When it comes to film franchises, thy may grow in size but sometimes that quality lets it down. The John Wick films are one of those rare franchises that seem to get bigger and better with each film. So we were not surprised right after the release of John Wick 3: Parabellum, in 2019 the fourth film was announced. Since then a certain pandemic has scuppered virtually everything including film releases and production.
when Lionsgate Movies announced John Wick 4 was coming, they gave it 21st May 2021 release date. With the world in lockdown, production not even started on the film, it’s likely this date will be changed. Lionsgate have yet to say if the date will change.
There is also the small matter of another small franchise Keanu Reeves is involved in, also making it’s 4th installment…The Matrix 4! A film which could change everything and the idea both films going head to head might now be in doubt.
Director Chad Stahelski gave his views/update on the matter – “Between how much we want to expand the John Wick — let’s just call it a ‘franchise’, I guess — and the pandemic, I couldn’t tell you a release date for the next one. I mean, Matrix was only four weeks in when this all happened. So, Keanu’s gotta go finish his commitment up on The Matrix, which is a big deal and which I think will probably take him until the end of the year. Then we have to go into our prep mode and the we’ll start. So release dates, I’m sure with every production from Dave’s stuff to our stuff, who knows right now.”
Stahelski also shared some insights the film and process. How he, David Leitch (franchise producer) and Keanu Reeves after each film they think there done, but Lionsgate give them another offer. What ideas they have “We’re kinda making it up as we go.”. As for the next film the credit this time seems to be all down to Keanu.
With so many films stuck in production/post-pre production, where is John Wick 4 actually at…
“We have, I wouldn’t call it a first draft but I’d call it a ‘scriptment’: A written-out story, part outline, part script, part thing. We know where we want to go, we know the thematics. We call it “the toy box.” It’s like a 100-and-something page document, but some of it’s written. It’s a good place to start. Then we start thinning it out, and then we work with the writers to get the right scenes, and then we start working with Keanu’s dialogue. It’s a very outward-in process for us. Then, we’ll do the inward-outward process which is about character. So, to answer your question, I’m in a happy place where we are in development. We got, not quite a locked-in first draft, but we’re in a place where we know what we want do and where we want to do it.”
Stahelski didn’t exactly reveal any plot details for John Wick 4. But as us John Wick fans love, is to expect the unexpected! Underwater?
Source: Collider
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