John Wick: Chapter 4star Keanu Reeves confirmed a major rumor concerning his iconic assassin character during a post-screening question and answer session at an advance screening at South By Southwest.
John Wick: Chapter 4is the fourth film in theJohn Wickfranchise, which follows the eponymous character on a path of revenge after a group of men breaks into his home to rob him, stealing his prized vehicle and killing his pet, the final keepsake of his deceased wife. Coming out of retirement to exact the dues for their sins, the legendary Baba Yaga has shot, stabbed, and stunt-flipped his way through three films. Now the time has come for him to take on the shadowy High Table, a group built up asone of the most iconic secret societies in moviesthroughout the preceding films.
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The fourth entry in theJohn Wickfranchise has a feeling of finality to it, with Reeves expressing that the film existed “…for him to get his freedom in a way, that was the reason to tell the story” andDirector Chad Stahelski teasing an emotional conclusion inJohn Wick 4. Fittingly, the franchise has been expanding, with plans for spinoffs both on television and on the big screen. Pre-eminent among the projects discussed in this vein is the Ana De Armas-ledBallerina,a project that Reeves has confirmed he will appear in, as reported byDeadline.
The rumors of Reeves' involvement in the project have been circulating even before it was announced thatAna de Armas is leading theJohn Wickspinoff. De Armas talked about filming scenes with Reeves forBallerina, and his casting was reported on in late 2022. After the standing ovation and excitement calmed down at theJohn Wick 4screening, Reeves and Stahelski took to the stage for a Q and A, where the news was confirmed in Reeves' own words. Reeves also assured fans that he was also working on bringing back hisConstantinecharacter.
John Wickhas some of thebest world-building in an action franchise. Reeves' playing a part in the first high-profile spin-off of his inanely popular films could be the defining factor in making a cohesive franchise that seems truly interconnected, as opposed to smaller projects simply taking advantage of the name and goodwill the franchise built up with the mainline installment. With a small-screen spinoff currently being set up at Peacock and talks of a fifth John Wick-focused film in the vein of a prequel still on the table, Reeves is likely to be involved with the franchise he built for quite a while.
Many are less enthused and are quick to point out that theJohn Wickseries has lost one important aspectof its story, a problem that will only get progressively worse as the IP expands to include projects that are only tangentially related to the driven, vengeful anti-hero who drew millions to the action.Chapter 4seems set to provide widespread catharsis for those who have been on the journey with John, but how what comes after will affect the character’s legacy through cameos and additions to the lore remains to be seen.
John Wick: Chapter 4will debut in theaters on March 24th, 2023.
