It feels like a lifetime ago that fans were giddy at the prospect of Keanu Reeves Day, with Warner Bros.’ The Matrix 4 and Lionsgate’s John Wick: Chapter 4 both staking out the exact same date on May 21st of this year. However, as the Coronavirus pandemic decimated the theatrical industry and its release schedule, circumstances have long since prevented the actor’s army of supporters from being forced into a Sophie’s Choice scenario.
The Matrix 4 is now set to hit the big screen and HBO Max simultaneously on December 22nd, while John Wick’s return was pushed back a full twelve months until May 27th of 2022. Shortly after Chapter 4 was delayed, the next installment was announced and it was revealed that both movies would shoot back to back, which is bad news for the army of stuntmen set to be decimated by Reeves’ sharp-suited assassin.
In a recent interview, series regular Ian McShane admitted that the script is still being written, and he’s not sure about the back to back production, but he’s still fully expecting to be on set as Winston later this year, presumably for Chapter 4 to pick up exactly where Parabellum left off.
“Keanu and I exchanged New Year’s greetings and said, ‘Hope to see you this year’. I know the script is being written and they’re hoping to do it this year. I know they announced they were gonna do four and five together, but who knows. The studios announce all sorts of things. No doubt, at some point this year, we’re gonna do John Wick 4.”
The closing moments of the third entry set the stage for the title hero to seek revenge on the High Table, with McShane’s Winston choosing self-preservation over his longtime friend and ally by shooting him in order to remain in charge of the Continental. Given the sprawling and expansive mythology surrounding the secret underworld of assassins, thing aren’t going to be quite so straightforward, and John Wick: Chapter 4 will look to continue the brand’s evolution into a blockbuster action franchise that keeps raising the bar higher and higher.