When director Chad Stahelski was approached to make a sequel to the hit film John Wick, he initially thought it wasn’t supposed to happen. However, he and star Keanu Reeves were up for the challenge and set to work on expanding the universe of the film and the character at its center. They decided to have Wick use sign language and speak Italian, and take the story to Rome. They also came up with the idea of a marker and a consequence for Wick’s actions, which led to the creation of John Wick: Chapter 2.
Stahelski and Reeves spent a week brainstorming ideas for the sequel, which included a mute character played by Ruby Rose and a mirror room fight scene. They also brought in Laurence Fishburne, with whom they had worked on The Matrix, to play the Bowery King. The success of Chapter 2 led to the creation of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, which features Halle Berry in a new role.
Stahelski and Reeves have a deep appreciation for action films and believe that they should be recognized at award shows. However, they acknowledge that it can be difficult to determine who should receive credit for the action scenes, as it is often a collaborative effort between multiple departments. They suggest that the best way to judge action scenes is by how they make the audience feel.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is set to release on March 24.