Latest news with #Chapter4
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Spoiler Space: Tom Cruise and Ethan Hunt refuse to die
Spoiler Space offers thoughts on, and a place to discuss, the plot points we can't disclose in our official review. Fair warning: This article features plot details of Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning, as well as details about No Time To Die and John Wick: Chapter 4. In No Time To Die, the delayed swan song for Daniel Craig's iteration of the beloved superspy James Bond, 007 does something he had never done in his near-60-year movie history: He died. After defeating the evil villain du jour (Rami Malek) on his secret island of killer nanobots, Bond faces incoming missiles to make sure that his love Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) and their daughter (Lisa-Dorah Sonnet) survive. He's been infected with a virus that would kill his family should he ever come into contact with them, so Bond more readily accepts the prospect of dying than he had in the 24 prior films. Even though Craig's films had already been updated for modern sensibilities, meaning that his Bond was far less smarmy and far more wearied than previous iterations, the choice to kill off the unkillable agent felt bold in 2021—so much so that No Time To Die is only really notable as 'the one where they kill Bond.' John Wick had only been around nine years when Chapter 4 gave its badass master assassin a noble death: taking a bullet in an archaic duel so he could take out the Marquis (Bill Skarsgård). But like his J-name action peer, John Wick's (alleged; disproven) death was given the same official, noble air as James Bond's. They went out on their own terms, achieving something important to them, conscious of their legacies as highly skilled and effectively invincible action heroes. No doubt these films and these deaths were on Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie's minds when creating Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning, which closes the eight-film odyssey of Ethan Hunt getting out of escalating geopolitical jams by superhumanly defying death. Ethan does not die taking out the evil, hungry AI 'The Entity;' in fact, he emerges unscathed from a biplane battle with Entity acolyte Gabriel (Esai Morales), despite plummeting to the ground without a working parachute. The reveal of a second parachute (a pure white one, the color of grace) billowing from the ground where Ethan has safely landed off-screen is, like the reveal of his cliffhanger survival in Fallout, pointedly delayed by a moment to convince audiences that he hadn't defied death this time—here, it's the one thing viewers are expecting most. But while it's significant that a modern action franchise comes to an end with its protagonist in one piece, there is more than defying expectations that motivated Ethan living to impossibly mission another day. Because of the extreme, often practical stunts that Cruise and select co-stars have committed to film (and then heavily marketed) since Ghost Protocol, the series has a different relationship to death than the cool, slick spectacle of Bond or Wick. Because M:I wants us to feel, first and foremost, like what's happening on screen is real, was done by real people and therefore suggests a real risk of death, Hunt lacks the steely-faced composure of his action peers—any post-III entry in the series involves Tom Cruise being battered, tossed, and slammed by bigger guys or hefty machinery, like a world-saving ragdoll with endless stamina. If he were to die during the course of this, it's difficult to imagine it happening in as dignified and romantic a way as Bond or Wick experienced a couple years before. Because Cruise and McQuarrie have worked to make Ethan's adventures confront the likelihood of death in every action set piece for four straight films, it will always be more dramatically exciting for Ethan to live than die; because Bond and Wick belong to myth-like, genre-infused legacies bolstered by their franchise's explicit visual and tonal styles, it's more interesting for them to expire than Hunt. But Ethan's ultimate fate in the field of duty is ultimately decided by one person: producer and star Tom Cruise. After nearly 30 years playing Ethan Hunt, Cruise authorizes every decision made regarding the franchise, and therefore is hyper-aware of how these films reflect on his legacy. The stronger a presence that Cruise's movie-making machine has taken in the series (he is arguably more of an author than director and co-writer McQuarrie), the more these films feed into that dubious 'last movie star' moniker, which is a more active influence on how Cruise decides Ethan's fate than in similar franchises. Bond and Wick died because their deaths are more meaningless. Audiences knew they'd never see Craig as Bond again, and that soon he'd join the other actors who retired the role. After only four films and a largely hinted-at backstory, Wick's existence was more mythic and ghost-like than the flesh-and-blood Ethan Hunt. Cruise's classic movie-star credentials are still valid but, in today's fragile Hollywood climate, could cash out at any time, and the narrative that Cruise and McQuarrie have built around the series—that Ethan is the only person standing in the way of global obliteration, and Tom Cruise is, similarly, the only person standing in the way of the theatrical experience's collapse—has a double meaning of 'this won't survive without him.' By tying his vitality as a movie star to his character, Cruise needs Ethan to appear vital, triumphant, and able to overcome the odds. He may not be such a naked narcissist as to contractually ensure that he never loses an onscreen fight, but one clear benefit of constantly raising the physical stakes in the M:I series is that Ethan's survival increasingly makes Cruise appear, if not necessarily strong, then undeniably alive. This benevolence extends to the supporting cast. After Ethan's oldest friend Luther (Ving Rhames, the only actor to appear in as many M:I films as Cruise) dies to save London from a bomb early in The Final Reckoning, Ethan adopts an unofficial but rigid 'no more sacrifices' policy. The deaths of Ethan's teammates have textually haunted him in many series entries: There's the murder of his entire Prague team at the start of Mission: Impossible, the jarring and upsetting brain explosive that takes out Keri Russell's briefly seen character in III, and the lamented demise of Ethan's only human equal Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) on a Venetian bridge in Dead Reckoning. Ethan takes these deaths incredibly personally. His mission is to save as many people as he's capable of, and despite the clear, sincere loyalty that his disciples feel towards him, he feels responsible for getting them into danger in the first place. Ethan would die a million times to save his friends, and the finale of The Final Reckoning makes it seem like death is certain for one of his team. Tech guru Benji (Simon Pegg) is bleeding out while he gives hacking instructions to pickpocket Grace (Hayley Atwell). Meanwhile, returning face William Donloe (Rolf Saxon) only has 10 seconds to get his wife Tapeesa (Lucy Tulugarjuk) and special forces turncoat Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis) away from a bomb he's deactivating before one of its detonators goes off. But if Ethan and Cruise really do depend on each other, then the fate of these colleagues/co-stars also stems from Cruise's need for Ethan to live; whatever happens to Ethan's friends reflects back onto him, and whatever reflects onto Ethan reflects onto Cruise. The blanket survival of our heroes in The Final Reckoning is rousing and satisfying, but it is also calculated; when a recorded message from the late Luther insists to Hunt (seconds after the Entity has been defeated) that we are, in fact, masters of our own fate, he should have specified that Ethan is the master of everyone else's as well. The Final Reckoning is a unique response to the question of 'how to kill an action hero,' as more than James Bond or John Wick, the film admits that the action hero is just an extension of the action star, and their fates remain fused. More from A.V. Club Primer: The immediately identifiable comedies of Wes Anderson Before drug intervention, Nick Kroll was "deeply scared" that John Mulaney would die Trump pardons beloved reality TV fraudsters, the Chrisleys
Pink Villa
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Box Office: Lionsgate's Ballerina eyes USD 35M plus opening in promising start for John Wick spinoff
Lionsgate's From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is tracking toward a strong USD 35 to 40 million opening weekend, positioning the Ana de Armas-led spinoff for a solid debut on June 6. With its intense action sequences and connection to the billion-dollar John Wick franchise, Ballerina is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated R-rated action releases of the summer. Directed by Len Wiseman, Ballerina underwent additional photography helmed by John Wick creator Chad Stahelski to maintain continuity with the franchise's signature style. The film marks the fifth installment in the universe and serves as a standalone tale set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4. De Armas plays Eve Macarro, a ballerina-turned-assassin on a revenge mission under the deadly supervision of the Ruska Roma. Initial tracking shows strong interest from male audiences over 25, with high awareness among the broader 25-plus demographic, the same group that powered John Wick: Chapter 4 to a franchise-best USD 73.8 million opening in 2023. While Ballerina is not expected to reach those numbers, its projections already place it ahead of John Wick: Chapter 2 (USD 30.2 million). In fact, the film is aligning with other successful franchise offshoots like The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. Both titles opened to USD 44.6 million and USD 42.1 million, respectively. With a reported budget between USD 80–90 million, including reshoots, Lionsgate has once again employed its proven strategy of selling foreign rights to finance the project while retaining key markets like the US and UK. The promotional push began in full force at CinemaCon in April, with de Armas backing it up through social media campaigns and behind-the-scenes teases. The John Wick franchise has grossed over USD 1.03 billion globally, with Chapter 4 alone bringing in over USD 440 million. Ballerina also features franchise regulars, including Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston, and the late Lance Reddick in his final screen role. Releasing alongside Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, which doesn't pose much threat, Ballerina is well-positioned to dominate its launch weekend. If audience reception mirrors the franchise's momentum, the film could very well dance past projections.
AsiaOne
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Rina Sawayama set to star in John Wick spin-off movie, Entertainment News
Rina Sawayama is set to star in the new John Wick spin-off movie. The 34-year-old star made her film acting debut in 2023's John Wick: Chapter 4, and Rina is now poised to reprise the role of Shimazu Akira in the upcoming spin-off movie, Caine. Chad Stahelski, who is producing the project, said in a statement: "Rina is such a bada**. I love what she did with this role in Chapter 4 and can't wait to see her cross paths with Caine once again." [embed] Rina is set to star alongside Donnie Yen in the new spin-off film, and the 61-year-old actor — who is also directing Caine — is thrilled be reuniting with the singer-turned-actress. Donnie — who played Caine in John Wick: Chapter 4 — said: "Most delighted to welcome Rina back into this new exciting journey with us. It will be my pleasure and attempt to elevate her amazing character that left us mesmerised from John Wick: Chapter 4!" Caine will continue the story arcs following the events of John Wick: Chapter 4. And Adam Fogelson, the chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, is thrilled that RIna has agreed to reprise her role. He explained: "John Wick: Chapter 4 introduced us to so many compelling, original characters, including Akira. "We're beyond thrilled to have Rina coming back to the franchise — Caine and Akira have unfinished business, and this next chapter in their stories will be explosive." Basil Iwanyk — who also serves as a producer on the film — is excited to work with Rina, too. The 55-year-old producer said: "Rina will be a tremendous addition to this film, and we're excited to be returning to Caine's corner of the John Wick universe as we start production soon." Rina first found success as a musician, but she relished the challenge of shooting John Wick: Chapter 4. The actress admitted that making the film was a whirlwind experience. Speaking about the challenge, Rina previously told Allure: "John Wick is a miracle movie to me. "I've been doing auditions and self-tapes in the background of music for years, but I hadn't landed anything. Then I got a call from Chad Stahelski, the director, and he'd seen my music videos. "He asked what I was doing for the next three months. I'd finished the bulk of my writing for the second record and had a gap in my schedule. I was in Berlin three days later. The ink on the contract hadn't even dried when I began stunt training." Rina admitted that performing her music still feels more natural to her. She said: "A tour is easy compared to this. It was the most intense thing I've ever done. "In music, I know what I'm doing onstage. I know my groove. But acting is completely new, and I was learning in a very high-pressure situation." [[nid:717714]]
Perth Now
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Rina Sawayama cast alongside Donnie Yen in John Wick spin-off
Rina Sawayama is set to star in the new 'John Wick' spin-off movie. The 34-year-old star made her film acting debut in 2023's 'John Wick: Chapter 4', and Rina is now poised to reprise the role of Shimazu Akira in the upcoming spin-off movie, 'Caine'. Chad Stahelski, who is producing the project, said in a statement: "Rina is such a bada**. I love what she did with this role in 'Chapter 4' and can't wait to see her cross paths with Caine once again." Rina is set to star alongside Donnie Yen in the new spin-off film, and the 61-year-old actor - who is also directing 'Caine' - is thrilled be reuniting with the singer-turned-actress. Donnie - who played Caine in 'John Wick: Chapter 4' - said: "Most delighted to welcome Rina back into this new exciting journey with us. It will be my pleasure and attempt to elevate her amazing character that left us mesmerised from 'John Wick: Chapter 4'!" 'Caine' will continue the story arcs following the events of 'John Wick: Chapter 4'. And Adam Fogelson, the chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, is thrilled that RIna has agreed to reprise her role. He explained: "'John Wick: Chapter 4' introduced us to so many compelling, original characters, including Akira. "We're beyond thrilled to have Rina coming back to the franchise - Caine and Akira have unfinished business, and this next chapter in their stories will be explosive." Basil Iwanyk - who also serves as a producer on the film - is excited to work with Rina, too. The 55-year-old producer said: "Rina will be a tremendous addition to this film, and we're excited to be returning to Caine's corner of the 'John Wick' universe as we start production soon." Rina first found success as a musician, but she relished the challenge of shooting 'John Wick: Chapter 4'. The actress admitted that making the film was a whirlwind experience. Speaking about the challenge, Rina previously told Allure: "'John Wick' is a miracle movie to me. "I've been doing auditions and self-tapes in the background of music for years, but I hadn't landed anything. Then I got a call from Chad Stahelski, the director, and he'd seen my music videos. He asked what I was doing for the next three months. I'd finished the bulk of my writing for the second record and had a gap in my schedule. I was in Berlin three days later. The ink on the contract hadn't even dried when I began stunt training." Rina admitted that performing her music still feels more natural to her. She said: "A tour is easy compared to this. It was the most intense thing I've ever done. "In music, I know what I'm doing onstage. I know my groove. But acting is completely new, and I was learning in a very high-pressure situation."
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Every John Wick Movie Keanu Reeves Is Returning In & How
Fans of the John Wick film series are eager to know how the deadly assassin will return in future movies. The fourth installment of the popular action franchise, John Wick: Chapter 4, saw the supposed death of the titular protagonist, played by . However, recent announcements about new projects hint at a possible resurrection of the beloved character. Here's everything we know about Keanu Reeves' return as John Wick in future projects. In 2023, shortly after the release of John Wick: Chapter 4, director Chad Stahelski confirmed that Keanu Reeves would be involved in all future projects of the franchise. It initially seemed that Chapter 4 was the end of the line for the titular assassin. However, the creators have brought good news that John Wick will return for more action. On April 1, 2025, at CinemaCon, Lionsgate announced that Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski are returning for John Wick: Chapter 5 (via Variety). This implies that the gun-wielding assassin might not be dead after all, as shown in the Chapter 4 finale. Stahelski had previously revealed that the movie would not be a direct continuation of the previous installment. It would instead follow a different storyline. The details of the plot remain under wraps. Hence, there is no way of knowing how — or if Wick is actually dead. Needless to say, fans are optimistic that John Wick is alive and ready for more action. Many believe that both Winston and Wick faked their deaths to begin a quiet life. However, these remain speculations at this point. Although the creators have not confirmed a release window for the movie, it is estimated that it might arrive in 2028. 'From the World of John Wick: Ballerina' serves as a spin-off to the John Wick film series. The movie takes place between the events of Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, meaning John Wick is very much alive, placing Keanu Reeves in the main cast. Ballerina stars Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, a ballerina training to become an assassin within the Ruska Roma. The filmmakers plan to release the movie theatrically on June 6, 2025. The John Wick franchise has several future projects in development, including an animated prequel. At CinemaCon, Lionsgate confirmed that Shannon Tindle will direct this project, which will be a feature film. Vanessa Taylor will be the screenwriter for it. The movie will serve as a prequel to the first John Wick film, with Keanu Reeves expected to return as the voice of Wick. It will follow the lethal assassin as he takes on the legendary 'impossible task' he owed to the High Table before getting married. (via The Hollywood Reporter) The post Every John Wick Movie Keanu Reeves Is Returning In & How appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
