'John Wick 2' is confirmed to be in early development with Keanu Reeves set to return for the title role. This, however, led to a series of speculation among fans as to whether it can pull off an entire action franchise or not. On the lighter side, a new skit recently featured Reeves getting upset when two stubborn cops mistook him for action star Mark Wahlberg.
In a report by The Wrap, Lionsgate President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions Jason Constantine expressed excitement over getting Reeves and original co-directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski to work together for the next installment on the hitman's new exploits.
He said, "With such tremendous fan and critical support for 'John Wick,' we knew that there was still so much more of this story to tell... We are thrilled that Keanu, David and Chad have re-teamed with us and promise to bring audiences even more excitement the second time around." It was stated that Constanine and Lionsgate Acquisitions Executive Eda Kowan would supervise the development on behalf of the studio.
The first action thriller's accomplishment was a welcome surprise - winning devoted followers almost overnight. It earned $78 million against a small $20 million budget according to Box Office Mojo. More astonishingly was the critical acclaim that came with it from heavyweight reviewers in the industry.
Now that 'John Wick 2' is confirmed and is up for its own franchise, fans are on the edge of their seats fully aware of the notorious Hollywood trend that squeezes disappointing sequels from great films that could have stood grandly on their own. It's not to say that the idea has its own loyalists. The Atlantic recently called the new project 'an ambitious challenge' but stayed optimistic as long as the creative team kept up its fun and fresh appeal... it did, after all, properly earn a sequel.
While it seemed that the long wait for more 'John Wick 2' updates had commenced, Funny or Die decided a comical skit of Reeves and two befuddled police men caught in an argument regarding mistaken identity would fill in some anticipation gaps. In the video, Reeves is at the point of distress when two cops insist that he is action star Mark Wahlberg. They eventually reference John Wick, which gets the already fuming Reeves even more upset.
'John Wick 2' has yet to have a confirmed plot line. The first film centered on the premise of retired legendary assassin John Wick set on bloodthirsty revenge for the murder of his only companion - a beagle named Daisy - bestowed to him by his late wife after her passing. A follow up that is currently in the works is now the topic of hot debate.
After all, Reeves isn't a stranger to sequels, trilogies and successful movie franchises. Before 'John Wick' and the upcoming 'John Wick 2', he was best known for his calm yet deadly dystopian fighter counterpart Neo in the Wachowski Brothers' 'The Matrix Trilogy'.
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