Donnie Yen's Remarks About John Wick 4 Will Get You Pumped

Over the course of the past year and a half, studios have pushed back release dates for many marquee films in response to complications resultant from the ongoing pandemic. While the upcoming "John Wick 4" will come out later than was initially announced, the delay in its release is entirely unrelated to the pandemic, and rather a case of a simple misunderstanding. Upon the film's announcement, "John Wick 4" was slated for a May 21, 2021 release date. However, that date was also attached to "The Matrix 4," another Keanu Reeves project. "John Wick 4" director Chad Stahelski then revealed that May 21 was never feasible for "John Wick," especially given that its production was contingent upon securing Reeves upon completing his "Matrix" role. The film's official release date changed to May 27, 2022 upon the identification of this mistake.

Reeves will be joined in "John Wick 4" by some returning actors, like Ian McShane. He portrays Winston, owner of the New York Continental Hotel, which acts as a neutral safe zone for the film world's many assassins. The series' fourth entry will also introduce audiences to some new faces, including characters portrayed by martial artists Scott Adkins and Donnie Yen, who notably starred in the "Ip Man" film series based on the life of Bruce Lee's real-life sifu.

Though its updated May 2022 release is still a ways away, Yen had some promising words to share about "John Wick 4" amidst its ongoing production.

Collider recently spoke with Donnie Yen about his career, predicated upon the upcoming release of Hong Kong action movie "Raging Fire," in which Yen plays the lead role. At the time of the interview, Yen was on a short break from shooting "John Wick 4," so naturally, their discussion touched upon the latest in the "John Wick" series.

Chen immediately had kind things to say about both director Chad Stahelski and franchise star Keanu Reeves. "They're just lovely men, gentlemen, they've got a big heart. Keanu's got a good soul, a good man. Chad is also a very good man, very knowledgeable," he said, going on to praise Stahelski's film knowledge. Later, returning to the topic of Reeves, Yen described him as "the guy, he does everything himself. He put in the hours, he put in the work and he can do it. He's no joke. I have that respect for him, and he's just a cool guy to be around and to work with."

Yen also revealed enjoying his time on the set of "John Wick 4" more than past experiences working on big budget films. "I'm having the best time working with them in this movie, more than any of my previous Hollywood movies," he said. "So I wanted to express my appreciation."

Asssuming that the film's release isn't delayed any further, Yen's "John Wick" debut will premiere on May 27, 2022.