While many still know Keanu Reeves best for playing Neo in The Matrix trilogy or Ted Logan in the Bill & Ted movies, the actor has added another character to his resume who has proved himself to be most popular: John Wick. Both movies centered on the eponymous assassin have been critically and commercially successful, and a third adventure was officially greenlit last summer. Now following rumors that he would return, it's been confirmed that director Chad Stahelski will indeed reprise his helming duties for John Wick 3.
Chad Stahelski has been in the director's chair on the John Wick series, although he co-helmed the first movie with producer David Leitch (though Leitch went uncredited for his directorial work). Now it's official that Stahelski, previously a Hollywood stuntman, will oversee John Wick 3. It's not always possible for the same director to stay on board for every entry for a film series, but when it does, often times that's most welcome, as it means the same kind of creative vision remains intact. Stahelski will also direct the pilot of the upcoming Starz series The Continental, which will revolve around the "inner works" of the exclusive Continental Hotel that serves as a safe have for this world's assassins (well, most of the time...).
John Wick 3 is still over a year away from release, so aside from Chad Stahelski directing again and Derek Solstad, the writer of the previous two John Wick movies, returning to pen the screenplay, no significant official details about the threequel have come out. But earlier this week, it was reported that along with Laurence Fishburne and Ruby Rose reprising The Bower King and Ares, respectively, John Wick 3 had tapped The Wolverine star Hiroyuki Sanada to play the main antagonist, the head of a Japanese crime syndicate. However, along with confirming Stahelski's involvement in John Wick 3, EW reports that while Sanada has indeed been approached for the role, a formal offer hasn't been made yet, as the actor wants to read the script first. Keanu Reeves has also expressed interest in bringing Tilda Swinton onto the movie.
At the end of John Wick: Chapter 2, John was declared "excommunicado" from the assassin community after he killed Santino D'Antonio on Continental grounds, which is a big no-no. Now stripped of all his resources and privileges, John Wick 3 will likely see the protagonist still on the run and killing anyone who tries to collect the global bounty on his head. Chad Stahelski has also said that the third movie will show more of the "intricacies" of this colorful underworld.
John Wick 3 hits theaters on May 17, 2019, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates. In the meantime, you can see what this year has in store theatrically by scanning through our 2018 premiere guide.
