After the major success of the third installment in the John Wick series, there’s got to be some internal pressure for John Wick: Chapter 4 to top its predecessor, but director Chad Stahleski is refusing to succumb and is very proud of what’s to come.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Stahleski, who has directed all the films in the franchise so far, revealed he is aiming for more in the upcoming fourth installment. Rather than focusing solely on “bigger explosions and bigger sh*t,” he is interested in telling a better story.
“Keanu and I talk about it a lot, but doesn’t everybody want to improve at whatever it is they do? So I just tried to put all the things I’ve gotten better at in the last two-and-a-half years, into this movie. I hope that will make the movie better, instead of just trying to do bigger explosions and bigger shit. If I tell a better story, which I think I’ve done, and do my job a little bit better in every avenue, I think the movie will be better. I also know I’ve got an amazing cast. So that’s my philosophy, and I’m going with it. I could be completely wrong. It could be a bomb, but I’m going to stick with that philosophy for now.”
The famous director praised his talented cast, led by the brilliant Keanu Reeves as the titular assassin. Thankfully, he isn’t feeling any pressure, especially because John Wick 3 was met with a very positive critical and commercial reception, performing better than its two predecessors. It grossed $327 million at the international box office and won numerous awards for its action and Reeves’ acting.
The fourth installment was originally intended for a 2021 release but has been pushed back several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Reeves’ starring in The Matrix Resurrections last year.
John Wick: Chapter 4 will focus on the assassin being hunted by the High Table and features some new characters, including singer Rina Sawayama in her feature film debut. Other cast members include Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, Hiroyuki Sanada, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Lance Reddick, Scott Adkins, and Shamier Anderson. The film is now set to be released on March 24, 2023, and is currently in post-production. Fans have a lot to look forward to as well, as Stahleski has announced the film will be the longest in the franchise.
Published: Aug 18, 2022 12:45 pm