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The article contains some spoilers for John Wick: Chapter 4. John Wick: Chapter 4 director Chad Stahelski reveals how much of the sequel’s staircase fight scene was performed by the franchise’s lead actor Keanu Reeves during filming. The sequel saw Stahelski and Reeves reunite to tell a new chapter of the reluctant assassin who aims to regain his freedom. In John Wick: Chapter 4, Wick decides to take his fight to the mysterious High Table, the organization that has dominion over the shadowy world of assassins that John once hoped to leave behind for good.
When speaking to The New York Times about the action scenes within the highly successful John Wick: Chapter 4, Stahelski disclosed how much of the third-act Paris stairwell fight was performed by Reeves himself, including Wick’s painful tumble down the steps. According to the director, Reeves himself performed much of the fight choreography, while stuntman Vincent Bouillon took over for the chaotic and painful descent down the steps, with hidden pieces of padding being used on the steps to cushion his fall. However, Stahelski stated Reeves himself did fall many steps in certain shots used to maintain continuity, saying, “I still gotta throw Mr. Reeves down a couple of stairs.”
Why Keanu Reeves’ Stunt Work On John Wick Stands Out
The John Wick franchise has become celebrated for its thrilling, well-crafted action sequences, often leading to large discussions surrounding its stunts. Stahelski and Reeves worked together on The Matrix franchise, where the director acted as both stunt coordinator and double during a number of the franchise’s innovative action sequences for the time. As such, the John Wick film’s impressive fight sequences combine martial arts with firearms combat in a way that allows them to quickly stand out amongst other recent Hollywood action films, giving Stahelski a chance to use his years of experience to craft each film, including John Wick: Chapter 4.
With Stahelski and Reeves having had such an established relationship prior to reuniting for the John Wick series, the trust between the two collaborators can effectively be seen with Reeves’ presence during stunt work. Stahelski previously shared his specifications when evaluating whether a performer should do a stunt, stating that the decision largely depends on whether he feels a performer is capable and comfortable with the task. However, with the pair’s experience and Reeves’ dedicated training for John Wick: Chapter 4, it is clear that the director has complete faith in the actor’s abilities.
While the John Wick franchise has no shortage of noteworthy set pieces, John Wick: Chapter 4‘s Paris staircase shootout has instantly become one of the franchise’s standout showdowns. Alongside the series’ impressive gunplay, the scene also sticks out for Wick’s brutal fall down the many flights of stairs. With such a painful scene for the character, many viewers familiar with Reeves’ involvement in the stunts may have wondered how much of the scene was performed by the star, so Stahelski’s response gives a welcome insight into one of John Wick’s most taxing fights yet.
Source: The New York Times
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