Keanu Reeves was desperate for his titular character in 'John Wick 4' to be "definitively killed" at the end of the movie, according to one of the producers.

Basil Iwanyk has told how the 59-year-old Hollywood star was left so "physically and emotionally destroyed" after shooting the motion picture that he wanted his character - a former hitman who is forced back into the criminal underworld - to be axed.

Speaking to Collider, Iwanyk said: "After the second, third, and fourth movie, making these films is so exhausting and it destroys Keanu, physically and emotionally.

"By the end, he’s always like, 'I can’t do this again,' and we agree with him."

Iwanyk admitted Reeves is like a "shell of himself" at the end of filming because he gives so much to the part.

He added: "The guy is just a shell of himself because he just goes off and goes for it.

"He was like, 'I wanna be definitively killed at the end of this movie.'

"We were like, 'You know, we’ll leave a 10 per cent little opening.' "

In May, it was revealed 'John Wick 5' is in the early stages of development.

Lionsgate chairman Joe Drake revealed at the time that a fifth movie was already in the works, along with a host of other projects at the production studio.

During a recent financial call, he said: "We're now moving across that franchise, not just in the AAA video game space, but looking at what the regular cadence of spin-offs, television really growing that universe so that there is a steady cadence of a franchise that there's clear appetite by the audience. at is official is that, as you know, 'Ballerina' [starring Ana de Armas] is the first spinoff that comes out next year. We're in development on three others, including 'John Wick 5' and including television series, 'The Continental', will be airing soon.

"And so, we're building out the world and when that five movie comes, will be organic – will be organically grown out of how we're starting to tell those stories. But you can rely on a regular cadence of John Wick."