John Wick Fans Are Disappointed By The Lack Of Scott Adkins In The Chapter 4 Official Trailer
John Wick is one of the most compelling characters in action movies of the last decade. There are dozens of movies that follow a lone assassin against a cadre of villains. Still, a film that features top-tier action while still diving deep into the emotional core of a character is rare. The first film saw Keanu Reeves successfully leaving his life as an assassin to pursue a normal life with his new wife (Bridgette Moynahan), only to be dragged back into the world of assassins after her death and the subsequent murder of his dog.
The movie was a runaway hit that spawned an expanding franchise. In addition to two sequels, fans will soon be able to watch a spin-off TV series "The Continental," as well as a spin-off film "Ballerina," starring Ana De Armas. Most notably, a fourth film, "John Wick: Chapter Four," will hit theaters next year. A returning Reeves looks to be seeking another way out of the assassin's way of life and has seemingly found one on the other side of a one-on-one fight with a character, Marquise (Bill Skarsgård). With the High Table out for his head after his actions in the second and third films, his only way out is to put his life on the line for the fourth time.
The newest trailer for the film brings a lot for fans to feast on for two and a half minutes. The return of Winston (Ian McShane) and Charon (Lance Reddick), the mix of guns, knives, and all manner of weapons are present. But among the new faces, one is missing — and fans are speaking up about his absence.
Scott Adkins didn't appear in the new trailer
There are a number of returning characters for the fourth installment of the franchise, including the aforementioned Winston and Charon. They are the only others besides Keanu Reeves to appear in all four films. The Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne), who appeared for the first time in the second film to assist Wick in his assault on Santino D'Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio), is back. And The Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon), who arrived in the third film to dish out consequences for the events of the second film, is also returning. Among the new faces is a slew of action and martial arts actors, Donnie Yen ("IP Man," "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"), Hiroyuki Sanada ("Mortal Kombat," "Bullet Train"), and Scott Adkins ("Dr. Strange," "Expendables 2").
Adkins, however, didn't appear in the trailer, sparking reactions from fans on Twitter and Reddit. Twitter user @MichelAngelo replied to the post, inquiring about his absence and including a GIF of an angry Adkins in his character of Boyega from "Undisputed II: Last Man Standing." @ABHINAV PATLE posted another GIF of a lost John Travolta from "Pulp Fiction" with the caption that they are waiting for Adkins in the trailer. Fans on Reddit weren't any less confused than those on Twitter, but a few offered some theories on his absence. u/wheel_smith theorized that his not being in the trailer means that his role is more minor, something they called a "shame."
But with a trailer so packed with returning characters, action teases, storyline mysteries, and some exciting newcomers, why are the fans so upset that Scott Adkins didn't appear?
His contributions to the industry make him a perfect enemy for John Wick
In the halls of Hollywood action, the martial arts genre has produced some of the industry's most famous names. People like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris created a space for these action heroes in the 70s and early 80s, while the 90s gave way to the new age of martial artists like Jean Claude Van Damme, Jackie Chan, Let Li, and more. One thing that every martial arts star needs is a villain that challenges them, someone who could be their equal.
Scott Adkins served that purpose for multiple stars such as Michael Jai White in "Undisputed II: The Last Man Standing," Matt Damon in "The Bourne Ultimatum," and numerous Jean Claude Van Damme films such as "Universal Soldier: The Day of Reckoning" and "Assassination Games." Sylvester Stallone's "Expendables" franchise gave the nod to Adkins' contributions to the industry with a role in the second installment, pitting him against Jason Statham in the film's climax. While he has had a long history of martial arts excellence on-screen, he has yet to be featured heavily in a big-budget movie. His latest moment was in "Dr. Strange," where you may remember him as the guy that got beat up by the cape in one of the more enjoyable scenes.
After all that time, fans are ready to see him featured in a film where he can make a name for himself. Serving as the primary antagonist to Keanu Reeves' John Wick could finally put him at the table with other legends that are remembered after their career ends. Now that a trailer has been released and he is nowhere to be seen, his more loyal fans are starting to feel like there is a little Deja Vu.