Bill Skarsgård, who is best known for playing Pennywise in theITfilms, explained why he joinedJohn Wick 4. The highly-anticipated Lionsgate sequel started production in June and is expected to be premiere next May.
Directed by Chad Stahelski,John Wick 4stars Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, and Laurence Fishburne. The ensemble cast also includesHiroyuki Sanada (MortalKombat), Shamier Anderson (Wynonna Earp), and Donnie Yen (Rogue One). While details on thefilm have been kept under wraps, Fishburne revealed thatJohn Wick 4is deeper in terms of the code of the assassin and the relations Wick has with a character named Mr. Watanabe.Due to the pandemic, the release of the sequel was pushed an entire year.
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While little details are known about Skarsgård’s mystery character, the actor teased that his role is something different and didn’t require any fight training. Skarsgård toldColliderthathe joinedJohn Wick 4after meeting with Stahelski a few times. “It was a really fun role,” said the 30-year-old star, while adding, “…it was a fun role and a fun world. I like the movies. I think they’re entertaining and it is something that I haven’t really done before.” Skarsgård noted that he’s interested in taking on more comedic and action roles given that he is largely known for playing disturbing characters in projects such asCastle Rock,Hemlock Grove, and IT.He said,“I’ve had it [in my mind] for a very long time that I want to try to be as versatile as I possibly can, whether it is crossing genres or playing these vastly different characters.”
John Wick 4was announced soon after the debut ofJohn Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,which grossed $326 million worldwide and became the highest-grossing film in the franchise in just 10 days. Picking up minutes after the end of the second film,Parabellumsaw Reeves’ Wick attempt to fend off a group of assassins after a $14 million contract is put on his head. The action thriller ended with an injured John coming face-to-face with a scarred Bowery King in an underground bunker.The previous threeJohn Wickfilmshave collectively grossed over $580 million worldwide.
Lionsgate decided to move on fromfranchise creator Derek Kolstadand tapped Shay Hatten (Army of the Dead) and Michael Finch (Hitman) to develop the fourth film’s script. Kolstad wrote the previous three installments and notably penned Ilya Naishuller’sNobody, which drew comparisons to the Wick franchise.Nobodyfollowed Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk), an office worker who craves violence and will do anything to win his children’s approval. Kolstad revealed that while his exit fromJohn Wick 4wasn’t his decision, he is excited to see what’s next for the acclaimed action franchise. The screenwriter will also not be involved withJohn Wick 5, which was originally supposed to shoot immediately after the fourth film.
Due to the success of the franchise, aJohn Wickprequel series titledThe Continentalwas green-lit at Starz.The Book of Eli’s Albert Hughesrecently signed on to direct two episodes of the three-installment event series. The gritty prequel will center on a younger version of McShane’s Winston and explore the origins of the assassin’s hotel.
John Wick: Chapter 4is scheduled to be released in theaters on Jul 30, 2025.
