It's been four years since audiences last saw Keanu Reeves' tactical and hard-hitting assassin in John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum. The third film went a little further in exploring John Wick's backstory, his contacts and connections to other assassins, and the underworld of the Continental. This sequel is also considered greater than the first two films because Wick has proven to be even more dangerous on the run and improvising when it comes to killing other hitmen and using various weapons.
Early reviews have come in for John Wick: Chapter 4, and even with a running time of nearly three hours, many critics have called the fourth film the best one yet in the series, with stylish action sequences and an appealing cast and storyline. Here's what fans of the franchise need to know before seeing the fourth feature.
What Happened in John Wick 3?
After being excommunicated due to killing Santino D'Antonio on Continental grounds, John Wick finds himself on the run from every assassin associated with the High Table in New York. Wick's services with the Continental are no longer available to him, so he fights his way through every contract killer by using various guns, knives, swords, nunchucks, and even a book. He also shows some cool skills with a horse and a motorcycle. Along with Wick, the Adjudicator and the High Table also target Winston and his concierge Charon (who are in jeopardy of losing their New York residence and their lives), as well as the Bowery King and his homeless army for all assisting John when he killed Santino.
Despite being excommunicated from the Continental, Wick still has contacts and outside resources he can use to get back at the High Table. John approaches the Director (his former mentor and the leader of the Ruska Roma crime organization) in order to gain safe passage to Casablanca (where he meets with the Elder to demand his survival). To prove his loyalty, the Elder orders John to kill Winston, so John cuts off his ring finger and gives his wedding ring to the Elder as a sign of devotion. However, when John returns to New York, he has no intention to kill Winston, and Winston refuses to step down and give up his residency.
This leads to John and Charon protecting Winston and the hotel from the High Table, resulting in several successful gun and knife fights. John even defeats Zero (a quirky but worthy opponent) during a climactic sword fight. After their victory, the Adjudicator reluctantly agrees to a parley, but in order to ensure John's safety and the reopening of the Continental, Winston strategically shoots John, causing him to fall off the building. While Winston and Charon are able to run the Continental again, John and the Bowery King (both dealing with heavy wounds) intend to get their revenge together on the High Table.
Who is Returning in John Wick 4?
Along with the return of Keanu Reeves' John Wick, Ian McShane is reprising his role as Winston (John's father figure and the head of the Continental Hotel in New York City). The late Lance Reddick (who suddenly passed last week) also returns as Charon (Winston's loyal right-hand man and concierge at the Continental). Aside from the upcoming spin-off Ballerina, this sequel will mark one of the last times John, Winston, and Charon will all appear on-screen together.
Lawrence Fishburne reprises his role as the Bowery King, whose underground army was defeated by Zero and members of the High Table. In the third film, the Bowery King was left sliced up seven times by Zero (his punishment for giving Wick a Kimber 1911 pistol with seven rounds to take down Santino in the second film). The Elder was played in the third chapter by Wonder Woman star Saïd Taghmaoui, but in the fourth chapter, the Elder will be portrayed by George Georgiou. The Elder will undoubtedly be a problem for Wick in this upcoming sequel since John refused to follow his order to kill Winston.
Bridget Moynahan, who played John's late wife during flashbacks in the first two films but was absent in the third chapter (except for a photo in a book), will return as Helen in the fourth feature. John's memories of Helen and the love they shared are what keep him going and fighting to survive. Halle Berry's Sofia (another elite assassin who loves dogs like John), Asia Kate Dillon's role as the Adjudicator, and Angelica Huston's portrayal of the Director are not reprising their roles in the upcoming sequel (but these intriguing characters may return in future films and/or TV series).
What is the Plot of John Wick 4?
John Wick: Chapter 4 sees Keanu Reeves' master assassin return to battle the Elder and more associates of the High Table, with the Bowery King, Winston, and Charon by Wick's side. There are also new players who are old friends and/or enemies, including martial artist Donnie Yen as a blind High Table assassin named Caine, Hiroyuki Sanada as a Continental Hotel manager in Japan, and Bill Skarsgård and Clancy Brown as high-ranking members of the High Table.
Thanks to stylish action sequences involving high-powered gunplay and sword fights, along with car and horse chases, the John Wick franchise continues to resemble a combination of film noir, Westerns (such as Clint Eastwood and Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy), and Akira Kurosawa's samurai pictures. With rave reviews already in for this fourth chapter, John Wick intends to keep on rolling and entertaining action movie fans in theaters around the world.
John Wick: Chapter 4 premieres in theaters on March 24, 2023.