John Wick directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch have confirmed that they are returning to assist on Matrix 4.
In an interview with Collider, Stahelski and Leitch, who worked as stunt performers on the original Matrix trilogy, discussed their involvement in the forthcoming instalment, explaining that they had been hired to help out with some of the action design on the sequel.
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“It’s more about the creative concept of some of the choreography and backing them up with stuff,” said Stahelski, who doubled for Keanu Reeves on the original Matrix movies. “They asked us to help out with the choreography and some of the physical training for the guys. I’m helping out a little bit for a sequence, I think Dave’s helping out for a sequence. Lana [Wachowski’s] come back with a lot of love to have a pseudo-family reunion, so that’s been a lot of fun. It’s been good to see a lot of the crew members again. We just finished doing a sequence in San Francisco before the pandemic started.”
Stahelski also noted that Matrix 4 doesn’t have a second unit for its action scenes, as Wachowski opted to direct the sequences herself. “What makes [Lana] so great is she directs her own action,” added Stahelski. “We’ve had second unit directors on some of the Matrixes just because of the logistics involved. But of late, and especially on Matrix 4, she’s directing her own action. The second units for them are mostly establishing shots, the B-sides of the some of the compositions for some locations. But Lana, she does her own action. She weaves it into the main unit stuff, which is why their stuff looks so good.”
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Stahelski described Matrix 4 as an “incredibly fun” entry into the groundbreaking sci-fi saga, adding, “I think if you’re a fan of the original trilogy you’re gonna love this. [It’s] coming back with a vengeance.”
Interestingly, Matrix 4 is currently set for release on May 21, 2021, the same day as John Wick 4 (another Keanu Reeves-fronted film). However, these release dates could yet change, as production on Matrix 4 shut down last month due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has caused a number of other shifts, shake-ups, and delays in the industry.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Source: IGN.com Matrix 4: John Wick Directors Involved in Action Choreography