The Baba Yaga is back for a third shoot-em-up symphony. Keanu Reeves‘ “John Wick” series has been one of the sincere surprises to come out of the decade for the action genre, a wily, violent, layered, knowing bullet-fest that gave Reeves a second wind in his career and one of his most memorable characters (and terrified all those who would ever dream of messing with his dog).
READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2019
Well, Wick’s back with “John Wick” and “John Wick: Chapter Two” director Chad Stahelski for a third go-around, now titled “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,” this time with Wick on the run from The Continental for breaking one of its sacred rules. Like Snake Plissken and a guy trying to make it out of the city by rush hour, Wick will be escaping New York this time around and jetting across the world. Though, as expected, the price on his head will attract assassins in the area to try and take down the master.
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2018
Halle Berry, Hiroyuki Sanada, Angelica Huston, Asia Kate Dillon, Mark Dacascos, Yayan Ruhian and, indeed, Jason Mantzoukas will all join the kill-happy ‘Parabellum’ ensemble, and Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Common, Ruby Rose, and Laurence Fishbourne will return in their respective roles.
The ‘John Wick: Chapter 3′ trailer promises the exact same, winking thrill ride we’ve come to expect with the series, with the conclusion of the last film hinting to what a promising locale the Big Apple could be for Wick and his myriad of enemies. Stahelski’s eye for set pieces (that mirror/maze one from the second outing still sticks with you) and ramping up the tension should translate well with the Five Boroughs’ plentiful vistas. It’s also said to expand to places like Russia and Spain, if you’d like to see Wick go global.
One trouble spot with a series like this is what its shelf life is, and though, on paper, 500 more John Wick adventures sound like something you’d want, the last thing any of us are hoping to see is the Baba Yaga grow stale. Perhaps this could serve as an effective capper for the trilogy, or perhaps we’re going to see Wick shooting up the bad guys until he’s well into his 70s. As long as the quality remains the same, we’ll be buying tickets.
“John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” returns for more assassin mayhem on May 17. Watch the new trailer and let us know where it lands on your Most Anticipated Films of 2019 list.
