Three years after the franchise’s third film, the John Wick series’ fourth entry’s first look has just dropped, giving us a stylized glimpse of Keanu Reeves’ slick, terrifying assassin.
Giving us a look at Wick surrounded by candles (there’s a pun somewhere here), the preview doesn’t offer too much information — other than the fact that the action gun-fu franchise will once again hit theatres worldwide, featuring much of the hyperstylized flair we’ve grown to love since the original debuted in 2014.
The series starts off with a barebones plot, streamlining Wick’s story into a quest for revenge after a cocky Russian gangster kills his beloved pet puppy. Thrust back into a world of assassin secret societies, complete with near-sacred oaths and codes of behaviour, Wick finds himself diving into a death-dealing spiral that pits him against the world’s most dangerous men and women.
The image depicts a considerably more contemplative Wick than we’ve seen so far, who has operated in the last few films as a bloodthirsty, revenge-crazed force of nature. John Wick 3: Parabellum, ends with Wick’s ally Winston (Ian McShane) strategically shooting the assassin, sending him off a roof and into the refuge of the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne).
From here, we can assume that Wick plots towards bringing down the secret society hunting him down — while simultaneously coming to terms with his life, and his ridiculously high kill-count.
Along with Keanu and the aforementioned veteran actors, Lance Reddick, Bill Skarsgård, Clancy Brown, Donnie Yen, Shamier Anderson, Hiroyuki Sanada, Scott Adkins, and Rina Sawayama will also make an appearance. This time though, writing responsibilities will move from Derek Kolstad to Michael Finch and Shay Hatten along with action-film maverick Chad Stehelski continuing as director.
Meanwhile, the John Wick universe will have its first spinoff with Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, who has just hit Netflix with The Gray Man.
John Wick 4 releases in theatres on March 24, 2023.
(Featured Image Credits: Lionsgate)
