Small Details You Missed In The Official John Wick: Chapter 4 Trailer
The first official trailer for "John Wick: Chapter 4" has arrived, and the most recent outing in the neo-noir franchise looks to be another thrilling addition. There are plenty of regurgitated clips from the teaser of the film which dropped back in July, but we're seeing some more conversational pieces than action shots this time around. With "John Wick: Chapter 5" confirmed, via Deadline, we can expect this upcoming sequel to be open-ended.
That doesn't mean "John Wick: Chapter 4" won't be a well-rounded flick, as the trailer proves this newest installment packs one heck of a punch. It's classic "John Wick," but not repetitive in the least. We broke down the first official trailer for the trailer and highlighted some of the small details you might have missed. There are callbacks to former "John Wick" films, references to other Keanu Reeves flicks and hints at what's to come.
Sides are chosen
A little over halfway through the first "John Wick: Chapter 4" trailer, John Wick approaches an outdoor table in Paris behind which the Eiffel Tower looms large. There, he sits across from the Marquis de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård) in order to discuss the terms of an agreement that appears to grant Wick his freedom from the High Table's pursuit should he defeat the Marquis in single combat.
Briefly visible during this short sequence are the presences of Winston behind Wick and Donnie Yen's Caine on the Marquis' side of the table. This configuration thus provides a look at what seems to be the two principal factions in "John Wick: Chapter 4," with Winston notably backing Wick despite what appeared to be an outright betrayal of his old friend at the end of "Chapter 3 – Parabellum." Meanwhile, Wick battles Caine at the trailer's conclusion, suggesting their fight might come near the film's climax. Given Caine's presence at the Marquis' side earlier on in the trailer, it's likely this battle against Caine is directly relevant to the overarching conflict with the Marquis with Wick's freedom on the line.
Winston and John are... on good terms?
The final scenes of "John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum" saw the protagonist's long-term ally, Winston (Ian McShane), shoot him over a balcony. The Continental owner wanted to keep his power, and he couldn't side with a rogue assassin who was being hunted down by all of the High Table's minions. So, he struck a deal with The Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) that unfortunately led to John having to take a tumble.
The trailer for "John Wick: Chapter 4" shows John and Winston having a civilized conversation, suggesting that the former has forgiven his old ally's transgressions. At the same time, it's possible that Winston never intended to kill everyone's favorite dog-loving assassin in the first place. After all, Winston was hardly surprised when The Adjudicator informed him that John had survived the aforementioned attack. Was it part of a plan that only he and John were in on?
Earlier this week, it was reported that the "Ballerina" spin-off will bring back Ian McShane. That news, coupled with the trailer footage, indicates that Winston and John are probably on good terms.
Are Winston and the Bowery King aligned?
One particularly interesting aspect of the "John Wick: Chapter 4" trailer comes at the 1:03-minute mark when the ever-suave Winston (Ian McShane) and the equally ever-smug Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) appear to be exiting a subway train. The two characters both assist John on his travels, but they're not exactly known to hang out together.
The implication seems to be that they're together and that there might even be some sort of alliance between the two. However, the short glimpse only shows the Bowery King exiting, leaving the actual nature of the situation deliciously unclear. Are the two on their way to have a stealthy meeting, perhaps summoned by John? Could Winston be tailing the Bowery King for some reason? Are both characters secretly super into crotcheting, and this sort of stealthy transportation is the only way they can meet and make colorful hacky sacks without losing face in the hardcore world they live in? It's probably not that last one, but until further trailers or the movie sheds light on their travels' purpose, there's always hope.
John's family sits at the High Table
The High Table in the "John Wick" franchise is the mysterious organization that essentially runs the secretive world of assassins and organized crime. Although each movie reveals another aspect of this hidden world, the High Table is assumed to be the ultimate authority, and their word is essentially law. "John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum" features Wick attempting to clear his name after executing a member of the High Table on neutral ground, which is a grievous mistake in the eyes of this organization. For his actions, Wick is considered incommunicado, and a large bounty is placed on his head.
After a bombastic finale in "Parabellum," Wick escapes from the clutches of the High Table, and it seems as if he will still have to deal with them in "John Wick: Chapter 4." However, the trailer reveals that his family sits at the High Table, which is quite shocking. This could mean that he has a sibling or parent that wields this powerful authority, or it could be a reference to the Belarusians from "Parabellum." This may be the reason why John has been able to survive against such insurmountable odds time and time again. Either way, it seems like yet another dynamic has been interjected into the "John Wick" mythos, and it will be interesting to see if this new Wick family individual or group on the High Table is a friend or foe.
A welcome Matrix nod
While the "John Wick: Chapter 4" trailer is filled with moments of chaos, intrigue, and nail-biting thrills, it does feature a cute nod to one of Keanu Reeves's most iconic performances to break the tension. A minute into the trailer, a freshly suited-up Wick says, "I'm going to need a gun" to The Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) in a cheeky tone. The camera then cuts to Fishburne's underground kingpin, who smiles at the hitman. Reeves and Fishburne were first seen together in 1999's "The Matrix." In the film, Reeves' character asks for: "Guns. Lots of guns."
The quick line of dialogue from Reeves' Neo has gone on to become synonymous with "The Matrix," a film that, in part, is responsible for the "John Wick" franchise. The late '90s sci-fi flick saw Chad Stahelski taking on the role of Reeves' stunt double. Stahelski would later go on to become the martial arts stunt coordinator for the two back-to-back "Matrix" sequels. After a decade-plus of stunt work, Stahelski decided his next challenge would be directing, roping in Reeves to headline the titular role in 2014's "John Wick." The second flick in the franchise saw Morpheus actor Fishburne join the nefarious world of contract killings. Now all audiences need is an appearance from Carrie-Anne Moss to complete the "Matrix" trinity.
The line from "The Matrix" was previously referenced verbatim in "John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum." Only time will tell just how many times Wick's fourth outing will reference the Wachowskis' game-changing sci-fi franchise.