’s release date draws near and a fifth movie seems likely. Chad Stahelski, the director, talked about just that and how, in such a setting, it can be “frightening” in a creative way.

Chad Stahelski, the director of John Wick: Chapter 4, confesses in an exclusive interview with Empire that the fourth movie faced some distinct issues from the others because the “formula” needed to be changed to keep the movies interesting.

 But Stahelski thinks that by making some very specific changes, he and his team have finally cracked the code. The precise words of the filmmaker are as follows:

After the third one, it starts to get a little terrifying. Because we now have an effective formula. But sometimes you just have to let caution go and decide not to repeat that mistake. We now have various storylines on number four. A new vibe permeates the film. It seems more colossal.

Considering that the John Wick movie series is about a guy seeking retribution for the loss of his dog, the latest installment’s new, more expansive approach could be fantastic.

There is a measure of risk for the next editions regardless of whether the “formula” is changed or not because the franchise also has a sizable fanbase that appears to be overwhelmingly pleased with the movies thus far. So it seems right for the next fourth movie to say, “Go big or go home.”

The Wick trilogy’s three most recent films have all gotten outstanding reviews and consistently high Rotten Tomatoes rankings based on audience and reviewer approval.

 It would be difficult for the production crew to resist keeping with what they know would work and continue down that creative road given this high praise. While consistency may be crucial, the risk of a franchise becoming predictable and stale increases with time.