The film’s star and director take us behind the scenes of the most jaw-dropping John Wick movie yet.
Nine years on,John Wick: Chapter 4is a much different beast.
All of which begs a couple of questions.
Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick 4’.Lionsgate
Why did Stahelski believe this latest entry required such a vast canvas?
“I’m a huge David Lean fan,” says Stahelski of the legendary British filmmaker.
“One of the most inspiring films I’ve ever seen isLawrence of Arabia.
Bill Skarsgård in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.Lionsgate
If you want to use the word ‘epic’that’sepic.
That was our mantra: David Lean.
We tried to scale it up.
Donnie Yen in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.Lionsgate
With that first punch, we want to shake your chest.
That was always the intention.”
As for regrets during the shoot, Stahelski admits he had a few.
Rina Sawayama in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.Lionsgate
“I was like, oh my God, what am I doing to myself?”
he says with a chuckle.
“We did ahundrednights.
Lance Reddick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.Lionsgate
“What would the story be?”
I thought that was fascinating and that kind of fits with our world.
I didn’t say a word about which role.
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ director Chad Stahelski.Kayla Oaddams/WireImage
It was a bit of an action role.
He calls me back and he’s like, ‘I’d love to play the Marquis.’
I’m like, ‘No, Bill, that’s the bad guy.
You don’t want the bad guy.’
He’s like, ‘No, no, that’s the fun role!
This is the delicious role!’
I’m like, ‘Oh, right on!'”
“The accent, the demeanor, I was like, bravo, sir!
It was amazing.”
“I really appreciated how he created the character of Caine and connected it to how he did action.
It was great.”
“Lance has been a big part of our crew since the very beginning.
Lance has made every one of these better because of his presence.”
“It was very intense,” he says.
“It was a lot of movement, throws, transitions.
It was just really intense and long.
But I love the challenges.”
Reeves reveals that he also loved ending shoot days with an ice bath.
“So I had one near the training dojo.”
Was the finished film worth all this effort?
“We really did try and make an epic feast for people.
The folks in Austin enjoyed the meal we prepared and that was very special for us.”
“I guess I’m going to have to lean onnever say never.”
John Wick: Chapter 4is released March 24.
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