HBO Max’s 5-Part Assassin Thriller Is Quietly Becoming Its Perfect Weekend Binge

HBO Max is currently home to a number of excellent franchises, from the magical worlds of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings to the thrills of The Conjuring and Alien. The appeal of a good franchise is easy to see, even for the most cynical of viewers. There’s something very comforting and exciting about getting to revisit the same characters and worlds across multiple — sometimes radically different — movies.

The very best somehow manage to get better with every installment, and they seem to have no shortage of fresh ideas to explore. HBO Max features several such properties, and one particular series with five films thus far is perfect for marathon viewing. With all the movies in the John Wick franchise available on streaming, it’s a great time to binge them all.

Every John Wick Movie Raises the Stakes and Keeps Viewers Hooked

These days, it seems like every movie is created with an eye on its franchise potential. However, only the best properties understand that, before they can go big, they need to create a good, solid foundation. John Wick, the 2014 movie that kicked off this global phenomenon, has a very basic set-up, one that even seems rather funny in its morbid relatability. Keanu Reeves‘ famed assassin retired years before the film picks up, but when his beloved dog is killed by a crime boss’ hotheaded son, he gets back in the game to hunt down everyone involved. It’s a straightforward story that only skims the deeper underground world of assassins Wick once belonged to, and under the direction of Chad Stahelski — and that of co-director David Leitch — it thrums with the urgency and excitement of a world-ending adventure.

On its own, John Wick is a great movie filled with smoothly choreographed action sequences and an expertly restrained Reeves performance. The Matrix star creates an incredible character from only a basic backstory and a stoic demeanor; though he mostly spends the movie going from one set piece to another, he’s somehow still compelling. John Wick‘s success paved the way for sequels, and with each new installment, the franchise has only gotten better. They cleverly build out Wick’s world and the institutions that fill it, from the ruthless High Table to the various Continental hotels that serve as safe havens for assassins. The mythology never overwhelms Wick’s story; at their core, these movies are still about a haunted man fighting his way to peace.

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John Wick: Chapter 2 and John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum both end with shocking cliffhangers that drastically raise the stakes for Wick, making it almost impossible for viewers to walk away. People just have to know what happens to their favorite dog-avenging assassin. In reality, audiences had to wait at least a couple of years to see how John fared, but now, anyone with a free weekend to spare can lock in and binge-watch the gleefully violent chaos.

‘Ballerina’ Brings the John Wick Franchise to New, Brilliantly Absurd Heights

Outside the 2023 Peacock miniseries The Continental, the John Wick franchise has largely stuck to the exploits of its eponymous character — even though its ever-expanding roster of unique supporting characters is practically begging for additional spin-offs. This finally changed in 2025 with the release of the officially named From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, which delves deeper into the Ruska Roma clan that was previously established in Parabellum. Centering on a new character named Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), the franchise explores a different revenge tale but keeps the stylized action and hired gun intrigue that made the previous movies so successful.

Ballerina ups the absurdity of the franchise, but it still proves to be a blast to watch. Eve is a worthy lead character, and her story broadens the onscreen universe in interesting ways. Reeves even appears in a cameo role, which, potential continuity issues aside, only emphasizes Eve’s strength as his potential successor. Other familiar faces from the broader John Wick world pop up as well, most notably Ian McShane as Continental manager Winston and the late Lance Reddick as concierge Charon. These are the people who helped make the franchise everything that it is, and by the time Ballerina comes up in the John Wick marathon, it’s like fans are seeing old friends.

Ballerina has worked its way up HBO Max’s streaming charts and, as of the time of this writing, is the #1 movie on the platform. As a whole, the John Wick franchise is a satisfying binge, and Ballerina is an excellent finale. Viewers can experience Wick’s mythical journey from reluctant vengeance-seeker to legendary High Table challenger in one fell swoop, and then set their sights on what could be the franchise’s future. Multiple new projects for this franchise are currently in development, including John Wick: Chapter 5, so now is the best time to get in on the action.