Tag: John Wick: Chapter 4

  • Norman Reedus joins ‘John Wick’ Spin-Off ‘Ballerina’

    Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in AMC's 'The Walking Dead.'
    Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead.’

    Unlike the usually frenetic pace of the ‘John Wick’ movies themselves, the pace of information about casting for the in-production movie spin-off film ‘Ballerina’ has been more of a slow, consistent drip feed.

    And the latest word on the ensemble is that ‘The Walking Dead’ mainstay Norman Reedus is now aboard.

    “We’re huge fans of Norman, and we’re confident that the fans will be just as excited as we are that he’s joining the ‘Wick’ universe,” producer Erica Lee. “He’ll make an incredible addition to ‘Ballerina.’ ”

    Nothing is known yet about exactly what role Reedus will be filling, but the movie stars ‘No Time to Die’ and ‘Knives Out’ actor Ana de Armas as the title character.

    Len Wiseman, better known for the likes of the ‘Underworld’ franchise and ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, is in the director’s chair for the movie, which has a script from ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ co-writer Shay Hatten.

    ‘Ballerina’ will follow the Ballerina character glimpsed briefly (and there played by Unity Phelan) in ‘Parabellum’ and tracks a young assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family. Which does feel apt for something set in John Wick’s world.

    Ian McShane in 'John Wick: Chapter 2'
    Ian McShane in ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’

    So far, the movie’s cast has started to feel like a reunion for ‘Wick’ performers, as several veterans of the main film series are confirmed to be showing up. Ian McShane, for example, will be back as Winston, the manager of the Continental hotel, part of the chain of luxury facilities which offers accommodation and assistance to assassins such as John Wick.

    Lance Reddick is once more playing Charon, the concierge of the main Continental in New York, while Anjelica Huston will show up as the Director, the head of the Ruska Roma crime organization who raised Wick and trains young women like the Ballerina.

    More recently, ‘Maria Full of Grace’s Catalina Sandino Moreno has also boarded the movie, though like Reedus, she’s a new character in the story.

    And talking of John Wick, the Keanu Reeves character who kicked (and punched and shot) it all off, is reportedly making a cameo in the new film.

    Many of the ‘Wick’ regulars will also show up in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, which is much further along. ‘Ballerina’ has yet to chalk up a release date, while ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ is headed our way on March 24th next year.

    As for Reedus, he recently wrapped up a 12-year run on ‘The Walking Dead’, the zombie-crammed survival series that became a massive pop cultural sensation. He hasn’t left that world completely behind, though, as he’s filming a spin-off series focused on his character, Daryl Dixon.

    Movie-wise, he’s part of the cast for Jeff Nichols’ new movie, ‘The Bikeriders’, which also features Tom Hardy, Austin Butler and Michael Shannon. That one has been shooting since October but doesn’t yet have a release date on the books.

    Anjelica Huston to reprise her role as the Director, starring opposite Ana de Armas in 'Ballerina,' the new film set in the 'John Wick' universe.
    Anjelica Huston to reprise her role as the Director, starring opposite Ana de Armas in ‘Ballerina,’ the new film set in the ‘John Wick’ universe. Photo: Lionsgate.
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  • Casting Round-Up: ‘Ballerina’, ‘Loki’, ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    Lance Reddick as Albert, in 'Resident Evil.'
    (L to R) Lance Reddick as Albert, in ‘Resident Evil.’ Photo: Marcos Cruz/Netflix © 2021.

    At this point, it’s looking that ‘Ballerina, the Ana de Armas-starring ‘John Wick’ spin-off, will feature a wealth of people from the main franchise, at least to help it initially.

    The latest recruit for the movie, according to Variety, is Lance Reddick, who has appeared in all three ‘Wick’ movies, and will once again play Charon, concierge at the assassin-catering Continental Hotel.

    “Charon is an indispensable part of the world of ‘Wick,’ ” producer Erica Lee said in a statement. “It’s great to know that Lance will continue to make his mark on this franchise.”

    He’s just the latest piece of crossover casting for the movie, since Keanu Reeves (aka John Wick himself) is reportedly going to show up, though that has yet to be officially confirmed.

    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 4.'
    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’

    More solid is word that Ian McShane will be Continental manager in the movie, while Anjelica Huston is aboard as The Director, who is the head of the Ruska Roma crime organization.

    Len Wiseman, better known for the likes of the ‘Underworld’ franchise and ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, is in the director’s chair for the movie, which has a script from ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ co-writer Shay Hatten.

    ‘Ballerina’ will follow the Ballerina character glimpsed briefly (and there played by Unity Phelan) in ‘Parabellum’ and tracks a young assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family. Which does feel apt for something set in John Wick’s world.

    ‘Ballerina’ has yet to chalk up a release date, though ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ is headed our way on March 24th next year.

    Michael Gandolfini and Alessandro Nivola in 'The Many Saints of Newark.'
    (L to R) Michael Gandolfini and Alessandro Nivola in ‘The Many Saints of Newark.’

    Elsewhere, we have a double dose of Marvel/Disney+ casting news.

    Michael Gandolfini, who so far is best known for playing the younger Tony Soprano (the role his father James made famous on TV in ‘The Sopranos’) in ‘Sopranos’ movie prequel ‘The Many Saints of Newark’, is joining ‘Daredevil: Born Again’.

    The much-anticipated Disney+ series will see Charlie Cox’s blind lawyer-turned-vigilante fully make the transition from his Netflix years (assuming it is exactly the same character, the jury remains out on that) to the MCU after popping up in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and his even more memorable recent run on episodes of ‘She-Hulk’.

    ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ promises to re-ignite the clash between Daredevil and Kingpin, AKA Wilson Fisk, brought to hulking life by Vincent D’Onofrio on the Netflix show and now in ‘Hawkeye’.

    Written and executive produced by ‘Covert Affairs creators’ Matt Corman and Chris Ord, the new series’ story is a mystery for now, though we do know it’ll span 18 episodes in its first season.

    As for who Gandolfini is playing, Deadline has heard from sources that it could be an ambitious sort called Liam from Staten Island––though that, of course, could be misinformation to throw scoopers off the trail. And who knows if that’s also cover for another comic book character. We’ll know more when the series arrives in 2024.

    Marvel Studios' 'Daredevil: Born Again.'
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’

    Elsewhere in the TV arm of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Deadline’s learned that ‘Game of Thrones’ veteran Kate Dickie is part of the cast for the second season of ‘Loki’.

    The show, which saw Tom Hiddleston’s adopted Asgardian and trickster god fall afoul of a mysterious organization known as the Time Variance Agency after affecting the timeline by absconding with the Tesseract during ‘Avengers: Endgame’, ended in a cliffhanger, with Loki in a different timeline.

    Season 2’s cast includes the returning likes of Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Eugene Cordero and Tara Strong, while ‘Blindspotting’s Rafael Casal was added in July. Dickie’s role is, in keeping with usual Marvel policy, a secret for now, though Deadline’s sources point to her being a villain.

    Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are the main directors for the second season of the show, which has finished shooting and should be on screens next year.

    Marvel Studios' 'Loki' Season 2.
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Loki’ Season 2.
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  • Anjelica Huston Joins ‘John Wick’ Spin-Off ‘Ballerina’

    Anjelica Huston to reprise her role as the Director, starring opposite Ana de Armas in 'Ballerina,' the new film set in the 'John Wick' universe.
    Anjelica Huston to reprise her role as the Director, starring opposite Ana de Armas in ‘Ballerina,’ the new film set in the ‘John Wick’ universe. Photo: Lionsgate.

    The news continues to arrive about ‘John Wick’ spin-off movie ‘Ballerina’, which has ‘No Time to Die’s Ana de Armas starring. And from the sounds of it, it’ll be even more closely connected to the ‘Wick’ world than we thought.

    Lionsgate has announced that Anjelica Huston, who debuted as crime lord The Director in ‘John Wick: Chapter Three – Parabellum’, will also show up in ‘Ballerina.’

    This makes sense, since The Director, who is the head of the Ruska Roma crime organization, is seen in that third movie training up young female ballerinas with some very harsh techniques. And she also oversees the training of male orphans as assassins.

    It’s to the Director that Keanu Reeves’ embattled hit man comes to for help, though her assistance costs her when the High Table – controllers of crime in the ‘Wick’ world – decide to punish her giving some who is excommunicado by stabbing her in the hands. No one says they’re not literal when it comes to rough justice.

    “The idea of ‘Ballerina’ was formed around the scenes with Anjelica in ‘John Wick 3’, says producer Erica Lee. “Anjelica Huston is an icon and is nothing less than Hollywood royalty. The world of Wick is always made richer by her commanding screen presence.”

    Len Wiseman, better known for the likes of the ‘Underworld’ franchise and ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, is in the director’s chair for the movie, which has a script from ‘Parabellum’ co-writer Shay Hatten.

    Lionsgate also previously announced that Ian McShane, who has played Winston, the complicated manager of the Continental Hotel seen in the movies, will be back to reprise the role.

    Keanu Reeves and Donnie Yen in 'John Wick: Chapter 4.'
    (L to R) Keanu Reeves and Donnie Yen in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

    News leaked earlier this month that the key figure in the entire franchise – that would be Keanu Reeves himself – will also show up in the spin-off.

    There is, of course, no information about what Wick might be doing in the movie (besides kicking, punching and shooting people, we can only assume), or how big his involvement will be beyond a potential cameo, since this is really intended to focus on de Armas’ character.

    ‘Ballerina’ will follow the Ballerina character glimpsed briefly (and there played by Unity Phelan) in ‘Parabellum’ and tracks a young assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family. Which does feel apt for something set in John Wick’s world.

    “We’re thrilled to have Ian McShane joining us for a pivotal role in ‘Ballerina’, says producer Basil Iwanyk. “He’s been such an integral part of the franchise since the original John Wick. It’s been fun to have him on this journey as the Wick universe expands.”

    Reeves and McShane will both also be back for ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, which put a trailer out recently.

    ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ lands in theaters on March 24th next year. ‘Ballerina’ has yet to confirm a release date.

    Ana de Armas in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ana de Armas in ‘The Gray Man.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.
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  • Keanu Reeves to Appear in ‘John Wick’ Spin-Off ‘Ballerina’

    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.'
    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.’

    The ‘John Wick’ universe just continues to expand, with a fourth main movie headed our way in a few months (and giving out cryptic social media clues about… something – probably a trailer) and ‘The Continental’ TV series making its way through post-production after shooting this year.

    Attention is now turning to ‘Ballerina’, the movie spin-off of the ‘Wick’ films, which stars Ana de Armas.

    Len Wiseman, better known for the likes of the ‘Underworld’ franchise and ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, is in the director’s chair for the movie, which has a script from ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ co-writer Shay Hatten.

    Lionsgate has announced that Ian McShane, who has played Winston, the complicated manager of the Continental Hotel seen in the movies, will be back to reprise the role.

    Collider, meanwhile, has learned that the key figure in the entire franchise – that would be Keanu Reeves, who plays John Wick himself – will also show up in the spin-off.

    There is, of course, no information about what Wick might be doing in the movie (besides kicking, punching and shooting people, we can only assume), or how big his involvement will be beyond a potential cameo, since this is really intended to focus on de Armas’ character.

    Ana de Armas in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ana de Armas in ‘The Gray Man.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.

    ‘Ballerina’ will follow the Ballerina character glimpsed briefly (and there played by Unity Phelan) in ‘Parabellum’ and tracks a young assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family. So… yes, very much a ‘John Wick’ story.

    “We’re thrilled to have Ian McShane joining us for a pivotal role in ‘Ballerina’, says producer Basil Iwanyk. “He’s been such an integral part of the franchise since the original John Wick. It’s been fun to have him on this journey as the Wick universe expands.”

    There is no statement about Reeves – but then, his presence is probably something the producers were trying to keep quiet a little longer. And the studio has yet to reveal who else is in the cast, but with cameras now rolling, expect more details soon.

    ‘The Continental’, which focuses on a younger iteration of Winston, is also due on screens in 2023 via Peacock. That show features Mel Gibson, Colin Woodell, Nhung Kate and Katie McGrath in its ensemble.

    The fourth ‘Wick’ movie, meanwhile, finds Reeves in familiar territory. “John Wick takes on his most lethal adversaries yet in the upcoming fourth installment of the series,” reads the official logline for the next movie. “With the price on his head ever increasing, 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 Osaka to Berlin.”

    ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ lands in theaters on March 24th next year. ‘Ballerina’ has yet to confirm a release date.

    Ian McShane in 'John Wick: Chapter 2'
    Ian McShane in ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’
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  • Scott Adkins Talks ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday’

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    Opening in theaters, on digital and on demand beginning October 14th is ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ which is a sequel to 2018’s ‘Accident Man,’ and was based on the British comic strip of the same name created by Pat Mills and Tony Skinner.

    Directed by The Kirby Brothers (George and Harry Kirby), the new sequel sees the return of Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon, who must beat the top assassins in the world to protect the ungrateful son of a mafia boss (George Fouracres), save the life of his only friend (Perry Benson) and rekindle his relationship with his maniacal father figure (Ray Stevenson).

    Scott Adkins is an accomplished actor and martial artist and has appeared in such popular movies as ‘The Bourne Ultimatum,’ ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine,’ ‘The Expendables 2,’ ‘Zero Dark Thirty,’ ‘Doctor Strange,’ ‘Ip Man 4: The Finale,’ and most recently, Netflix’s ‘Day Shift.’

    He will next be seen opposite Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4,’ which is scheduled for release on May 24th, 2023.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Scott Adkins about ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ making the sequel, its new story, new characters, returning to the role, the fight scenes, reuniting with Ray Stevenson, why the Kirby Brothers were the right filmmakers to direct this movie, and working with Keanu Reeves on the upcoming ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’

    Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon in the action/thriller film, 'Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday.'
    Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

    You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Scott Adkins about ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday.’

    Moviefone: To begin with, when making the first film, at what point did you realize that these characters and this story would make a great sequel and franchise?

    Scott Adkins: Well, when I was a kid, it was a comic book. I grew up reading it, and I always thought it would make a great film. So, I must admit that making the first one, I was hoping that it would do well, because I knew it could be a franchise if the public responded to it well. So, that was always there in the back of my head, but you don’t want to tempt fate, do you?

    It took us a few years since the first one to get the second one across the finish line, to be honest. The pandemic didn’t help and other reasons. But for sure, ‘Accident Man’ works as a franchise. There’re many more stories to be told.

    MF: As an actor, what do you like about playing Mike Fallon?

    SA: First of all, he’s an expert martial artist, and that’s kind of my bag, so I knew I could do that. What I loved about the comic was how British it was, and how violent and funny it was at the same time. Comics were like that back in the day, but you never used to make movies like that. Everyone was scared to make those sorts of movies, and it was hard for me to get producers to sign on to it for a while.

    But I think when ‘Deadpool’ came out, that really showed that it’s okay to have a lot of fun and be a little bit rude, and have violence, and swear words, and that people are going to have a good time watching it. Because growing up in England, reading things like ‘2000 AD,’ that’s the way comic books were. They were quite adult in many ways, and that was the vision for the thing. We wrote ‘Accident Man’ before ‘Deadpool’ came out, by the way.

    Beau Fowler as Paco The Killer Clown and Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon in the action/thriller film, 'Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday.'
    (L to R) Beau Fowler as Paco The Killer Clown and Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

    MF: Can you talk about filming the action scenes in ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ and working out the fight choreography with the stunt coordinators and the other actors?

    SA: I was a lot more involved this time around. I’m always very involved with the fights, of course, but I was even more involved this time because my go-to guy, Tim Mann, who did the fights in the first one, we couldn’t get him. He had already choreographed some fights, and then he took another project. So, we were kind of scrambling. Andy Long choreographed the fights that I have with him, and he also choreographed and shot another fight that happens with Sarah Chang‘s character.

    But then it was a mix and match. The directors, there’s Harry and there’s George, and George is a stuntman himself. In fact, the first time I met him was on ‘Doctor Strange’ because he was stunt doubling Benedict Cumberbatch. So, they are really clued up with the action as well. It was a lot of people just mucking into choreographing it and shooting these action sequences.

    They’re all daunting because I know that they’re all going to hurt. It’s like you wake up in the morning, you have a fight scene day, and you’re like, “Oh my God, this is going to suck.” You’ve just got to grit your teeth and get through it. They’re all daunting, man. People get hurt. It is painful. If it’s not painful, you’re not doing it right. I do loads of them, of course. It’s all part of it. I’m a lifelong martial artist.

    You condition your body to get hit, and that’s part of the gig. Sometimes you get hit hard in the face by accident, or accidents happen. On this one, the action was sort of front loaded the first week. It was all the end stuff we did first. So, finishing the first week, going into the second week of a four-week shoot, I was already injured. I hurt my knee, and that really sucks when you’re injured. But, if you do enough action films, you’re going to be injured for a few of them.

    Perry Benson as Finicky Fred and Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon in the action/thriller film, 'Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday.'
    (L to R) Perry Benson as Finicky Fred and Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

    MF: Can you talk about Mike’s friendship with Finicky Fred and how that forwards the plot?

    SA: In the first one, he kills all of his friends. He thinks they’re his friends, but he ends up killing most of them. So, we wanted this film to be about finding the importance of having friends and family in your life, even though you may be a stone-cold killer. We all need friends, we all need mates, we all need people to rely on, and that’s essentially his arc through this story. Of course, Fred, Perry’s character, is integral to the telling of that arc.

    MF: Was the relationship between Mike and Siu-ling, played by Sarah Chang, inspired by Inspector Clouseau and Cato’s relationship in the original ‘Pink Panther’ movies?

    SA: Absolutely. I’m a big fan of ‘The Pink Panther’ movies. I’m a big fan of Peter Sellers. Some of those fights in those movies, they’re so funny. Ours is a bit more highlighting the action rather than the comedy, but that was essentially what I wanted to do.

    I wanted to make Sarah’s character kind of be like my Cato but in an updated sort of way, but have the fun of that, and that you never know when she’s going to strike. We’re probably around the same age. Our generation are going to know, but I think the kids coming up today, they probably haven’t seen those movies, and they absolutely should.

    Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon and Sarah Chang as Wong Siu-ling in the action/thriller film, 'Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday.'
    (L to R) Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon and Sarah Chang as Wong Siu-ling in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

    MF: Can you also talk about working with the Kirby Brothers, and when you are making a movie like this, is it helpful to work with filmmakers who have a background in stunts and fight coordinating?

    SA: Yeah, absolutely. When I first conceived the idea of making ‘Accident Man’ as a film, I wanted it to have a Matthew Vaughn or Edgar Wright feel to it. As directors, they definitely have that sensibility. They’re very visually stylistic, and they’re English. They come from the world of stunts, so they ticked all the boxes in what I wanted ‘Accident Man’ to be.

    MF: What was it like reuniting with Ray Stevenson on this movie?

    SA: Ray’s great. He’s a consummate professional, an amazing actor, and a real team player. We were just lucky to have him in the film. He brings that gravitas to that character, and he’s got a scene where he has to explain the whole plot, and you need a great actor for something like that. Ray’s the man. He’s great.

    Ray Stevenson as Big Ray in the action/thriller film, 'Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday.'
    Ray Stevenson as Big Ray in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

    MF: Finally, what was it like for you to join the ‘John Wick’ franchise and work with Keanu Reeves on ‘John Wick: Chapter 4?’

    SA: I’m a big fan of the ‘John Wick’ films. I think they are the best action films going at the moment when it comes to what Hollywood is doing. It’s a massive thrill to be involved.

    Keanu is just, as everyone says, the nicest guy. Chad Stahelski‘s an incredible director, and it was amazing to watch him work. I can’t wait for it to come out. I’m as disappointed as everyone that it’s been delayed till March. I can’t wait to see it!

    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 4.'
    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’
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  • Comic-Con 2022: ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ First Photo and Trailer

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    UPDATE: Watch the first trailer from ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ in the video player above.

    Is John Wick asking for thoughts and prayers? It’s not really what you expect from a man who has been known to kill people with whatever is convenient, but in this first image from ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, he certainly appears to be having a moment of quiet reflection.

    Until, that is, he starts stabbing people with candles. We don’t know if that’ll happen for sure, but we won’t rule it out.

    What will happen in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ still largely remains a mystery, and studio Lionsgate is in no hurry to fill us in.

    The end of the third movie, ‘Parabellum’, saw the rogue assassin become “incommunicado”; and landed with a huge price on his head. But by the end of the movie, allegiances have been tested… with The Continental and Winston (Ian McShane) assuming their neutral status once more, after the possible betrayal of Wick. Thankfully, Wick finds himself rescued by none other than the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne).

    Alongside Reeves, Fishburne and McShane, the cast includes a mixture of returning veterans and new faces such as Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Clancy Brown, Marko Zaror, Bill Skarsgård, and Scott Adkins.

    Chad Stahelski, who has been the franchise’s guiding director since making the first installment with David Leitch back in 2014, admits he worried about following the third installment, ‘Parabellum’.

    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 4.'
    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’

    “There’s been a couple days where I’ve decided to do number four and I’ve woken up in a cold sweat going, ‘Horses! How do I beat horses?’ I have no f*****g idea, to tell you the truth,” Stahelski tells Collider. “I have a lot of really cool ideas for the next one that I think are different and shocking and fun and unique. How to do them, I have no f*****n’ idea right now. I’m still figuring it out.”

    Stahelski also says that it was never the plan to make more than one movie way back when. And he’s been treating each Wick movie – despite an expanding narrative universe – as a standalone film. But there are always new ideas lurking, even on press tours…

    “I think we were in Japan, and Keanu goes, ‘I think I got one more left in me,’ and we had one idea we didn’t use which we really loved, and we have to cut it out of ‘Parabellum’, just didn’t have the space for it,” he says in the same Collider interview. “So we’re like, ‘Okay, we’ll do a fourth. That’s gonna be awesome. We’ll make a plan.’ The studios went, ‘We totally get what you’re trying to do.’ We submitted an idea or thematic plan, and it was really big. So, we’re talking about doing a little bit more. We’ll see how that goes.”

    So far, the only real clue we’ve had might not be a clue at all – as actors don’t always know these things for sure – but Anderson has teased the full title is ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ – Hagakure (a Japanese guide for warriors in case you didn’t already know).

    Whatever it is subtitled, ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ will punch its way into theaters on March 24th, 2023.

    Keanu Reeves onstage at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center
    Keanu Reeves onstage at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2022 in San Diego, California. Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
    Andrew Stanton, Chad Stahelski, and Keanu Reeves speak onstage at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2022 in San Diego, California. Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
    (L to R) Andrew Stanton, Chad Stahelski, and Keanu Reeves speak onstage at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2022 in San Diego, California. Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
    Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves speak onstage at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center
    (L to R) Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves speak onstage at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2022 in San Diego, California. Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
    Keanu Reeves speaks onstage at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center
    Keanu Reeves speaks onstage at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2022 in San Diego, California. Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
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  • Lionsgate Brings ‘John Wick’, ‘The Expendables’ and More to CinemaCon

    Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves
    (L-R) Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves attend the Lionsgate CinemaCon presentation in support of ‘John Wick: Chapter Four’ at the Colosseum Theatre in Caesar’s Palace on April 28th, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Eric Charbonneau.

    Tasked with the final studio presentation of this year’s CinemaCon event, Lionsgate brought its biggest gun – and fist, foot, or anything else that can be turned into a weapon.

    We’re talking, of course, about Keanu Reeves’ John Wick. And Reeves was at the event in person to show the first full trailer for ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Though the ‘Wick’ footage didn’t open the event, it was one of the clear highlights.

    The trailer is full of everything ‘Wick’ fans might be looking for – more of the title character taking on fellow assassins using all manner of violent tactics, including, in this case, nunchuks.

    ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, which opens on March 24th, 2023, stars Reeves, Donnie Yen, Laurence Fishburne, Bill Skarsgård, and Ian McShane. Chad Stahelski, who directed the previous three films, is back behind the camera, and joined the star to present the movie.

    Reeves described the ‘Wick’ franchise as “a celebration of fight choreography, balletic action and storytelling that can only happen through movement.” Then the actor and director discussed their long creative partnership – which stretches back to the latter being Reeves’ stunt double on the ‘Matrix’ franchise, while Stahelski enthused about paying tribute to action icons through the ages in this latest installment.

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    Action icons also form a huge part of ‘Expend4bles’ which, as you might guess, is the fourth of ‘The Expendables’ franchise. With Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone back anchoring the chaos and banter, the upcoming movie stars Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Randy Couture, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, Andy Garcia, and Iko Uwais. Uwais is set to play the movie’s villain.

    The footage was predictably crazy, with Stallone crashing a plane through a tunnel and plenty of fighting. ‘Expend4bles’, with Scott Waugh directing, is still awaiting a formal release date, but should be in theaters this year.

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    Eli Roth’s video game adaptation ‘Borderlands’ also brought some impressive footage to the presentation, which included Cate Blanchett in a bright red wig, toting a gun and fighting her way through a vibrantly colored cityscape. Kevin Hart also appeared as did Jack Black voicing the robot Claptrap who unexpectedly takes a bullet from Blanchett’s gun but keeps on chatting.

    As for the synopsis? Lilith (Blanchett), an infamous outlaw with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home planet of Pandora to find the missing daughter of the universe’s most powerful S.O.B., Atlas (Edgar Ramirez). Lilith forms an alliance with an unexpected team — Roland (Hart), a former elite mercenary, now desperate for redemption; Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg (Florian Munteanu), Tina’s musclebound, rhetorically challenged protector; Tannis (Jamie Lee Curtis), the scientist with a tenuous grip on sanity; and Claptrap (Black), a persistently wiseass robot. These unlikely heroes must battle alien monsters and dangerous bandits to find and protect the missing girl, who may hold the key to unimaginable power. The fate of the universe could be in their hands — but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other.

    ‘Borderlands’ will blast into theaters on a date still to be decided this year.

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    Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco emceed the presentation, which also included footage from his upcoming autobiographical comedy ‘About My Father’. Maniscalco co-wrote and executive produced the movie, in which Robert De Niro plays his father. In the pic, Maniscalco tells his old-school Italian immigrant father Salvo that he is going to propose to his all-American girlfriend, Salvo insists on crashing a weekend with her wealthy parents.

    Talking about his upcoming movie, and the origins for it, Maniscalco said, “I wanted to make a movie where you could take the family. I didn’t think this thing was going to be made. I can’t believe Robert De Niro is playing my father in this movie. It hurt my feelings when I heard Leonardo DiCaprio should play me.”

    ‘About My Father’ doesn’t yet have a release date scheduled.

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    On a different family front, stars Rachel McAdams and Abby Ryder Fortson took the stage to introduce the trailer for ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’.

    This initial glimpse of the Judy Blume classic in movie form drew plenty of laughs (and a few squirms) of recognition as the footage revealed coming-of-age challenges, sex education classes and teenage girls chanting that they must improve their bust.

    The movie arrives on September 16th.

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    Then there was ‘White Bird: A Wonder Story’, which is set in the same universe as the 2017’s heartwarming hit ‘Wonder’. Adapted again from the work of author R.J. Palacio (this time his graphic novel), it follows Julian (Bryce Gheisar), who was one of the kid who bullied Auggie (Jacob Tremblay) in the original film. He’s been expelled and is now trying to fit into a new private school.

    In the story, Julian gets a visit from his Grandmère from Paris (Helen Mirren) who was a child in Nazi-occupied France. She tells the story of how she went into hiding, helped by a young man from her school, who took a huge risk in doing so. Together they find love and compassion.

    ‘White Bird: A Wonder Story’ is due in theaters on October 14th.

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    Lionsgate wrapped up their event with one more big title, one that many had almost forgotten was still happening: the prequel to the ‘Hunger Games’ movies, ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’.

    With Francis Lawrence back to direct (he handled three of the original ‘Games’ movies), the prequel is set years prior to the original movies. We meet the 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, who would become the tyrannical President of Panem. The young Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he is chosen to be mentor to Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.

    No other information about the movie (which is now shooting) was given, other than the news that it’ll be in theaters on November 17th next year.

    Jennifer Lawrence
    Jennifer Lawrence in 2012’s ‘The Hunger Games.’
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