Latest news with #WickisPain
Gizmodo
15 hours ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
Like Us, the Director of ‘John Wick' Didn't Love ‘The Continental'
This weekend, a new film from the world of John Wick is coming to theaters. It's called Ballerina and we're guessing you've heard about it. But two years ago, did you hear about a full-fledged John Wick streaming series that was on Peacock? Maybe not. The Continental: From the World of John Wick debuted on the streamer in 2023 to average reviews and tepid audience response. It has yet to return. Part of that is probably because two of the most crucial people involved in the John Wick franchise, star Keanu Reeves and co-creator/director/current overseer Chad Stahelski, were not actively involved. And, in a new interview talking about both Ballerina and a new documentary called Wick is Pain, Stahelski sounds more than a little bummed about it. 'Keanu and I were—I wouldn't say sidelined, but our opinion was heard and not really noted,' Stahelski told the Hollywood Reporter. '[The studio] tried to convince me they knew what they were doing. A group of individuals thought they had the magic sauce. But if you take out Basil Iwanyk's producing intuitiveness, if you take out Keanu's way of delivering quirky dialogue and if you take out all the visuals I have in my head from Wong Kar-wai, anime, Leone, Bernardo Bertucci or Andrei Tchaikovsky … then it's not the same thing. They thought this was as easy as using anamorphic lenses, do a kooky hotel, put in weird dialogue, and insert crime drama.' Stahelski continued, admitting his way of doing things doesn't always line up with the status quo. 'If you saw our process, you'd be like, 'You're telling me this billion-dollar franchise does it this way?'' he said. 'I'm scouting my next film in London and we saw a cool location yesterday which totally changed the second act. We rewrote the whole thing. I find great cast members and rewrite their parts constantly. That's what makes [the movies] so good and organic—we're constantly upgrading. But the studio likes to know what they're getting for their buck and want to lock a script for budget reasons. While we're saying, 'Just write the check, we'll see you at the finish line.'' Which, it sounds like, was the case with The Continental. It was not the case, however, with Ballerina, in which both Stahelski and Reeves were involved. And it will not be the case with a potential John Wick 5, which Stahelski knows everyone wants, but he's still not completely sold on. 'I'm not going to lie to you, it's a bit of a conundrum,' he said about bringing Wick, who died in the last film, back. 'Me and Mike Finch— the writer on 4 who's also writing 5—we've got a pretty good story that I think is cool. Once we have a 50-page book, and if we're feeling it, we'll sit with Keanu and shape this thing. Look, everybody seems to want it. It's a matter of whether we crack it. We're actively working on it. It's just … is it going to be satisfying?' As for John Wick 5, we'll have to wait and see. But if you head over to the Hollywood Reporter we promise the rest of Stahelski's interview is incredibly satisfying.
Perth Now
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
‘She's now in a place where John Wick was': Ana de Armas teases Eve Macarro's future post-Ballerina
Ana de Armas has teased Eve Macarro will share John Wick's story after 'Ballerina'. The 37-year-old actress stars as the titular assassin in the upcoming 'John Wick' spin-off movie, and has now hinted Eve will be in a similar, dangerous position to Keanu Reeves' hitman following the events of the film. Speaking with Screen Rant, de Armas said: "I think that there's going to be a few things to resolve after this one. "Clearly she will have some people coming after her for what she's done. She's now in a place where John Wick was. "She's the one being hunted and people want her dead. After wanting to get in so badly, I want to see her handling a good situation." The 'Knives Out' star added Eve will have "nowhere to hide" after 'Ballerina', and hinted other Ruska Roma members may be coming after her following the events of the film. She continued: "I want to see how she deals with that, having nowhere to hide. "Probably some other family members will come after her that she doesn't know, so we'll see. Really, this could go anywhere and I'm sure it will be really exciting." 'Ballerina' - which also stars Ian McShane, Norman Reedus, Lorenza Izzo and the late Lance Reddick - follows Eve as she begins her training in the assassin tradition of the Ruska Roma. While de Armas is enthused to become an action star of her own, the actress insisted Eve was not simply a gender-swapped version of John Wick. She explained to Collider: "I think there are some trademarks in the style of the fights in John Wick, and things that he does that are very particular to him. "But because in this movie we're seeing through Eve's eyes the background of that training that John had, and how these assassins and ballerinas, how these people become these assassins, there are some little details that are the same, but Eve Macarro is Eve Macarro. She's not John Wick!" Meanwhile, Reeves - who will cameo in 'Ballerina' as his famed assassin - teased he was 'excited for people to see' the movie and de Armas as the leading star. Speaking at a screening of the 'Wick is Pain' documentary in Santa Monica, he said: "I don't do stunts, I do action. It was really cool to have a chance to put the suit on. "I've worked with Ana a couple of times and she's a wonderful artist, and she committed to the action. "I just had like eight days on it, but it was fun to play the role again and I'm excited for people to see the film. It's in the spirit of 'John Wick' and has new characters and opens up some stuff, so hopefully people like it."
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'When You See Keanu In Pain On Screen, It's Probably Real:' Keanu Reeves Was Like Nah Bro When It Came To The Gym After John Wick Chapter 4
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The John Wick franchise is known for its incredibly choreographed stunt work. We've seen lots of behind-the-scenes footage of the work Keanu Reeves puts in to get it all perfect. He makes it all look quite easy, but that doesn't mean he doesn't pay a physical price. Keanu Reeves does a lot of his own stunt work in the John Wick movies, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have some help. A new documentary, simply titled, Wick is Pain, takes a look at the making of the action series and its growth from an independent action film to a massive franchise. In the documentary (via USA Today), one of Reeves' stunt men, Jackson Spidell, says that if John Wick ever appears to be in pain on screen, it's probably not acting on the part of Keanu Reeves… When you see Keanu in pain on screen, it's probably for real. Wick is Pain is a great name for a documentary about the franchise, as it is all about pain. The first movie starts with John Wick suffering from emotional pain. From there, he ends up in one fight for his life after another. As the story in the films largely takes place over a short period of time, John Wick has little chance to physically recover, which just means more pain. While John Wick: Chapter 4 finally let the character rest, it seems that John Wick is being called on once again. Chapter 5 is now a project in development, and Reeves admits that going back to play the titular character is something he needs to really think about. Playing John Wick has its own workout routine, and making the last movie took such a toll, he stayed out of the gym for a long time. Reeves said… I didn't go to the gym for over a year. In terms of the future of John Wick, the book isn't closed on that chapter, but it's definitely a chapter that is needing some time to think about. Of course, Keanu Reeves likely did need to go back to the gym for his appearance in From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. The trailers for the John Wick spinoff show him going toe-to-toe with Ana de Armas. We've even seen some behind-the-scenes footage of de Armas and Reeves practicing, which is basically like going to the gym. The good news for Keanu Reeves is that it will likely be a while before he needs to go 'full John Wick' again. John Wick: Chapter 5 is still pretty far in the future. In fact, the next time Keanu plays John Wick, he won't need to go to the gym at all, as he'll be voicing the character for an animated prequel.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
As Stunts Finally Become An Oscars Category, Keanu Reeves Gets Real About What He's Actually Responsible For In Movies Like John Wick
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Throughout the history of filmmaking, stunt performers have been invaluable parts of various movies. So it's fitting that stunt work will be honored by the Oscars in a few years time. A film franchise that's been at the forefront of quality stunt work is John Wick, which is headlined by Keanu Reeves. As a result of his work in four main films (and a spinoff), the leading man has certainly put his body through the wringer. Something Reeves wants to be clear about, though, is actually what he does on set in relation to stunt work in his movies. Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski – the director of the John Wick films – have recently been promoting the documentary Wick is Pain. The film provides a deep dive into the making of the hit series of movies, including the stunt work involved. A portion of fans may be under the impression that Reeves performs a sizable amount of his own stunts. However, the fan-favorite actor clarified during a screening of the doc (via The Hollywood Reporter), that much of the credit should go elsewhere: I really love being able to do as much as I can, but I don't do stunts. Stunt people do stunts. They're like, 'Look at all those stunts you did' and I'm like, 'Fuck that, [stunt double] Jackson [Spidell] just got hit by a car twice.' And [Stahelski] is like, 'Hmm, maybe we can hit him with two cars.' Quite frankly, I love to hear the Canadian actor give his stunt double, Jackson Spidell, his flowers. It goes without saying that stunt actors really are among the unsung heroes of Hollywood. Due to insurance reasons, personal preferences or other variables, most lead actors can't perform the vast majority of their own stunts. That's when stunt doubles are called in and, without them, some of the biggest action sequences in film history wouldn't be possible. The Speed icon later punctuated his point with another sentiment: Anyway yeah I don't do stunts, I do action. More on Keanu Reeves Ana De Armas Just Shared BTS Ballerina Fight Choreography With Keanu Reeves And Fans Are All Making Similar Comments This isn't all to say that Keanu Reeves is any kind of slouch, of course. In Wick is Pain, Jackson Spidell noted that if viewers ever actually do see John Wick in pain, Reeves isn't faking it. During past interviews, the A-lister has also discussed his participation in action sequences – some of which resulted in Reeves throwing up. Reeves admitted that after shooting the fourth film in the franchise, he needed a rest from the gym. However, with a fifth Wick film now in the works, he'll likely have to return at some point. When it comes to that upcoming Wick installment, my hope is that it'll be released at a point at which it can compete in the Academy's Achievement in Stunt Design category. Chad Stahelski – a former stuntman – was a driving force behind the category being added, and it'll make its debut at the 100th Oscars in 2028. Keep your fingers crossed that that's the case and, as you watch or rewatch Wick films, try to be as cognizant as Keanu Reeves is of the important roles stunt actors play. John Wick is set to appear on the big screen this summer by way of the spinoff film Ballerina, which hits theaters on June 6 as part of the 2025 movie schedule. Wick is Pain is also available to buy on digital platforms now.
Perth Now
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
John Wick star Keanu Reeves says he is 'excited for people to see' Ana de Armas in Ballerina
Keanu Reeves is "excited for people to see" 'Ballerina'. The 60-year-old actor makes a small appearance in the upcoming action film - which is a spin-off from his 'John Wick' franchise - and found it "really cool" to work on the project for a short amount of time as he praised leading star Ana de Armas in her role as former dancer-turned-assassin Eve Macarro. Speaking at a screening of the 'Wick is Pain' documentary in Santa Monica, he said: Anyway yeah I don't do stunts, I do action. "It was really cool to have a chance to put the suit on. I've worked with Ana a couple of times and she's a wonderful artist, and she committed to the action. "I just had like eight days on it, but it was fun to play the role again and I'm excited for people to see the film. It's in the spirit of 'John Wick' and has new characters and opens up some stuff, so hopefully people like it." The Hollywood star was thrilled to have the chance to reflect on his decade at the helm of the 'John Wick' movies -which charts a legendary hitman after he comes out of retirement - He said: "It's special thing to have something you love chronicled in such a way [with the documentary]. It's kind of like a picture book. I mean it's like 10 years of our lives and it changed our lives for the better, personally and creatively.', Meanwhile, Keanu will reprise his role as John Wick for a fifth film following the release of 'Ballerina'. Lionsgate announced the move at CinemaCon, and the franchise is also expanding with an animated prequel film and a standalone feature focused on Donnie Yen's character, Caine. The projects complement 'Ballerina' which is set for release on 6 June. Ana, 35, attended the annual convention for cinema owners in Las Vegas, where she introduced an extended clip from 'Ballerina'. The footage featured her character, Eve Macarro – a dancer training to become an assassin – engaged in a fight sequence in an abandoned bar, in which she shoots one adversary and smashes a plate against another. She said at the Colosseum stage at Caesars Palace about the role: 'For 'Bond', I only had three weeks of training. ''Ballerina' was a whole other level. This is by far the most physical and challenging thing I've ever done.'
