While we are still far away from John Wick: Chapter 4, lead star Keanu Reeves might have revealed the action sequel opening scene, which involves horses in a desert. In an interview for Esquire, Reeves talked about how he’s currently learning how to properly ride horses for an action scene that’ll probably take place right at the beginning of John Wick: Chapter 4.
So far, we don’t know much about John Wick: Chapter 4’s plot. We know Reeves will gun-fu his way through the criminal underworld in Berlin, Paris, Japan, and then back to the franchise's home base of New York City. We also know Laurence Fishburne will be reprising his role from Chapter 3 - Parabellum as the Bowery King. Now, we have a new small piece of the puzzle, as Reeves reveals there’s a big set piece taking place in a desert, somewhere around the globe.
As Reeves explains it, “there’s a sequence — hopefully, knock on wood — in John Wick 4, the opening sequence. John Wick is back in the desert on a horse. I’m going to hopefully be able to fast-gallop and run.” And is Reeves capable of doing that? In the star’s words, “That’s why I’m going to training.”
John Wick 4 is the first movie in the franchise not to be written by Derek Kolstad, a decision that didn’t come from the screenwriter. Chad Stahelski, however, is back to helm the sequel after co-directing the first film with David Leitch and taking complete control on the second and third installment. Stahelski directs from a script by Army of the Dead's Shay Hatten and American Assassin's Michael Finch.
John Wick 4 will also see the return of Ian McShane's Winson and Lance Reddick's Charon. Shamier Anderson (Tenet), Bill Skarsgård (It), Hiroyuki Sanada (Mortal Kombat), Scott Adkins (Doctor Strange), and Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption) have all been added to the cast. Martial legend Donnie Yen is also involved with the film and will be playing Caine, described as an old friend of Wick who shares the same history and enemies as the titular assassin. While it’s unknown if Caine will be a friend or a foe in the upcoming sequel, earlier this year, Yen told Collider that John Wick 4 was his most fun experience working on a Hollywood movie.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is currently scheduled to be released on May 27, 2022. Lionsgate already greenlighted the fifth installment, but John Wick: Chapter 5 is still in pre-production.