Earlier this year, Paramount, in its unceasing optimism that sometime in the not-too-distant future movie theaters might be 100% safe from COVID, punted Top Gun: Maverick’s release date. While that gave Tom Cruise’s legacy sequel some runway to clean up at the box office, it created a slight problem John Wick: Chapter 4, which also shared a May 27, 2022, release date. Though not one to run from a fight, John Wick: Chapter 4 is doing just that as Lionsgate has now delayed its release by almost a year.
John Wick: Chapter 4, which reportedly wrapped principal photography already, will bow on March 24, 2023. The extra time, we imagine, will allow director Chad Stahelski more time for post-production, meaning he can include a scene where John Wick steps on Jabba the Hutt’s tail.
In honor of this new release date, Lionsgate dropped a short promotional video in which The Administration updates the Chapter 4 release date at the behest of The High Table. And that’s fun—though, disappointing that it’ll have been four years between John Wick chapters. Could you imagine reading a book that comes out one chapter at a time like that?
John Wick’s release date shuffle also pumps the breaks in the ongoing Keanussance that we, the Keanu faithful, have enjoyed for the last few years. The only project on Reeves’ slate for 2022 is something called DC League Of Super-Pets, an animated superhero dog movie starring [sigh] Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart.
Aside from Reeves, John Wick: Chapter 4 will see returning actors Lance Reddick, Laurence Fishburne, and Ian McShane. And joining the fun will be some serious action heavy-hitters, including Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Scott Adkins.
In the meantime, fans can get their fill of Keanu Reeves doing some kung fu in a little movie called The Matrix Resurrections, which hits theaters and HBO Max today.