KEANU Reeves says that John Wick: Chapter 4 will feature a lot more world-building and epic stunts that the franchise is well-known for.
The Lebanese-born actor has had the pleasure of playing the titular role in some of the most iconic action films like The Matrix, Speed and Point Break, but also delivered a series of commercial and critical failures in the post-Matrix era from the mid-2000s to the early 2010s.
However, his career enjoyed a massive resurgence with 2014’s John Wick which went on to spawn two more sequels with John Wick: Chapter Two and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. The fourth and fifth installments in the series were announced immediately after the release of Parabellum in 2019.
The story of the first film revolves around ex-assassin John Wick who comes out of retirement to hunt down the gangsters who killed his dog. After starting out as a simple yet slick revenge thriller, the world and lore of John Wick is expanded in the subsequent entries of the franchise with it’s own unique iteration of the criminal underworld where Wick regularly finds himself entangled in a plot against other hitmen that threaten his life.
The series boasts an exceptional cast throughout with appearances from Willem Dafoe, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Ruby Rose, Halle Berry and Laurence Fishburne, who he shares a screen with for the first time since The Matrix Revolutions.
Reeves recently sat down with Today, to discuss his new comic book Brzrkr which he co-wrote with Matt Kindt. Eventually, the discussion led to the upcoming John Wick 4 which he is currently filming. He gave a glimpse of what to expect from the four-quel and said that the film will double down on the action-packed stunts and world-building that fans have been accustomed to stating that “we’re going for it.”
He made no secret of affirming his love for starring in the John Wick films and said that, “They’re fun. They’re intense. We’re going for it. There’s some really amazing John Wick action and new characters and it’s been really fun to be playing the role again and to be telling this story. You know, there’s new characters and we’re opening up the world. Right now we’re just shooting this crazy fight scene in the middle of traffic. So there’s car crashes, gun fights.”
The John Wick series has constantly pushed the boundaries of action sequences and fight choreography since its inception in 2014, with distinct and outrageous action sequences ranging from a thrilling shootout through a catacomb in John Wick 2 to an over-the-top yet exciting sword fight during a motorcycle chase in Parabellum.
Many other films have attempted to emulate John Wick’s style and panache, but few have come close to being even half as good. Reeves also touched on the world-building which will once again be in focus with the introduction of new characters into the fold with actors Donnie Yen and Clancy Brown joining the cast.
Keanu Reeves has also been known for doing his own stunts which is testament to his commitment to one of the many iconic roles in his filmography. If his comments on the highly-anticipated fourth film are anything to go by, viewers are sure to be in for a treat when John Wick 4 hits theaters on the 22nd of May, 2022.
(ROHN ROMULO)