John Wick parts 4 and 5 were supposed to be filmed to back-to-back, but director Chad Stahelski made the tough decision to scrap that idea.
In an interview with Total Film, Stahelski revealed his thought process behind the change of plans. "I didn’t feel good about doing 4 and 5 collectively," the filmmaker said, noting that would require a whopping 200-day production, which he felt would be overly exhausting for the John Wick cast and crew. Despite this, the director stated that a fifth John Wick film is likely still on the horizon. "Keanu [Reeves] calls it the John Wick fever," Stahelski joked. "You haven’t done John Wick for two years and you’re like, 'We gotta go do something!'"
Based on Reeves' description of the John Wick: Chapter 4 shooting process, shooting the next entry in the popular franchise has been taxing. The actor revealed that the upcoming film is the "hardest movie I’ve ever made," which he attributed to its action-heavy sequences. "But that’s what makes it good," he added. He also said that Chapter 4 is intended to be the biggest in the franchise yet, adding that, "You really have to see it."
The Best John Wick Yet?
According to Laurence Fishburne, who is set to reprise his role as the Bowery King from John Wick: Chapter 2 and John Wick: Chapter 3 in the upcoming film, the hard work will be worth it. He recalled that when he read the script, he said, "This is the best one." Fishburne continued on to say that the film has a bold opener, "three or four really incredible set pieces," and new characters that are "crazy fun." Stahelski also teased that, adding to the fun of Chapter 4, fans can expect even more ninjas.
Another element of Chapter 4 that will likely set it apart from other John Wick films is that, according to Stahelski, it will hopefully offer viewers some sort of closure to the series – whether or not it is actually the final installment. He explained that John Wick 4 is "a good continuation of all three previous films" while also having "a bit of a conclusion to it."
John Wick: Chapter 4 is set to hit theaters on March 24, 2023.
Source: Total Film