Chad Stahelski Officially Back As 'John Wick 3' Director
Keanu Reeves' John Wick isn't the only person we're thinking is back for John Wick: Chapter 3: Chad Stahelski, the co-director of John Wick and the director of John Wick: Chapter 2 will return to helm yet another neon-drenched, gunplay-filled entry in the on-going John Wick saga. So put on your best suit, grab your dog's leash, and get ready for more Wick.
What a journey John Wick has had. When the first film blasted its way into theaters, no one could've predicted it would span a franchise. I personally remember reading the premise – a hitman seeks revenge after his dog is murdered – and thinking, "Well, that probably won't be very good." But I was wrong! The film was an absolute blast, and a big enough hit to spawn a sequel. There's no sign of the franchise slowing down: there's a John Wick TV spin-off in the works, and John Wick 3 has already received a green light. And now comes word Chad Stahelski is coming back to be the John Wick 3 director. Collider confirms Stahelski's involvement, which was never entirely in doubt to begin with. But now that it's a done-deal, expect more of the gloriously over-the-top mayhem that peppered the first two films.
It's worth nothing that Stahelski didn't start this journey alone. all parties agree that Stahelski directed the first film right alongside producer David Leitch, but DGA rules kept them from both being credited. Stahelski struck out on his own for John Wick: Chapter 2, however, while Leitch went off and made Atomic Blonde.
Keanu Reeves will, of course, be returning. There are also unconfirmed reports that Common, Laurence Fishburne, and Ruby Rose, who all appeared in John Wick: Chapter 2, will be returning. Another rumor says that Hiroyuki Sanada, from The Wolverine, will be the film's main villain.
As for what to expect with John Wick: Chapter 3, plot details are obviously scant at the moment. The one constant will, of course, be Keanu Reeves, running around in a cool suit with a dog by his side and multiple guns at the ready. The conclusion of John Wick: Chapter 2 found Reeves' John Wick an outcast from the surprisingly complex hitman underworld, forced to run for his life. Stahelski told Collider that one thing he'd like to explore in John Wick 3 is the ever-evolving intricacaies of the series:
"We want, not so much to go bigger on the third one, but to show you more of the intricacies of the world... I feel like there are all these different subtleties that I skipped over in Number Two, that I'd like to go back to on [chapter three] and show you the inner workings of different parts of New York. So rather than massive set pieces, I'd like to show you cooler and more intricate ones... I think it would be a mistake budget wise and creatively to just go big and blow up a freeway. That's not our gig. That's a comic book or a Bond gig. We want to show you cool and intricate details."
John Wick: Chapter 3 will hit theaters May 17, 2019.