John Wick 3 Director, Filming Start Date & Returning Cast Revealed

John Wick is going back to work for John Wick 3, as the third film’s director, filming start date, and returning cast are revealed. In a world dominated by adaptations and family-friendly IPs, the growing world of John Wick’s bloody good fun is a welcome addition to any cinema. With the hitman turned heroic figure returning to the screen, there’s clearly work to be done.


John Wick 2 saw Keanu Reeves’ John Wick officially out of retirement and ready to do some damage after destroying his target and violating the rules of The Continental, the hotel for assassins in the Wick universe. The Continental will be the subject of a new TV series from Starz and even feature the return of Ian McShane’s mysterious character with his ties to the assassin-filled underworld. The series is perfect for a spinoff exploring a world of high-class assassins and in an era of film where shared universes are gold, it’s ideal for building a shared universe onscreen, all the more reason any sign of John Wick 3 moving forward is an excellent piece of news.


According to That Hashtag Show the film is moving forward with a director, start date, and returning cast members. Chad Stahelski, who co-directed the first film before tackling John Wick 2 on his own, will be staying the course and guiding John Wick 3. That Hashtag Show also reported principle photography is beginning March 1st in New York City, with additional filming locations possibly in Spain and Russia. Given how the last film ended with Wick declaring the assassin underworld should come for him as he walked off into New York City, it looks like John Wick 3 might pick up right where the previous installment left off.


That’s further confirmed with the news Laurence Fishburne will be returning as the Bowery King and joined by Common’s Cassian and Ruby Rose’s Ares from the previous films. There will also be multiple new faces with the film’s antagonist being played by Hiroyuki Sanada (The Wolverine, Avengers 4). Sanada will be playing the head of a Japanese crime syndicate, presumably with a score to settle against Reeves’s Wick. This will be a reunion for the two actors who starred together in 2013’s 47 Samurai. The studio is also looking for a woman to co-star with Reeves ranging from her late 20s to early 40s and open to diverse casting. While Reeves hopes to bring Tilda Swinton into the Wick franchise, according to rumor this isn’t the role he has in mind for her.


A new face added to the John Wick film universe can only help the film’s IP continue to expand and if Wick takes another figure under his wing, that could be a great way to introduce Swinton to the universe as her antagonist. From the television show to the third film, fans can hope for a different sort of cinematic universe-building on the unique world-building introduced by writer David Kolstad and director Chad Stahelski.


It’s the perfect way to keep the franchise fresh and growing and make it a standout film series. In a world where everyone banks on more child-friendly heroic figures, Wick offers a great sense of relief. Everyone’s looking forward to when he might “be back” and thanks to this news, he’ll be back sooner than fans could hope.