Latest news with #ChadStahelski
Geek Tyrant
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Keanu Reeves Reportedly Has One Big Condition to Return For JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 5 — GeekTyrant
Keanu Reeves may be ready to suit up as John Wick one more time, but only on one condition, the action has to match what his 60-year-old body can actually handle. According to In Touch, Reeves is being 'perfectly honest' with the creative team behind John Wick: Chapter 5 as development slowly moves forward. A source told the outlet, 'The script is being written and Keanu is being perfectly honest about what he's willing and not willing to do stunt-wise. There's no faking this. He's being totally honest about what he can and can't do, and he had put his body through hell for these movies.' Reeves has never been one to shy away from the punishing stunts and physically demanding sequences that define the franchise, but after four films and years of wear and tear, he's drawing some boundaries. It's not about stepping back from action entirely, but about being smart about what's possible now. If John Wick: Chapter 5 is going to happen, the wild set pieces that fans love need to be tailored to fit what Reeves is actually capable of at this point in his career. Lionsgate officially announced the film back in April at CinemaCon, with franchise director Chad Stahelski once again at the helm. But even with that announcement, the movie isn't a sure thing just yet. Stahelski has admitted that developing the next chapter is tricky, saying, 'cracking the story is a bit of a conundrum.' After all, John Wick did seemingly die at the end of Chapter 4. Still, Lionsgate is eager to make it happen. Stahelski even joked that the studio 'would very much will [John Wick 5] into existence' if they could. But for Reeves to come back, the team has to find a version of the movie that both works narratively and respects the limits Reeves is setting. The franchise has always centered on Reeves doing the real stunts, which added a level of authenticity that helped elevate John Wick above the usual action fare. But, maybe it's time to evolve the formula. He's already mentioned his knees may not survive another gauntlet of stair falls. That doesn't mean the next John Wick film has to go soft. If anything, reimagining the action to suit an older, wearier Wick could give the movie something fresh and interesting. What does an aging assassin's last stand look like when it's not just bullets and broken bones, but strategy, restraint, and experience? If the team can crack a story that respects what the franchise has built and what Reeves is ready to give, it could be something special. But if they can't? Maybe it's okay to let the Baba Yaga finally rest.
Geek Tyrant
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Keanu Reeves Reportedly Has One Big Condition to Return For JOHN WICK
Keanu Reeves may be ready to suit up as John Wick one more time, but only on one condition, the action has to match what his 60-year-old body can actually handle. According to In Touch, Reeves is being 'perfectly honest' with the creative team behind John Wick: Chapter 5 as development slowly moves forward. A source told the outlet, 'The script is being written and Keanu is being perfectly honest about what he's willing and not willing to do stunt-wise. There's no faking this. He's being totally honest about what he can and can't do, and he had put his body through hell for these movies.' Reeves has never been one to shy away from the punishing stunts and physically demanding sequences that define the franchise, but after four films and years of wear and tear, he's drawing some boundaries. It's not about stepping back from action entirely, but about being smart about what's possible now. If John Wick: Chapter 5 is going to happen, the wild set pieces that fans love need to be tailored to fit what Reeves is actually capable of at this point in his career. Lionsgate officially announced the film back in April at CinemaCon, with franchise director Chad Stahelski once again at the helm. But even with that announcement, the movie isn't a sure thing just yet. Stahelski has admitted that developing the next chapter is tricky, saying, 'cracking the story is a bit of a conundrum.' After all, John Wick did seemingly die at the end of Chapter 4 . Still, Lionsgate is eager to make it happen. Stahelski even joked that the studio 'would very much will [John Wick 5] into existence' if they could. But for Reeves to come back, the team has to find a version of the movie that both works narratively and respects the limits Reeves is setting. The franchise has always centered on Reeves doing the real stunts, which added a level of authenticity that helped elevate John Wick above the usual action fare. But, maybe it's time to evolve the formula. He's already mentioned his knees may not survive another gauntlet of stair falls. That doesn't mean the next John Wick film has to go soft. If anything, reimagining the action to suit an older, wearier Wick could give the movie something fresh and interesting. What does an aging assassin's last stand look like when it's not just bullets and broken bones, but strategy, restraint, and experience? If the team can crack a story that respects what the franchise has built and what Reeves is ready to give, it could be something special. But if they can't? Maybe it's okay to let the Baba Yaga finally rest.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ballerina's Chad Stahelski Says The John Wick Franchise Could Keep Working Without Keanu Reeves, But He Has One Concern I Agree With
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. In the new John Wick spinoff Ballerina, the presence of Keanu Reeves feels like a security blanket of sorts. Without a guarantee that audiences would buy into a new movie within the canon following a new protagonist, the filmmaker/studio included plenty of the legendary Baba Yaga to make the project appear more connected to the continuity/enticing. But what does that potentially say about the franchise as a whole as it continues to expand with a variety of projects? It's an interesting conundrum for John Wick series director/Ballerina producer Chad Stahelski that the filmmaker recently addressed The question of whether or not the John Wick canon can expand without leaning directly on the star power power of Keanu Reeves is one that was posed directly to Stahelski during a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, and the short answer to the matter is "yes" (and it's apparently something he has discussed with the actor personally). That being said, he also recognizes that there is a need to not spread the material too thin with too much too fast. Said the Ballerina producer, Keanu and I actually just talked about this. Look, it's always tricky. I think the world can be supported as long as you don't go crazy and carpet bomb. What we're doing now are stories we really want to tell that feel organic. So what does that mean in his eyes? Chad Stahelski constructed a metaphor by imagining a multi-series Alice In Wonderland franchise. He continued, You've seen Alice in Wonderland. Now what about the Rabbit? What about the Cheshire Cat? Also, sometimes in your own franchise, you get so far up your own ass with the mythology that by the 10th movie you don't know what's going on. I don't ever want to get that way with Wick. I want each one to be able to stand alone. As of right now, with Ballerina now playing in theaters, there are three projects that have been lined up for the future of the John Wick franchise: A Caine Spinoff: A live-action from John Wick: Chapter 4 centered around the blind assassin played by Donnie Yen (Yen is also attached to direct). John Wick's Impossible Task Prequel: An animated movie that will tell the story of how John Wick managed to win his freedom from the High Council so that he could live a life of peace with his wife, Helen John Wick: Chapter 5: While recent comments from Chad Stahelski have suggested that the sequel isn't guaranteed, another sequel centered around the world's most dangerous assassin following the end of John Wick: Chapter 4 is in development. From that list, the Caine project will presumably be the big test for the strength of the John Wick franchise – assuming that the story doesn't find a way to incorporate some kind of Keanu Reeves appearance. It will be fascinating to see how things develop following the release of Ballerina, and we here at CinemaBlend will continue to keep you apprised of the latest developments within the canon.
New York Times
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
How ‘Ballerina' Set People on Fire
When Chad Stahelski, best known as the driving force behind the 'John Wick' franchise, was in high school he volunteered with his local fire department. Over the years the images from that experience stuck in his head, and the former stuntman started to dream up an action sequence involving lots and lots of fire. 'I'm like, 'Wouldn't it be cool if I combined fire and water, and we had a flamethrower fight?' Stahelski, a producer of 'From the World of John Wick: Ballerina,' said in a video interview. 'Two guys with flamethrowers and they are going to shoot each other.' Watching an early cut of 'Ballerina' he realized he had the ideal vehicle for his fire dreams: It would be a showstopper for the star assassin, Eve, played by Ana de Armas. 'How do I make her look smart? How do I make her look badass? It wasn't about fighting more guys,' he said. 'It's like, OK, let's give her something that really shows a skill set. And that's when we went to fire.' The result is a bravura third-act set piece in which Eve torches her enemies in an Alpine village, going flamethrower to flamethrower with a massive villainous henchman named Dex (Robert Maaser). Instead of using digital flames, 'Ballerina,' directed by Len Wiseman, mostly went for the real thing. According to Stahelski, 90 to 95 percent of the fires onscreen are 'unenhanced real burns.' To accomplish this, Stahelski called in an expert in the world of movie fire, the stuntman Jayson Dumenigo, who developed a long-lasting protective burn gel for stunt performers that recently won him an honor from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Even Dumenigo was skeptical they could accomplish what Stahelski had in mind when he first heard the pitch. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina' Review: Ana De Armas Gives Spinoff A Fighting Chance
If Keanu Reeves' John Wick is modern action's heir apparent to Buster Keaton, then Ana de Armas' Eve Macarro may be its Jackie Chan. Series creator and mastermind Chad Stahelski has been anything but shy in sharing his affinity for Old Stone Face, with all four Wick films positively packed with references to the action genre's first great star, and Len Wiseman's From the World of John Wick: Ballerina does not break from that mold. But Macarro is no Wick, and where Reeves attacks with a stoic, nearly tranquilized delivery, barreling through a crumbling world teeming with inveterate assassins, de Armas is both brasher and more human. Perhaps it is the difference between a relative novice in this world and a legendary veteran, but she is a teary-eyed killer whose trail is marked with sensitivity. Wick wants solace; Macarro wants justice. More from Deadline 'Ballerina' Hopes To Tiptoe Past $30M U.S., $60M WW As 'Lilo & Stitch' Continues To Bigfoot – Box Office Preview Ana De Armas Recalls Finding 'Connection' With Keanu Reeves Beyond 'John Wick: Ballerina' Fight Scene — CinemaCon Ana De Armas Teases 'Deeper' With Tom Cruise & Reveals The Lessons 'Ballerina' Has Taught Her That does seem to be part of the calculation here for the franchise's potential. Ballerina's connection to (and tenuous tie-in with) John Wick necessitates an icky conclusion and this character and the spinoff may not be distinctive enough (endless speculation about just how much Stahelski had to reshoot and whether or not that explains the extent of Reeves' presence does not help). But the action is indelible anyway, and de Armas is too good; her performance here is more than enough to elevate the film beyond the fray. For fans, this is a familiar enough story. Macarro has been effectively raised by the Ruska Roma, the shady Russian assassin school fronting as a ballet academy, and by its Cruella-like leader The Director (Anjelica Huston), who also helped train Wick. Macarro found her way here after witnessing her father get murdered by The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) and his menacing group of hooded figures with scars on their wrists in the shape of an 'X.' Years later, she trains under Nogi (Sharon Duncan-Brewster), struggling a bit to find her footing. That is, until, she is told to 'fight like a girl' — a rather dated and oddly gendered directive — though it is admittedly fun and funny to see that advice followed up by a training montage in which Macarro destroys a series of men by dismantling their genitals. Regardless, Macarro establishes herself as her own ruthless assassin-for-hire in Wick's vein, before she survives an attack by yet another killer with an X mark. Suddenly finding a clue to the murderers who orphaned her, Macarro demands answers — but The Director refuses and cautions against her inevitable quest for vengeance. So Macarro cashes in with Winston (Ian McShane) to get the answers she's been forbidden, and is off on her merry way through a series of escalating death traps to find out more about the cultish group who took her life away before it even got started. The film does lack a certain efficiency of storytelling, and whether Stahelski reshot most of the film as certain corners of the internet suggest, or he only picked up where Wiseman had to leave off as Lionsgate insists, it is clear who is the superior filmmaker with keener attention for electrified kineticism. The first act is especially clunky and expository, a far cry from the pleasing simplicity of the first John again, who cares? Wick has never been a franchise of complex characterizations, and if you're too focused on Ballerina's scenes of overt sentimentality, then you're probably missing the point. The narrative is a blank page upon which Hollywood's most brilliant stunt choreographers go to town, and every action set piece is here weaved together with as much, if not more, aplomb than anything that has preceded it. De Armas is a huge reason why this all works; her presence is beguiling, and her movement is immaculate. So, too, is Jason Ballantine's editing job, which — in line with Macarro's somewhat reckless approach — is frenetic and less smooth than the way The Boogeyman is captured. Part of the majesty behind the Wick franchise is its legacy. Stahelski knows his cinema and the series' maximalism is in direct conversation with the silent slapstick stars of yesteryear as much as 1979's The Warriors. It is, in other words, it's a unique blend of physical comedy and transcendental action. Ballerina very much continues that tradition, with several fights whose inspirations seem as disparate as Looney Tunes and Police Story. Beyond the usual fare of weaponry, there are inventive uses of restaurant cookery, ice skates as slicing nunchaku, and an entire section that feels as if the town from Beauty and the Beast was filled with highly-trained killers. But, importantly, what does distinguish Macarro from Wick is a certain fallibility. The ending of John Wick 4 notwithstanding, we never really wonder if our hero will survive the night. We do worry about Macarro. Not because she's untrained or unable, but because de Armas lets us into her skin. It is like watching an acrobat fall in the middle of a routine: It is the mistakes they make that make the successes so awe-inspiring. Title: From the World of John Wick: BallerinaDistributor: LionsgateRelease date: June 6, 2025Director: Len WisemanScreenwriter: Shay HattenCast: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, Keanu ReevesRating: RRunning time: 2 hr 5 mins Best of Deadline Broadway's 2024-2025 Season: All Of Deadline's Reviews Venice Film Festival 2024: All Of Deadline's Movie Reviews Telluride Film Festival 2024: All Of Deadline's Movie Reviews
