As fans await the fate ofJohn Wick 5followingBallerina’s box-office debacle, there’s one clear contender to fill the gap.Nobody 2, written byJohn Wickscribe Derek Kolstad, continuesBob Odenkirk’s unlikely transformation into an ordinary suburban dad with a hidden past and buried violent streak. The film opens theatrically on August 06, 2025, making for an ideal placeholder until Keanu Reeves reloads the TTI Glock 34 inJohn Wick 5.
Featuring a much different setting than the originalNobody(2021),Nobody 2finds Hutch Mansell (Odenkirk) on a sunny, relaxing vacation with his family. That is, until his sordid past as a ruthless assassin catches up with him. Essentially a one-man-army revenge thriller with intense action sequences and hand-to-hand combat,Nobody 2is just as compelling as anyJohn Wickmovie at half the runtime.
‘Nobody 2’ Is All About Summer Vacation
To understandNobody 2’s premise, it’s worth contextualizing the original movie. Directed by Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry) from a screenplay by Derek Kolstad (John Wick1-3), the story follows Hutch Mansell (Odenkirk), a seemingly ordinary suburban schlub who lives the same boring daily routine.
The perception of Hutch changes when home invaders burglarize his house, whom he calmly subdues before the police arrive.. Once he discovers his daughter’s kitty bracelet is missing, Hutch goes on a brutally barbarous warpath toward ultra-violent Russian mobsters, cutting down everything in his way. As the story unfolds, viewers learn that Hutch has an elite military past and isa highly skilled professional assassin.
Before even getting to the sequel,what makesNobodyeven more compelling thanJohn Wickis its real-life inspiration. Bob Odenkirk conceived the story after his family experienced a real-life home invasion. He was so upset by how ineffectual the police were after he subdued the burglars and called for help that he imagined what it would be like if he were a vigilante badass who took matters into his own hands and carved a path of revenge.
Nobody 2boasts an even more amusing premise. Following the events of the first film, Hutch and his family retreat to Wild Bill’s Majestic Midway Water Parkfor summer vacation, an idyllic sunny getaway that soon floods red with blood when Hutch’s past comes calling. WithNobody 2promising to be bigger and better,John Wickfans are in for a nonstop action blitz.
How ‘Nobody 2’ Connects to ‘John Wick’
At their core,Nobody 2andJohn Wickare about vengeful assassins serving swift, vigilante justice against those who’ve wronged them. While theJohn Wickmovies are much longer and more expensive, the first three were written by Derek Kolstad, the same scribe behindNobodyandNobody 2. BothJohn WickandNobodyare produced by 87North Productions, formerly 87 Eleven Entertainment.
Kolstad has a preternatural understanding of how to set up, pace, and conclude a vigilante action thriller, withNobodyand its sequelbalancingJohn Wick’s dazzling action choreographywith a mordant sense of humor. Odenkirk leans into his deadpan comedic past to play Hutch with a straight face, with hilarious bursts of violence and awkward interactions that make the overall product thrilling to watch.
The epic public bus fight scene inNobodyperfectly combines hardcore action with laugh-out-loud humor. A drunken gaggle of goons tests Hutch on the bus, who proceeds to beat, batter, break down, and bust off every one of them with nothing but his bare hands. The physical comedy combined with the brusque one-liners and intense hand-to-hand fisticuffs paintsOdenkirk much differently than inBetter Call SaulorMr. Show.
Why ‘Nobody 2’ Will Satisfy ‘John Wick’ Fans
FollowingBallerina’s tepid box office performance, the fate ofJohn Wick 5hangs in the air. The newest sequel is in the early stages of development, although we have very few details. Given that the author of theJohn Wickseries has refocused his attention onNobody 2, it makes logical sense for fans of the former to check out the latter.Nobody 2promises to deliver more hyperviolent action set pieces than the original, which was already ferocious enough to sateJohn Wickfans. Anyone who’s seen the firstNobodymovie will never forget the visceral bus fight (57 million YouTube views).
Nor will they forget the finale in which Hutch’s father, David (the inimitable Christopher Lloyd), rescues his son from the Russian mob with a shotgun after ostensibly living as an invalid in a nursing home. The sheer glee in David’s eyes as he blasts mobsters to death and says, “But goddamn it, Hutchy, if I didn’t miss this s***!” is a genuinely rousing moment of cheer that’s impossible not to root for.
Beyond the great Christopher Lloyd, Odenkirk’s chemistry with RZA is off the charts. RZA plays Hutch’s adopted brother, Harry, who assists him and David in defeating the Russian mobsters. The interplay between Odenkirk, Lloyd, and RZA is arguably more amusing than watching Winston (Ian McShane) austerely wax poetic about the Continental or the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) philosophize about the High Table.
Granted,theJohn Wickaction sceneshave more money at their disposal to prop up much larger, choreographed set pieces and expert gunplay. Yet, with a limitless body count, the action can become numbing at times. In contrast, theNobodymovies use tactile violence much more sparingly, which not only makes it hit harder but also leaves room for the humor and emotional resonance to shine through.
Whether or notJohn Wick 5moves forward in earnest, fans of the franchise should already know about the potential ofNobody 2. Derek Kolstad has written multiple entries in both action franchises, with theNobodyfilms adopting a more comedic approach to theJohn Wickblueprint. With enough action to keepJohn Wickfans busy until the next installment,Nobody 2is a must-see this summer.Nobody 2opens in theaters on June 08, 2025.
