John Wick: Chapter 4 stars Keanu reeves and Chad Stahelski talking about whether John Wick owes The Matrix a debt.
Keanu Reeves is a menacing assassin and underground hacker. His characters in The Matrix and Johnwick continue to draw comparisons. Chad Stahelski, director of Johnwick: Chapter 4 doesn’t deny that there are similarities between the movies.
Reeves, Stahelski, and a host of other people spoke to Wired in an interview about comparing The Matrix with John Wick. The discussion focused on whether John Wick owes something to the science fiction movie series. Reeves replied with coyness, saying that “if we’re going to compare them, they both [were] original ideas with visionary filmmakers.” Stahelski said that John Wick would not be possible without The Matrix. “No one thought Matrix was going to be anything but amazing. David Leitch (co-director for the first Wick film) and I stayed for V for Vendetta, and Racer so we had a decade’s worth of Wachowski film school. The John Wicks was born in The Matrix,” Stahelski declared.
The Matrix marked a new role for Reeves. Reeves played Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer, and hacker who operated under the name Neo. The Matrix starred Laurence Fishburne as well as Carrie-Ann Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Joe Pantoliano. The Matrix won four Academy Awards, grossed more than $467 million globally, and was a massive success. Stahelski, who helmed all four movies of the John Wick franchise starred as Reeves’ stunt double in The Matrix, while also managing martial arts stunts for Reloaded and revolutions. Stahelski was the husband of Tiffany Moss in Resurrections.
John Wick’s Matrix Reference
The John Wick franchise has looked at The Matrix before, particularly in Chap 3: Parabellum, which included an Easter egg that referenced the sci-fi movie. John and Winston are in a scene where Winston asks John what he needs while he looks for the High Table. John answers, “guns and lots of guns,” which is a direct nod to Neo since that was the same line Neo used while preparing for a lobby shootout sequence.
Chapter 4 John Wick returns to the High Table and tries to secure freedom. But, John Wick is up against Marquis da Gramont, a new and more dangerous enemy. He has powerful alliances around the world, including former friends who are now foes. The film stars Fishburne as the Bowery King, Donnie Yen, and Lance Reddick as Charon. It was shot in Paris and Osaka. It was originally due for release in 2021 but was delayed by Reeves Resurrections obligations and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Section 4 is the longest installment, at 2 hours 49 minutes. This is 38 minutes longer than the Chapter 3 Parabellum record. Reeves says that the movie also introduces John Wick a potential partner and has more intricate action scenes than the previous films. Stahelski hinted at a John-Wild 5, but he dropped the idea of filming the fourth and fifth installments to the neo-noir crime thriller series in reverse.
John Wick’s action will once again be on display when chapter 4 opens in theaters in March. 24.