The first addition to the cast of John Wick: Chapter 4 has been announced by Lionsgate with Japanese-British pop star Rina Sawayama set to star alongside Keanu Reeves for the upcoming film. In a statement to Deadline, director Chad Stahelski said: “I’m so glad to have Rina on board to make her feature film debut in John Wick: Chapter 4. She’s an incredible talent who’ll bring so much to the film.” Sawayama tweeted about the news as well, writing: “my feature film acting debut in John Wick 4 !!!!!! I’m so excited !!!!!,” adding several crying emojis at the end of her tweet.
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Production on the movie will no doubt begin very soon as a May 27, 2022 release date has already been set for the highly anticipated sequel. According to the outlet the film will shot in France, Germany and Japan. Sawayama and Reeves are the only confirmed cast members for the new film, but some returning players will no doubt appear. A main stay of the John Wick franchise has been how it brings in various character actors and former action stars that haven’t gotten to be a badass in some time. 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum brought in both Halle Berry and Mark Dacascos for major roles.
A previous report on a casting grid for John Wick 4 called for “a female between the ages of 20 and 30 to play the unnamed ‘Ballerina’ role,” fans may recall that a spin-off starring that character has been in the works for some time. It would appear that Sawayama is taking on that role as the casting grid listed it as a lead alongside Reeves, which today’s report confirmed.
The creator of John Wick, writer Derek Kolstad, won’t actually script the next two films in the series, previously telling Collider that he’s not involved.
“I’m actually not involved in four and five,” Kolstad explained. “No. At a certain stage of the studio will tell you, your creation is graduated, and you wish it well. I’m still close with Chad [Stahelski], still close with Dave [Leitch], and I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m excited to see.”
Writers Shay Hatten and Michael Finch will pen the script for John Wick: Chapter 4, which will arrive on May 27, 2022.
(Photo credit: Lionsgate/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
