When getting into gear for a third entry in a series as kinetic and hard-edged as John Wick has been, a lot of effort has to go into what makes each film a bar raising spectacle. In the case of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, star Keanu Reeves and the team backing him had a lot of specifics in mind when it came to making sure this latest sequel would top John Wick: Chapter 2 in all the right ways.
During a press day for the film, CinemaBlend was on hand to hear exactly what Reeves and company had hoped to accomplish from their latest venture into the underworld of assassins and honor bound codes that make John Wick’s world so satisfying to revisit with each outing. Specifically, after learning John Wick: Chapter 3 was greenlighted, Keanu Reeves mentioned there were specific goals for this third film, saying,
The most exciting part was, first of all, [being] grateful that we had the chance to come back to it and tell another chapter. Yeah, I mean, we had a lot of hope and ambition, and we wanted to do a lot. You know, we wanted to open up the scale, the worlds of John Wick. We wanted to different kinds of action, but also raise the bar on the traditional kind of John Wick action, Gun-Fu.
While the world that John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum expands could go on forever and sequel ideas are theoretically limitless, more movies are not always a given. So, having a third time out is a thrilling prospect in and of itself, because director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves get another chance to outdo themselves in the name of audience satisfaction.
Judging not only by the audience reaction to the John Wick series, but also the results that John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum have brought to the table, that satisfaction seems pretty much guaranteed on both ends. So, this universe’s plans to expand outward into various mediums, such as the TV series The Continental, as well as any potential film sequels and spinoffs, don’t seem like premature hopes but rather prudent plans for the future.
At the heart of it all though is that gratitude for the fans that made John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum possible, as well as thanks to those who helped in the filmmaking process as well. Keanu Reeves wasn’t shy to express that sentiment, as he continued with the following during CinemaBlend's interview:
It was exciting to get into preparing for it. It was exciting to do it, wonderful new artists in the show: Halle Berry, Anjelica Huston, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon. And characters we love [coming] back: Laurence Fishburne, the Bowery King, Ian McShane’s Winston. There was excitement everywhere.
It’s hard not to be enthusiastic about the world of John Wick, as it’s brought a new level of action filmmaking and stunt work to the attention of the world at large. On top of that, the franchise’s mixture of neo-noir storytelling alongside those aspects have made it into a gust of fresh air that knocks down tons of rival assassins when it arrives in theaters.
You can even feel that excitement of Keanu Reeves describing the efforts that went into making John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum a next level action spectacular, courtesy of the clip we’re sharing below from our sit down with Mr. Reeves:
Of course, that excitement needs to spill out into the crowd, especially if John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum wants to compete with the box office hopefuls of this weekend, in the hopes of another return for future glory in its extremely wicked and colorful world. Whether there’s an official greenlight for more down the line or not, it’s good to know that whenever the call goes out, Keanu Reeves is ready to work with his famed collaborators, and anyone new who wants to jump in, to take John Wick deeper into the world he inhabits.
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum prepares for war, in the name of peace, in early showings on Thursday night. And stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more coverage leading up to the film’s release in theaters.
