Yeah, we’re thinking he’s back.
We’re talking about John Wick, of course, the hitman who took just about everyone by surprise when his first film was released in 2014. Sneaking up on audiences as stealthily as its titular character approaches one of his targets, the movie became a modest box office success before gaining a huge audience on DVD and Blu-ray. This growth in popularity was reflected by the fact that John Wick: Chapter 2 literally doubled the box office take of its predecessor – which means attention has immediately focused on a third film: John Wick: Chapter 3.
Set to deliver a “neat completion” to the saga, after Keanu Reeves’ hitman was last seen stumbling out of New York City with numerous assassins on his tail, production on the pic is now underway and as expected, the studio is starting to get the promotional campaign into place. Mind you, it’s still too early for trailers and what not, but a short and sweet new promo hit the web today (seen above), reminding us that we have a date with Mr. Wick in exactly a year from today.
As of now, not too much is known about the plot for John Wick: Chapter 3, but the following synopsis does provide some hints as to where we’re going:
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is on the run for two reasons… he’s being hunted for a global $14 million dollar open contract on his life, and for breaking a central rule: taking a life on Continental Hotel grounds. The victim was a member of the High Table who ordered the open contract. John should have already been executed, except the Continental’s manager, Winston, has given him a one-hour grace period before he’s “Excommunicado” – membership revoked, banned from all services and cut off from other members. John uses the service industry to stay alive as he fights and kills his way out of New York City.
If the original John Wick drew praise for its refined, minimalist nature – it arguably struck the perfect balance between style and substance – then Chapter 2 felt somewhat bloated by comparison, and lost that neo-noir feel by expanding its plot across an international scope. Here’s hoping that the third (and potentially final?) chapter can recapture what made the original sleeper hit so special to begin with, then.
Perhaps Keanu Reeves’ legendary assassin will even get the chance to retire? More on John Wick: Chapter 3 when we get it.
