If the name Scott Adkins is on your lips this weekend, we’d be willing to bet you were among the ranks of excited fans flocking to theaters to see the epic action movie starring the one and only Keanu Reeves – John Wick: Chapter 4. The latest installment in the film franchise is as powerful as audiences were hoping for, and as thrilling as we’ve come to expect from the storytelling.
With new additions in this chapter of John Wick’s story came the presence of the talented Adkins, who breathes life into a character named Killa. With a larger-than-life persona and metal teeth to match, Killa is a role that made a fast impact on the film, and it got fans talking about the talented actor who goes toe to toe with Reeves’ Wick.
With audiences already hailing John Wick 4 as one of the greatest adventures in cinema this year, it’s no surprise that Adkins shines in his role. Of course, with a lengthy career in entertainment, he also had a significant impact on film and television before his foray into the John Wick universe. So what are some of his greatest roles to date? Let’s find out.
Honorable mention — Zero Dark Thirty
Zero Dark Thirty gets an honorable mention as Adkins breathes life into the character of John Simmons, a CIA SAD/SOG operative. His role in the film isn’t a starring role by any means, something he joked about during an interview with Screen Crush back in 2012, but it is an important one that moves the film forward. If you’ve yet to see it, we won’t tell you what his involvement is in the process of capturing Osama Bin Laden, but you’ll be interested to find out once you sit down to watch the movie.
The synopsis for Zero Dark Thirty reads as follows:
“Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden becomes one of the most-wanted men on the planet. The worldwide manhunt for the terrorist leader occupies the resources and attention of two U.S. presidential administrations. Ultimately, it is the work of a dedicated female operative Jessica Chastain that proves instrumental in finally locating bin Laden. In May 2011, Navy SEALs launch a nighttime strike, killing bin Laden in his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.”
You can watch Zero Dark Thirty now on Peacock.
Holby City
Adkins breathes life into the character of Bradley Hume in Holby City, and while you’ve got to be a dedicated fan of the series to recall his contributions to it, it’s another role that helped tell a story and one of the first TV series that fans think of when they hear Adkins’ name.
Hume is the Assistant General Manager of the hospital in Holby City, an emotional medical drama showcasing different wards of the hospital and the stories that take place within them. Airing on BBC One, the series ran for 23 seasons and was a beloved show from 1999 to 2021.
You can watch Holby City on Apple TV.
Undisputed III: Redemption
Adkins is Boyka in the Undisputed film franchise, and the third installment sees him suffering the effects of an injury that has left him out of sorts, which also means he’s no longer seen as a threat or a power player in the prison fight realm. Of course, Boyka isn’t one to give up quickly, and when push comes to shove, he rises from his circumstance to once again rise to power.
Letterboxd shares the following synopsis for the film:
“Russian inmate Boyka, now severely hobbled by the knee injury suffered at the end of Undisputed 2. No longer the feared prison fighter he was, he has declined so far that he is now good only for cleaning toilets. But when a new prison fight tournament begins – an international affair, matching the best fighters from prisons around the globe, enticing them with the promise of freedom for the winner – Boyka must reclaim his dignity and fight for his position in the tournament.”
You can watch Undisputed III: Redemption on Apple TV and Prime Video.
Avengement
The role of Cain Burgess sees Adkins as an escaped prisoner with a lot to prove and even more wrongs to right. Avengement plays out a lot like the title would suggest; someone is seeking vengeance and will stop at nothing to ensure that he gets revenge. A trained martial artist, actor, and film producer, Adkins was perfect for this role because he understood all sides of it. His physicality, talent, and determination allowed him to shine as Burgees.
The synopsis for Avengement reads as follows:
“While on prison furlough, a lowly criminal evades the guards and returns to his old stomping grounds to take revenge on the people who turned him into a cold-blooded killer.”
You can watch Avengement on Netflix or Vudu.
Doctor Strange
While Adkins’ role in Doctor Strange is actually one he has gone on to speak about in a less-than-stellar manner, we had to include this in the list because it wasn’t just an acting role he took on; it was a moment that allowed him to realize something about his future and career path.
Playing Lucian in Doctor Strange, he felt that taking that role cemented his future in the MCU, and it’s not one he would wish for. Speaking to The Illuminerdi, Adkins shared the following sentiments on being part of Doctor Strange.
“That is one role that I regret taking. I wish I would have held out and not taken the role, because now I feel I’ve blown my chance to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”
Of course, this is the MCU we’re talking about, and with a powerhouse actor like Adkins, we’re sure there’s space to create a new role for him; there are multiple universes out there, after all. You can watch Doctor Strange on Disney Plus.
Ninja II: Shadow of a Tear
Adkins knows a thing or two about vengeance and revenge, and his role as Casey Bowman is no exception. A sequel to Ninja, Ninja II is the next installment in the powerful and exciting storyline that follows a heartbroken Bowman as he promises to bring a deadly wrath to those who took the thing he loved most from him.
The synopsis for Ninja II: Shadow of a Tear reads as follows:
“After his wife is brutally murdered, a martial-arts master teams up with an old friend to sharpen his battle skills and seek revenge.”
You can see Ninja II on Pluto TV or fuboTV.
The Debt Collector
Following the trend of focusing on Adkins’ martial arts background, The Debt Collector sees him as the most recent recruit of the mob as, well — a debt collector. It’s almost comedic as the film tells stories of out-of-this-world antics his character must become a part of.
The synopsis for The Debt Collector reads as follows:
“While looking for work in America, a British martial arts expert lands a job working for the mob as a debt collector. But when a job turns bad, he is forced to fight his way out of trouble.”
Of course, the true gold in this film is how Adkins can fight his way through any situation at hand and gift audiences with talent and laughter along the way. There’s a hefty dose of action and sarcasm at hand, and it’s just the icing on the cake for this action-packed movie. You can watch The Debt Collector on Netflix.
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning sees Adkins as a character named John who awakens from a coma to find that his wife and child have been killed (are we noticing a trend here? Yes — we are), and he becomes immediately bloodthirsty and out for revenge. As John is coming out of an unconscious state, still unable to recall everything that happened, he pins the killings on a once-Universal Soldier, Luc Deveraux, but he doesn’t plan to let justice sit in the hands of the law.
This film is a bit gore-happy, but that’s to be expected with a title like Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning. John is a man who won’t be stopped on his quest for vengeance, and while trying to avenge the death of those he loved most, he’ll be forced to face the darkest parts of the world and himself.
You can watch Universal Soldier on Vudu or Prime Video.
John Wick: Chapter 4
Of course, we must mention John Wick: Chapter 4 when talking about Adkins, because he’s a powerhouse of a character and one of the most talked about roles as audiences pour out of theaters after seeing the film. Killa is a role that seems ideally suited to Adkins, and he brings a sense of power and influence to the character. Of course, Killa ends up facing off with the titular man himself.
If you’ve yet to see the masterpiece that is John Wick 4, the synopsis reads as follows:
“With the price on his head ever increasing, legendary hit man John Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Japan to Berlin.”
You won’t want to miss Adkins in the film, and for now, you can only see John Wick 4 in theaters, so don’t miss the chance to buy those tickets and check it out.
Here’s to Scott Adkins, the movies and films we named, and the countless others we didn’t. His contributions to entertainment and martial arts can’t be understated, and we can’t wait to see what he does next.
Published: Mar 26, 2023 08:35 pm