John Wick Chapter 4: Keanu Reeves (Star) and Chad Stahelski (Director) discuss whether John Wick owes The Matrix an homage.
Keanu Reeves portrays a range of characters, including a hacker and a menacing assassin. The similarities between Keanu Reeves’ The Matrix films and Johnwick movies keep drawing comparisons. Chad Stahelski and Reeves don’t want to deny the connection between the movie franchises.
Reeves and Stahelski discussed The Matrix versus John Wick in an interview with Wire. The pair also addressed whether John Wick owes the science fiction movie series a debt for their existence. Reeves was coy in his response, saying that they were both original ideas by visionary filmmakers. Stahelski, however, admitted that the John Wick franchise could not have been created without The Matrix. “No one was under any illusion that wasn’t going to turn out to be quite amazing. David Leitch [co-director on the first Wick film] and I stayed on to do V for Vendetta & Racer. We got a decade’s Wachowski film training. The John Wicks, Stahelski confirmed, are indeed children of The Matrix.
Reeves was in the Matrix, playing the role of Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer. Neo is his secret identity. The Matrix also starred Laurence Fishburne. Carrie-Ann Moss and Joe Pantoliano were also in the film. The Matrix earned four Academy Awards. Stahelski, who directed all four movies from the John Wick movie franchise, was Reeves’ stunt double in The Matrix. He also managed martial arts stunts at Reloaded & Revolutions. Stahelski’s first acting credit was in The Matrix as the husband to Tiffany (Moss).
John Wick’s Matrix Reference
The John Wick series has tried to make The Matrix analogies before, especially in Ch 3: Parabellum. There was an Easter egg that referenced sci-fi movies. John and Winston are involved in a scene that involves John and Winston. The owner questions John about what he requires to bring down High Table. John responds “guns lots of guns,” a clear reference to Neo. This was Neo’s line when he and Trinity were preparing for a Lobby Shootout sequence in The Matrix.
Chapter 4 John Wick faces off against the High Table as he tries to secure liberty. Marquis da Gramont ( Bill Skarsgard), a powerful alliance that includes John’s former foes, stands in the way of the professional hitman. The movie stars Fishburne (“Bowery King”), Donnie Yen (“Charon”), and Lance Reddick (“Charon). Filmed across Paris, Berlin (Osaka), Osaka, and New York City. It was originally scheduled to be released in 2021. However, it was delayed due both to Reeves Resurrections and COVID-19 pandemic commitments.
CHAPTER 4 holds the record for the longest episode in the John Wick series at 2:49 minutes. This is 38 mins more than the previous record, Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Reeves said that the movie introduced a new potential partner for John Wick. The film also has more intricate scenes than previous films. Stahelski said that a John WICK 5 could be made, although he dropped the idea to film the fourth and fifth episodes of the neo-noir crime thriller back-to-back.
John Wick is back on the big screen for fans when Ch. 4 opens to the public in theaters starting Mar. 24.