Latest news with #ChadStahelski
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
The Wild Process of Making the ‘John Wick' Spinoff ‘Ballerina,' Then Making It Again
You always hear about frustrated filmmakers who didn't have enough time or money to make the movie they wanted to. You rarely, if ever, hear the opposite: a studio giving filmmakers more time and more money to make a movie even better than it already was. But that's what happened with Ballerina, the latest film in the John Wick franchise. Ballerina (which is officially titled From the World of John Wick: Ballerina) was first set to hit theaters last year. But, after the success of John Wick: Chapter 4 made it clear this was a full-on franchise, the team went back and added more action into the film to make it feel in line with the rest of the series. That meant audiences would have to wait an additional year to see Ana de Armas as the latest killer assassin—but hopefully, it would be worth it. Whether or not it is worth it, you'll find out when it opens Friday. Until then, here's our chat with the film's director, Len Wiseman. Wiseman is well-versed in over-the-top genre action films, having co-created and directed films in the Underworld series. Here though, we spoke about getting to go back to the film with more money and time, what role franchise co-creator Chad Stahelski had in that, what it takes to craft a fully unique Wick-style action scene, and whether or not the reshoots added Keanu Reeves into the film, or if he was there all along. Germain Lussier, io9: So this movie was originally supposed to come out last year, but Lionsgate was so excited about it, they wanted to give you more time to add more action and stuff. Can you take me through that process a bit? What's it like to make a movie and then have a studio be like, 'Oh no, here's more money, do more.' Because I don't feel like that doesn't happen too often. Len Wiseman: I mean, it doesn't happen too often. Of course, it's great. You go, 'Okay, there are sequences that I really wanted to do that we didn't have the ability to do schedule-wise, budget-wise.' And so it was exciting. Also, having a little bit of a break to then regroup with the whole team about mapping out those sequences. Just as a director, it's nice. I think they should do all movies like that. Where you have a good break where you can just focus on now building out other sequences. But no, man, I felt really the support from Lionsgate to say, 'Look, we know this is a first of this character, but we love it. We really believe in it. And let's shoot more.' It's great. It was kind of a gift. io9: What was Chad Stahelski's role in that? Because obviously he's kind of the godfather of this franchise. How did he take what the film was and shape it to what is is? Wiseman: We have a lot of conversations about just the Wick world. The tone of it. And he's one of the most creative action directors and just how his mind works. And one of the [reasons] why I wanted to do Ballerina is because I share that same level of detail and just searching for the cleverness and the wit within the action. I think you can shoot a sequence that has a lot of action in it, but if it doesn't have a clever idea behind it, it's just action. It just goes by, and you go, 'Yeah, this is loud. It's kind of cool. It's entertaining.' But that's where I really respond to what Chad and his team develop at 87Eleven. They search for: what is the cleverness in the choreography? The wit, the kind of fun. It's a level of action where it's so violent and so brutal and you're smiling through it and kind of laughing at it because it's got oddly a charm with the brutality and the violence. io9: And there's so much of that in this movie. So tell me a little bit more about that process. I want to ask specifically about flamethrowers in a second, but what's the process to arrive at a scene where it's a flamethrower fight or we're just going to use grenades? Is that in the script inherently or does it come later with more action meetings? Wiseman: For me, my process, I'm very much in developing what those sequences are. It's something I love to do. I started in props. I was a prop builder. I always have to create and build it and see it. So I'll build those sets in my garage. Like for the grenade sequence, looking at what could be done in a close-quarters grenade fight. We've seen grenades, but what would a grenade fight be like if it was essentially like a snowball fight? How cool would that be? And even using ice skates. It could be cheesy! So I go, I purchase ice skates, get some blood, put the blood on them, shoot it in slow motion. Well, how would it tie onto my hand? How could you really use it? Grab it as these two gauntlets? And I'll shoot these videos and I'll go, 'Okay, that's cool. It looks cool.' And that's different. And then I'll start building a sequence based on that. So for me, if I can, I'll build as much as a proof of concept for myself. It's how I go about it. io9: That's awesome. I love how tactile it is. But obviously you can't do that with flamethrowers. I don't want to spoil too much about the flamethrowers because it's kind of the big finale but how much of that is real and how much of it is CGI? Because it all looks incredible. And I'm sure a lot of it was real because that's kind of the DNA of this franchise. But it's just one of the wildest things I've seen in such a long time. Wiseman: No, it is. It's essentially practical. There were some enhancements that we did in certain areas but it's practical. It's really hot. It's potentially incredibly dangerous. So all the safety measures and everything are extreme. But the same thing there. We have seen flamethrowers here and there in movies [but] I don't think you can name one movie where there is a flamethrower against flamethrower battle, like a gunfight. And that's what I'm always striving for, and why I really liked what Chad has built within this world, is the idea that if it sounds ridiculous, but it's pulled off practically and brutal and feels just as violently entertaining as you can make it, then you've got a sequence that's really cool. I've found if the initial pitch of an idea, like when I pitched the ice skates, I was like, 'Okay, she's going to fight with ice skates on her hands.' That could be really stupid. That could be really stupid. And then so I have to see it and build it. But if you pull it off right, the execution is kind of everything. So if something sounds silly, but it's done well, then you've got something that is, I think that pops. That's unique. io9: Yes, that makes sense. Was Keanu as John Wick always a part of the movie early on or was his role added to or expanded with the additional photography? Wiseman: The additional photography was nothing with Keanu. That was just them doing more action. I shot all of Keanu's stuff on the first leg. It was like eight days or so with Keanu. Was he a part of the project from the very beginning? No. Because we were developing what it would be. It was also, because it's been in the works for a while, I didn't know what happened at the end of John Wick 4. So a lot of what, and I'd had talks with Keanu about, was the timeframe. So he was largely involved in terms of how it fits as a parallel experience to [John Wick: Chapter 3] Parabellum rather than being more of a kind of sequel character. io9: One of the reasons John Wick movies have worked and we love them is because they're real and they're brutal, but they have to have a certain suspension of disbelief. You kind of tiptoe the line of reality. So what is it like making sure that these characters are super heroic, but not superheroes? Wiseman: It's a very good question and it's something that I pay so much attention to. I love action movies. I also think there are certain traps people can fall into. For me, I think you can say 'Over the top,' but I think it's 'Heightened action that feels real.' So I think it's also in the vulnerability. In the pain that you see the actors going through. I think one of the big things that keeps it out of being superhero related is they're getting their asses kicked and you feel the pain. There's no posing after doing an action sequence. It really bugs me if you see a character that does an amazing action sequence and at the end, if they feel like, 'Yeah, I'm kind of a badass,' then I don't think you're a badass. I think you're kind of a tool. You're showing off. And so that's very important too. It's not posey. It's just, even with like watching John Wick, what I really loved about it, I think also inherently with Keanu, after going through this amazing sequence and taking these guys out, there's no show on his face about, 'Yeah, that was cool.' He's just fucking exhausted. On to the next thing, picking up the gun, out of breath. And I think it's endearing in a weird way. And so, I mean, there are a lot of levels. I could go on and on because it's so important to me about tone. The tone of the action, even if it's heightened, if it's heightened, but one, practical, two, what's the performance and what are you seeing your actor go through? See what Ana de Arams, Keanu Reeves, and more go through Friday when Ballerina hits theaters.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
John Wick gets new UK streaming home ahead of Ballerina release
John Wick has found a new streaming home in the UK ahead of the release of Ballerina. Starring Keanu Reeves in the titular role, the film sees former assassin John Wick come out of retirement to avenge the murder of the puppy that was gifted to him by his late wife. The logline reads: "An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him." Directed by Chad Stahelski, the 2014 film was added to Prime Video in the UK and Ireland yesterday along with its sequel John Wick: Chapter 2. For those of you who want to watch the franchise in order, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is available to stream on Netflix. Related: New John Wick movie confirmed to bring back a fan favourite – here's why As of writing, John Wick: Chapter 4 isn't streaming anywhere in the UK but it is available to rent or buy from Prime Video and more. This comes ahead of the release of the John Wick spin-off movie From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, which is set for release in cinemas on June 6. The film was initially slated for release on 7 June 2024, but was pushed back in February 2024 after reshooting additional fight sequences. Ballerina stars Ana de Armas as an assassin named Eve Macarro, who is trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma. Related: Best streaming services Previously speaking about the movie in an interview with Collider, de Armas promised fans that the spin-off will be "sexy" and "dangerous". "I'm very proud of it. It's really exciting. It's dangerous, it's sexy, it's very John Wick," she said. "I think people are going to be surprised. I'm biased. Of course, I like the movie, but I think it's really cool. It's going to be amazing." On the reshoots, she said: "All we did in those reshoots had to be there. We got amazing footage. It's really spectacular." John Wick is available to stream now on Prime Video in the UK and Ireland. Digital Spy's first print magazine is here! Buy British Comedy Legends in newsagents or online, now priced at just £3.99. at Audible£49.99 at at £328.00 at at at at £99.00 at Amazon at EE£54.98 at at at at EE at at at at at Amazon at at at at Sky Mobile£29.98 at at Game at at at at at EE at at Pandora£259.99 at at at at at Pandora at at Game at Three at at at at at at at at at AO at £199.99 at Fitbit$15.00 at at at at at at at at at at at John Lewis at at at at at at at at £90.00 at at at at at John Lewis at at John Lewis & Partners at at at at Amazon£6.62 at at Amazon at Fitbit£119.99 at at Amazon£184.00 at John Lewis & Partners at Three at at at at at at at at at at at at Apple£49.99 at Amazon at £293.81 at at at at Three at at at at John Lewis at at at at at at EE£379.99 at at Audible at at at at at at at at EE at £449.00 at John Lewis£32.99 at Amazon at at at at at Apple at at Microsoft at at Samsung at at at Apple at Three£229.00 at John Lewis at at John Lewis at at at at Samsung at crunchyroll£1199.00 at AO at at Amazon at John Lewis & Partners at at at at at Microsoft£299.00 at Microsoft at at at at at at Amazon at at John Lewis at now at at at John Lewis & Partners at at at at Microsoft at at John Lewis at at at at £6.65 at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at Might Also Like PS5 consoles for sale – PlayStation 5 stock and restocks: Where to buy PS5 today? IS MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7 THE BEST IN THE SERIES? OUR REVIEW AEW game is a modern mix of No Mercy and SmackDown
Geek Tyrant
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
HIGHLANDER Reboot Finds New Home at Amazon MGM After Lionsgate Reportedly Lost Faith in Henry Cavill — GeekTyrant
The Highlander reboot starring Henry Cavill is proepering for production, but it's reportedly not moving forward with the studio that had been developing it for years. According to a recent report from The Wrap, Lionsgate ultimately passed on the project after balking at both the budget and a lack of faith in Cavill's current box office draw. So, Amazon MGM Studios has stepped in, ready to bring a new generation of immortals to life. At the center of this behind-the-scenes shuffle is director Chad Stahelski ( John Wick ), who had requested a $180 million budget to fully realize his vision of the Highlander universe. Lionsgate, however, wasn't willing to go higher than $165 million. That $15 million difference, combined with mounting concerns about Cavill's recent performance at the box office, proved to be a dealbreaker. It's worth noting that Highlander, while containing visual effects, is largely a grounded action film that leans heavily on swordplay, practical stunts, and martial arts choreography. That's Stahelski's bread and butter. The first three John Wick films were made for a fraction of the cost: $30 million, $40 million, and $75 million, respectively. But Lionsgate's hesitation reportedly ran deeper than just production numbers. According to the report, executives were concerned about Cavill's diminishing returns as a box office draw. The most recent examples? Argylle , which had a reported budget of $70–80 million, with Apple spending $200 million for global rights, grossed just $96.2 million worldwide and earned tepid reviews. Then there's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare , which Lionsgate released in North America. Despite a $60 million budget, it brought in only $29.7 million globally. Studio sources went even further, telling The Wrap that Highlander was seen as "Highlander is a one-quadrant movie, catering to Gen X males who remembered the original movie (and the sequels and syndicated TV series that followed)." So, the studio didn't see enough mainstream appeal to justify the investment. Enter Amazon MGM Studios, who is already collaborating with Cavill on other projects including a high-profile live-action Voltron remake and the Warhammer 40,000 cinematic universe. Amazon saw the value in pairing Stahelski's vision with Cavill's star power. Now, the reboot has a new home and fresh momentum. Stahelski recently shared that the plan is to begin filming Highlander in September, with an eye toward a 2027 or 2028 release. Highlander began in 1986 with Christopher Lambert starring as Connor MacLeod, an immortal warrior battling others of his kind across centuries. The film spawned four sequels, a popular 1990s TV series starring Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod, and multiple spin-offs. The core mythology is simple but really cool with immortals having existed since the dawn of time, and they're locked in a centuries-long 'Contest' that must follow three unbreakable rules: Combat must be one-on-one; Holy Ground is off-limits, and In the end, there can be only one. In a previous conversation, Stahelski talked about his pitch to Cavill and why this role stands apart: 'My selling point was, to [Henry Cavill], look, you've got a guy that's been alive for over 500 years. He's the last person in the world that wanted to be in this situation. So you get to cover quite a broad spread of a character arc there. And you get to experience someone that's trained over 500 years and sort of played [with many types of] martial arts.' The filmmaker also previously teased the action in the film and explained that it will be inspired by the action in the John Wick films. "I'll keep it to the core. Most audiences, I'll use the gun analogy, most of what you know about gunfights or car chases because most of us don't get involved in gun fights, or car chases, or sword fights, we learn through movies.' "And what those movies show you is about 95% bullshit. You don't fight 50 guys with your bare hands and then walk away, but it's fun. It's wish fulfillment. 'So John Wick, we know it's a cartoon – I know it's not – but we also have fun with it. But we do tactical reloads, we try to do fire manipulations, stuff like the professionals do, the military do. But then we have fun with it, you know? Sword work is very much the same."' Cavill previously shared how big of a fan his is of the franchise and then said that the script for the film is 'extraordinary' and that the movie will take some 'big swings.' He said: "I am a Highlander fan, they're great fun movies. Obviously I watched them when I was a lot younger and have since rewatched, but also the TV show. 'I really enjoyed the lore behind it, that sense of a tragic warrior with more of a story to tell than a cool guy with a sword, doing cool things, and this goes even deeper into that. "What they've done so far and we're doing with the development of the script is extraordinary, I think people are going to be really, really pleased. 'Big swings are important, you play it safe, you're going to just go, 'Eh, I suppose it's fine?" but if you take a big swing, people love it or they hate it." Stahelski also explained that they are taking the best story elements from across the franchise and implementing it all into one story that will be spread out across a trilogy of films: "I think the TV series hit on a lot of great stuff wasn't in the feature, between the watchers and all the different types of immortals. How do we get this into a feature mode before we dribble it into the TV world? 'Well, let's restructure it in parts, let's look at it like it was a TV show, let's look at it like it was a high-end trilogy. How to we tell the story of The Gathering, The Quickenings, The Immortals and how do we really build this world out even more so than the original project? 'That's what we're restructuring right now. It's taking all the good stuff that we had before I was involved in the project from the script; redeveloping the script to give us really good chapters one, two and three; and expanding the world." He also talked about his vision for the film, saying: " The vision we're trying to get across and what we're trying to develop, I equate very close to Star Wars. The first one is a very satisfying ending but it does leave the door open and that's kind of how I see this. 'I would really like to expand it over three. I see The Gathering happening over three. It's tricky, don't get me wrong, that's why we're still developing it. We want to be able to tell three complete stories that all kind of fit. 'I think the Star Wars trilogy, at least up to The Empire Strikes Back, is a good example of how we want to process it." I'm pumbed up about this movie and I have no doubt it's going to be a badass film. I hope that it ends up being a huge success at the box office, but only time will tell.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Highlander Reboot With Former Superman Henry Cavill Gets Release Date Window
The long-awaited reboot, featuring former Superman actor in the lead, has finally received a positive update regarding its release date window from its director, Chad Stahelski. First announced back in 2021, details regarding the premiere of the movie have come few and far between. However, according to Stahelski's latest comments, production on the film could commence as early as September 2025. In a recent discussion, the John Wick director noted that if all goes well, he and his team will be able to start filming the Henry Cavill-led Highlander reboot in the fall of the current year. As such, the movie could make its big-screen debut in either 2027 or 2028. While speaking with Collider's Aidan Kelley, Chad Stahelski disclosed, 'If everything works out in the next 24 hours, we'll be shooting sometime in September. And in 2027 or 2028, you'll be watching Highlander.' Henry Cavill's Highlander will serve as the first entry in the beloved franchise, ever since Christopher Lambert's take on the iconic warrior came to an end in the early 2000s. Created by Gregory Widen, the original Highlander film followed the adventures of Connor MacLeod, a Scottish swordsman, who realizes that he is actually an immortal. As such, MacLeod inadvertently finds himself battling fellow powerful entities who wish to destroy the planet. Despite already having an established lore, Stahelski has confirmed that he will be tweaking the plot in his upcoming directorial venture, all the while paying homage to the original film's mythology. 'We're bringing it forward from the early 1500s in the highlands to the beyond present-day New York and Hong Kong, and seeing how it goes,' he remarked during an earlier interview with The Direct. While Chad Stahelski has given Highlander fans something to look forward to, the film has yet to confirm any of its cast members, aside from Henry Cavill. Moreover, its release date window of 2027-2028 remains a mere estimation at the time of writing. Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on
Geek Tyrant
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Henry Cavill's HIGHLANDER Reboot Will Begin Filming This Fall; Director Reveals 2027–2028 Release Target — GeekTyrant
After years of development, the long-gestating Highlander reboot starring Henry Cavill is officially picking up steam. Director Chad Stahelski has confirmed that the movie is expected to start shooting this September, with the film currently eyeing a release window in 2027 or 2028. Stahelski, best known for helming the John Wick franchise, shared the news during a recent interview with Collider, saying: 'If everything works out in the next 24 hours, we'll be shooting sometime in September. And in 2027 or 2028, you'll be watching Highlander.' The film, now backed by Amazon MGM Studios after transitioning from Lionsgate, is shaping up to be the first of several high-profile Cavill-led projects at the streamer. Alongside Highlander , Cavill is also spearheading the Warhammer 40,000 cinematic universe and is set to star in a live-action Voltron movie. But Highlander will be the first to go into production. The reboot's screenplay is being written by Mike Finch, who co-wrote John Wick: Chapter 4 and American Assassin . In a previous conversation, Stahelski talked about his pitch to Cavill and why this role stands apart: 'My selling point was, to [Henry Cavill], look, you've got a guy that's been alive for over 500 years. He's the last person in the world that wanted to be in this situation. So you get to cover quite a broad spread of a character arc there. And you get to experience someone that's trained over 500 years and sort of played [with many types of] martial arts.' The filmmaker also previously teased the action in the film and explained that it will be inspired by the action in the John Wick films. "I'll keep it to the core. Most audiences, I'll use the gun analogy, most of what you know about gunfights or car chases because most of us don't get involved in gun fights, or car chases, or sword fights, we learn through movies.' "And what those movies show you is about 95% bullshit. You don't fight 50 guys with your bare hands and then walk away, but it's fun. It's wish fulfillment. 'So John Wick, we know it's a cartoon – I know it's not – but we also have fun with it. But we do tactical reloads, we try to do fire manipulations, stuff like the professionals do, the military do. But then we have fun with it, you know? Sword work is very much the same."' Cavill previously shared how big of a fan his is of the franchise and then said that the script for the film is 'extraordinary' and that the movie will take some 'big swings.' He said: "I am a Highlander fan, they're great fun movies. Obviously I watched them when I was a lot younger and have since rewatched, but also the TV show. 'I really enjoyed the lore behind it, that sense of a tragic warrior with more of a story to tell than a cool guy with a sword, doing cool things, and this goes even deeper into that. "What they've done so far and we're doing with the development of the script is extraordinary, I think people are going to be really, really pleased. 'Big swings are important, you play it safe, you're going to just go, 'Eh, I suppose it's fine?" but if you take a big swing, people love it or they hate it." Stahelski also previously talked about the movie, saying it will include both familiar characters and "elements" taken from the '90s TV series. "We're looking to do our story [and it] engages a lot of the same characters and stuff like that. But we've also brought in elements of all the TV shows. We're trying to do a bit of a prequel setup to The Gathering.' The Gathering refers to the culmination of the near-eternal battle among immortals. He went on to explain they are setting this whole thing up to expand and grow the story: "So, we have room to grow the property.' 'We have ideas for days about how to make the coolest characters and to make that an epic TV show. I just think that's a rich, rich mythology." The original 1986 Highlander movie starred Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, and Clancy Brown as immortal beings, who are hunting down one another and collecting more power. The classic tagline for the film was: 'There can be only one.' Stahelski also explained that they are taking the best story elements from across the franchise and implementing it all into one story that will be spread out across a trilogy of films: "I think the TV series hit on a lot of great stuff wasn't in the feature, between the watchers and all the different types of immortals. How do we get this into a feature mode before we dribble it into the TV world? 'Well, let's restructure it in parts, let's look at it like it was a TV show, let's look at it like it was a high-end trilogy. How to we tell the story of The Gathering, The Quickenings, The Immortals and how do we really build this world out even more so than the original project? 'That's what we're restructuring right now. It's taking all the good stuff that we had before I was involved in the project from the script; redeveloping the script to give us really good chapters one, two and three; and expanding the world." He also talked about his vision for the film, saying: " The vision we're trying to get across and what we're trying to develop, I equate very close to Star Wars. The first one is a very satisfying ending but it does leave the door open and that's kind of how I see this. 'I would really like to expand it over three. I see The Gathering happening over three. It's tricky, don't get me wrong, that's why we're still developing it. We want to be able to tell three complete stories that all kind of fit. 'I think the Star Wars trilogy, at least up to The Empire Strikes Back , is a good example of how we want to process it." I very excited about this Highlander reboot and I hope that it delivers something as epically badass as I've built up in my head. Are you excited to see Cavill take up the sword in Highlander?
