We missed out on getting to see John Wick: Chapter 4 this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the next entry in the Keanu Reeves-led franchise is finally beginning filming soon. As we move forward to that important step in the creative process, casting news is starting to trickle in. Last week, it was announced that pop singer Rina Sawayama would make her film debut in Chapter 4, and now it’s been announced that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story star Donnie Yen will also appear in the action flick.
While the specific identity of Donnie Yen’s John Wick: Chapter 4 character hasn’t been revealed, Deadline reports that Yen will play an old friend of John’s who “shares his same history and many of the same enemies.” Considering how things ended for John in Chapter 3 - Parabellum, he could certainly use more allies, and a man of Yen’s fighting talents is certainly helpful in getting out of jams with other assassins. Here’s what Chapter 4 director Chad Stahelski had to say about Yen’s involvement:
We are very lucky to have Donnie Yen join the franchise. I am looking forward to working with him in this exciting new role.
Donnie Yen has long cemented himself as one of Hong Kong’s greatest action stars with his martial arts skills, and he’s arguably best known in the Hong Kong cinema scene for leading the Ip Man film series. American audiences will recognize him as Chirrut Îmwe, the blind Guardian of the Whills who teamed up with Jyn Erso, in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Yen also starred as Xiang in XXX: Return of Xander Cage and Commander Tung in Disney’s live-action Mulan remake. Along with John Wick: Chapter 4, Yen’s upcoming movies include Raging Fire (which comes out in Hong Kong this July) and the film adaptation of the Sleeping Dogs video game.
By the time John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum concluded, Keanu Reeves’ character was in rough shape, having been shot by Ian McShane’s Winston (we can all agree there was more to that than meets the eye, right?) and fallen off the roof of The Continental. Luckily, he was retrieved by The Tick Tock Man and delivered to Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King, who inquired about if John is just as pissed off at the High Table as he is. John answered affirmatively, so it looks like we can count on these two teaming up in John Wick: Chapter 4 to bring down the council of crime lords that’s made their lives hell. Fingers crossed Donnie Yen’s character can assist them with their vengeance.
With John Wick: Chapter 4 gearing up for principal photography in Paris, France and Berlin, Germany, followed by additional filming in Japan and New York City, it’s likely we’ll learn about more actors joining the cast in the coming weeks. Behind the scenes, Chad Stahelski, who’s been part of the John Wick franchise since the beginning, is sitting back in the director’s chair. However, Derek Kolstad, who worked on the scripts for the first three John Wick movies, did not return, with Michael Finch instead tackling the Chapter 4 screenplay.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is set to come out on May 27, 2022, and we here at CinemaBlend will keep you updated on its progress. For now, stay apprised of this year’s cinematic offerings with our upcoming 2021 movies guide.
