John Wick 2: Set Photo Reunites Keanu Reeves With Matrix Co-Star
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Following a string of critical and/or commercial flops, the seemingly ageless Keanu Reeves managed to once again reignite his career via 2014’s take-no-prisoners action flick John Wick. Reeves starred as the titular badass, a retired assassin who found himself forced out of his quiet civilian life as a widower after the brutal murder of his beloved dog by the son of a powerful crime boss. The almost mythical Wick responded to this tragic event by embarking on a rampage of revenge against those responsible, all the while thwarting rival assassins hired by his nemesis’ father. Both critics and audiences responded kindly to the film, with John Wick ultimately bringing in over $86 million worldwide on a budget of $20 million.
With that kind of success, a John Wick sequel was almost a no-brainer, and the project received a greenlight not long after the first film’s arrival on home video. Chad Stahelski — co-director of the original — is returning to helm John Wick 2, and original writer Derek Kolstad is also coming back to pen the screenplay. Production on the sequel officially commenced in late fall, with several set photos so far serving to give fans glimpses at what’s in store for John in his second outing. However, the latest images from the set (via Gothamist) take things up a notch, providing an advance look at Reeves’ apparent on-screen reunion with one of his most famous past co-stars, Laurence Fishburne.
Reeves and Fishburne of course last shared the screen in the legendary Matrix trilogy, in which the two actors played humanity’s savior Neo and his friend and mentor Morpheus, respectively. While it’s certainly nice to see the duo back on set together, it’s also a little perplexing, as Fishburne has never previously been mentioned as being part of John Wick 2’s cast. Judging by his wardrobe, Fishburne is clearly not there just to visit with an old friend, suggesting the action veteran will make at least a cameo appearance alongside Reeves’ Wick in the actual film.
That said, if Fishburne ends up playing a larger part in John Wick 2, the natural fit from a thematic perspective would seem to be again casting him as sort of a mentor/friend figure to Reeves’ Wick. Fans of the first John Wick movie will recall that Willem Dafoe portrayed Marcus, a character who often functioned in the aforementioned capacity towards John, and even bailed him out of a few jams. With Dafoe not coming back for round two, slotting Fishburne into the same type of role would be an inspired choice given his on-screen past with Reeves.
It remains to be seen whether John Wick 2 can recapture the magic of its progenitor, but inserting a heavy-hitter like Laurence Fishburne into the mix can do nothing but improve the sequel’s chances going forward. Although his reunion with Reeves will surely give rise to dozens of odd fan theories about how the John Wick series takes place inside The Matrix.
John Wick 2 has yet to be given an official release date.
Comments
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crazy that a movie like John Wick which flew under everyones radar before it was released has now become an anticipated movie title. Say what you want about Reeves but he makes great action movies
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Man hell yeah.
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I can't front I'm a Reeves naysayer, but Wick was entertaining.
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John Wick was wildly underrated and (I think)under promoted. I didn't watch it until like 2 months ago and I'm mad I didn't support this ? in the theater.
Not saying it should've smashed box office records but I felt like it was a much better movie than I anticipated. -
i just peeped this the other day...? was pretty good....action was dope
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Definitely looking forward to this one
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Inglewood_B wrote: »John Wick was wildly underrated and (I think)under promoted. I didn't watch it until like 2 months ago and I'm mad I didn't support this ? in the theater.
Not saying it should've smashed box office records but I felt like it was a much better movie than I anticipated.
It actually overperformed and exceeded financial expectations. Hence the sequel. -
Inglewood_B wrote: »John Wick was wildly underrated and (I think)under promoted. I didn't watch it until like 2 months ago and I'm mad I didn't support this ? in the theater.
Not saying it should've smashed box office records but I felt like it was a much better movie than I anticipated.
It actually overperformed and exceeded financial expectations. Hence the sequel.
Their own expectations were low as ? then. It only made like 40 mil in the US.
I remember it being talked about a lil but on this board but I never heard anybody off the internet be like "Ay go see John Wick" while in theaters
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Inglewood_B wrote: »Inglewood_B wrote: »John Wick was wildly underrated and (I think)under promoted. I didn't watch it until like 2 months ago and I'm mad I didn't support this ? in the theater.
Not saying it should've smashed box office records but I felt like it was a much better movie than I anticipated.
It actually overperformed and exceeded financial expectations. Hence the sequel.
Their own expectations were low as ? then. It only made like 40 mil in the US.
I remember it being talked about a lil but on this board but I never heard anybody off the internet be like "Ay go see John Wick" while in theaters
It made 43 million at the domestic box office an additional 33 million at the international box office & an additional 20 million dollars off domestic home video sales alone. All on a 20 million dollar budget.
The studio (Lions Gate) recoups about half the domestic take, a portion of the International that they split with Warner Bros and other international distributors and all of the domestic home video. They ended up with a reasonable profit while spending practically peanuts compared to the budgets that they themselves have assigned to those hungry game movies or the twilight whatever movies for example. -
great movie and an even better soundtrack. Im tellin you if you aint heard that ? , you missing out. ? is fire, if your taste in music is expanded beyond stupid ? ...
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Smokey Tha Bandit wrote: »great movie and an even better soundtrack. Im tellin you if you aint heard that ? , you missing out. ? is fire, if your taste in music is expanded beyond stupid ? ...
Word.. I never ? with Marilyn Manson a day in my life before that movie but I had to get that "Killing Strangers" off iTunes.http://youtu.be/eNTjM3_0N80
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movie was fun not that special imo
but aye how could these critics on rt rate john wick higher than devils advocate smh? -
Inglewood_B wrote: »Smokey Tha Bandit wrote: »great movie and an even better soundtrack. Im tellin you if you aint heard that ? , you missing out. ? is fire, if your taste in music is expanded beyond stupid ? ...
Word.. I never ? with Marilyn Manson a day in my life before that movie but I had to get that "Killing Strangers" off iTunes.http://youtu.be/eNTjM3_0N80
you aint lyin. theres some good electro/smooth type music on there too like M86 - In My Mind or Kaleida - Think. Some of the scores are good too like Lure The Wolf. Just a solid all around soundtrack... -
Wick was ? tier to them ?
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My fav part was when he was explaining to his son who Wick was
He knew his son was basically dead
Baba Yaga
http://youtu.be/soAofAWEpGU
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Movie did that Taken creep where you watch the ? with no expectations and end up hyped as ? . Only difference is Keanu is still young enough to not turn your face up beating people's ? . Also, no annoying secondary characters to worry about.
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I hope the next one is good or even better. ? reminded me of old anime like Gunsmith Cats, Riding Bean, or even Black Lagoon. ? that was about battling in the separate world of the criminal underworld. And of course great action.
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This title misleading as ?
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Day one b, day one.
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Guess ima have to check out the first one
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1st one was wack
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I was surprised as ? how good the first one was, so I can't wait for this one.Movie did that Taken creep where you watch the ? with no expectations and end up hyped as ? . Only difference is Keanu is still young enough to not turn your face up beating people's ? . Also, no annoying secondary characters to worry about.
For a low budget action film it had some nice supporting actors w/ Ian McShane, Willem Dafoe, and John Leguizamo.
