Keanu Reeves won’t be fighting alone when he reprises his role as John Wick for John Wick: Chapter 4.
According to Deadline, action star Donnie Yen has joined the cast of director Chad Stahelski’s film as an old friend to Wick. The character description hints that the two have a shared history, as well as many common enemies.
“We are very lucky to have Donnie Yen join the franchise,” said Stahelski. “I am looking forward to working with him in this exciting new role.”
“Donnie Yen will bring a vibrant and powerful energy to the franchise,” added producer Basil Iwanyk. “We were determined to bring him on board to John Wick 4 and are thrilled for the opportunity to have such a major talent to collaborate with Keanu.”
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Yen joins fellow cast member Rina Sawayama, who will make her big-screen debut in John Wick 4 after a successful music career. Her character details have yet to be disclosed.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, John Wick: Chapter 1 starred Reeves as an ex-assassin who tracks down the men who broke into his home and killed his dog, his last gift from his late wife. Despite its simple plot, the film received critical acclaim for its action sequences and Reeves’ performance. It ended up grossing $86 million off a $20 million budget.
The surprising success of the first film led to the release of John Wick: Chapter 2 and John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum. Both of those films were also critical and financial success. Chapter 2 brought in $171.5 million off a $40 million budget, while Parabellum earned $326.7 million from a $75 million budget.
John Wick: Chapter 4 was announced in May 2019 and was given a May 21, 2021 release date. However, it was pushed to May 27, 2022 due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While it was supposed to film back-to-back with John Wick: Chapter 5, Lionsgate opted to delay production on John Wick 5 and film John Wick: Chapter 4 alone. Principal photography is expected to begin this summer.
One of the most successful action stars living today, Yen’s film credits include Mulan, xXx: Return of Xander Cage, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Blade II and the IP Man franchise. He is also starring in and producing the upcoming The Father with Frank Grillo.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, John Wick: Chapter 4 stars Keanu Reeves, Rina Sawayama and Donnie Yen. The film arrives in theaters May 27, 2022.
Source: Deadline
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