John Wick: Chapter 4 will follow Keanu Reeves’ titular assassin as he goes on a globetrotting adventure to defeat the High Table. However, Reeves is not the only action legend in the sequel, which also features Hiroyuki Sanada and Donnie Yen. Both stars will play old friends of John Wick, and as director Chad Stahelski reveals in an exclusive interview with Collider’s own Steven Weintraub, they will fight at some point.
We’ve known for a while that martial legend Yen was set to be playing Caine, described as an old friend of Wick. However, Sanada’s character has remained a mystery so far. Fortunately, as Stahelski tells us, the two actors will face in the upcoming sequel, and by mixing their martial arts experience, John Wick 4 promises to be unforgettable. As Stahelski describes it:
“He [Sanada] has a moment with Donnie Yen. Yes, he does. I mean, when you have Hiroyuki Sanada and Donnie Yen going at it, it's always fun. When you have guys that come from the action genre world, and they both love to act, it's funny, they all have that similar thread. They just don't want to tread on, they don't want to be trope-y. They want to try something new. They're very brave. It's not falling back into the same, ‘Let's just do the style I'm good at.’ Hiroyuki is used to the Japanese way of doing things, very precise. And you have Donnie that's really the epitome of Hong Kong action of, ‘Let's just be great and make it up on the day of, and get the energy.’ So to put them together and to find a little organic mix was really fun.”
Sanada and Yen’s duel is not only a treat for fans, as both stars also had a lot of fun working together. As Stahelski puts it:
“They had a good time. I think the respect was there, and super courteous to each other, and literally just, we had all our grand ideas of choreography and stuff, and then it comes down to two guys just doing it really well. And you watch, and you're like, ‘Oh yeah, okay, I'm going to shut up now. Let you guys do your thing.’”
How Hiroyuki Sanada Was Almost in John Wick 3
While Sanada is an excellent addition to John Wick 4, Stahelski also reveals the star almost showed up in John Wick 3. Sanada was supposed to play the role that ultimately went to Mark Dacascos. While it is unfortunate that Sanada had to give up the part due to a health issue, that also proved an opportunity for Stahelski to write a new character, especially for the actor. As the director tells us:
“I've known Hiroyuki forever. Been a fan of his forever, like 30-year fan. And finally getting to work with him. Because he works with Dave [Leitch] a lot. Dave's always been able to get him, whether it's ‘Wolverine’ or ‘Bullet Train,’ or anything like that. He was originally going to play a part for me in ‘John Wick 3,’ but he tore his Achilles tendon right before he came. So that's how the whole Mark Dacascos thing came out. Hiroyuki had to bail, had surgery. So then we went to our friend Mark Dacascos. On this, he was literally, as soon as I knew what I was going to write, I was like, ‘Don't take another gig. Make sure you tell me you're in ‘John Wick 4.’ Now I've just got to write the part.’ So he was cool. He plays an old friend of John Wick's.”
Sanada’s appearance in John Wick 4 is set to make up for the lost time, as Stahelski describes his interaction with Yen as nothing short of brilliant. In fact, every day that the two stars had an action scene to shoot on set, the whole John Wick 4 crew gathered to see them fight. In Stahelski’s words:
“Everybody came out to watch. They're great humans, incredibly creative, and super talented. So yeah, of course, you just want to watch these guys do their thing. And the funny thing is, these guys couldn't be happier doing their thing. There's no insecurity. You yell, ‘Cut,’ and it's supposed to be a serious scene, but you yell, ‘Cut,’ and they're high-fiving each other, and you're watching Hiroyuki and Donnie Yen high-five each other going, ‘Good job. Thank you. What can I do for you?’ Just like great stunt guys, ‘How can I make you look better?’ So giving.”
John Wick 4 arrives in theaters on March 24, 2023. Check out the movie’s trailer and synopsis below and look for more from our exclusive interview with Chad Stahelski soon.
John Wick uncovers a path to defeating the High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.