John Wick: Chapter 4 director Chad Stahelski explained that the upcoming sequel will serve as both a continuation and a conclusion to the franchise.

In an interview with Collider, Stahelski spoke about what fans can expect from the next chapter of the popular Keanu Reeves-led action film franchise. "I think Chapter 4 is a good continuation of all three previous films, and it's got a bit of a conclusion to it, which is great," he said. "We introduce a ton of new characters that have a lot to say about John Wick from his past and from, obviously, present. I think it's brotherhood, it's hope. It's what the life would really be like as a bit of an existential crisis with John, and I think that's the fun part of the movie."

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Stahelski premiered the first footage from John Wick: Chapter 4 during the Lionsgate presentation at CinemaCon 2022, which reunited Reeves' titular assassin with Laurence Fishburne's Bowery King and Ian McShane's Winston. In the same interview, Stahelski praised the stunt teams hired from around the world for the film.

"We were fortunate enough to land some very interesting stunt teams from all over the world," said Stahelski. "And each stunt team from the different countries, the Japanese stunt team, the French stunt team, the Bulgarian stunt team, they all have a little bit of flavor of motion, and I think that helps change the set pieces as well."

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Production on John Wick: Chapter 4 began in June 2021, filming across Europe, Japan and New York City, with Reeves reprising the role of John Wick. Originally intended for a 2022 release, Lionsgate pushed the film's release date to 2023 as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Along with the return of franchise veterans such as McShane, Fishburne and Lance Riddick, the franchise will also welcome newcomers Donnie Yen, Shamier Anderson, Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada, Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown and Rina Sawayama.

Though plot details remain under wraps, John Wick: Chapter 4 is expected to pick up after the cliffhanger ending from Chapter 3, which saw a wounded Wick join forces with Fishburne's Bowery King to take on the High Table. In addition to the upcoming sequel, a spin-off film called Ballerina was officially announced with Ana de Armas cast in the lead and Len Wiseman directing. On top of that, a spinoff series titled The Continental is set to premiere on Starz with Colin Woodell portraying a younger version of McShane's Winston Scott.

Directed by Stahelski from a screenplay by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch, John Wick: Chapter 4 hits theaters on March 24, 2023.

Source: Collider