Keanu Reeves is just too popular for his own good! Instead of everyone wanting to kill him, like John Wick, everyone wants to work with him. We've already seen how 2019 became The Keanussance, but it's not over yet -- Keanu is returning for back-to-back movies in three of his major franchises. That has put John Wick: Chapter 4 in something of a confused position, at least according to John Wick movies co-star Lance Reddick.
John Wick 4 already has a release date of May 21, 2021, but when will they be able to make it? Also, when will they finish writing it?
Lance Reddick plays Continental Hotel concierge Charon in the John Wick films. He gave a John Wick: Chapter 4 filming update to Comicbook:
Last I heard, there wasn't a script yet but that was a month ago. I know they're working on it but part of the problem in terms of scheduling now is that Keanu signed on to do The Matrix 4 and he has the new Bill & Ted coming up. He has three franchises he's juggling so I'm just not sure if he's going to do The Matrix 4 or John Wick next.
See? Too popular. Bill & Ted Face the Music should be the easiest to work around. The third film in the Bill & Ted franchise is already finished filming. Provided no major reshoots are needed, Keanu Reeves should only be required to promote the film before its release on August 21, 2020. Not that promoting is nothing -- it's time, and often a lot of travel.
Filming, though, is another matter. When news about The Matrix 4 came out a few months ago, one additional surprising note was that production was looking to start in the early months of 2020. Based on that, it sounds like Keanu Reeves might be filming The Matrix 4 before John Wick 4.
Unlike John Wick 4, The Matrix 4 doesn't have a scheduled release date yet, beyond assumptions that maybe it'll show up in 2022. But you have to imagine it will require a lot more post-production and VFX work than a movie with more practical stunts like John Wick. After all, Keanu even said the Matrix 4 script was "very ambitious."
Another question up-in-the-air for both John Wick 4 and The Matrix 4 is "What about Laurence Fishburne?" John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum ended in such a way that it seems like the Bowery King will definitely return. What about Morpheus for the fourth movie? Fishburne isn't confirmed at this point and there was some talk about The Matrix 4 including a younger Morpheus, which would involve recasting.
So, to Lance Reddick's point, between the possible filming of The Matrix 4 in early 2020 and then promotion for Bill & Ted Face the Music in summer 2020, it's not clear when Keanu Reeves will have time in his schedule to put our favorite dog-lover back in action.
John Wick: Chapter 3 started filming in early May 2018 for its release in theaters one year later in May 2019. Depending on multiple factors, if John Wick: Chapter 4 can't get Keanu Reeves or the rest of production together in time, we may see John Wick 4 move its release date away from May 21, 2021. It's not like all three John Wick movies released in May -- the first arrived in October 2014, the second in February 2017 -- but John Wick 3 had such a huge success this year, I can't blame Lionsgate for wanting to replicate that as much as possible.
Here's everything we know so far about John Wick 4. Keep up with everything heading to the big screen next year with our 2020 movie release date schedule.
