Unlike their grudging hitman protagonist, the makers of John Wick have made no bones about wanting to get their hands dirty again: Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, who co-directed the film, announced that a sequel starring Reeves was already in the works about a year after the original was released. The admission was soon followed with news of cast additions Peter Stormare, Ruby Rose, Laurence Fishburne, and Common as the bad guy whose stance on puppies is currently unknown. And in the latest exciting chapter of this film development story, we’ve learned the title of the sequel, as well as its release date.
Exhibitor Relations (via /Film) tweeted the title, release date, and newfound stomping grounds on Thursday. As you can see, the sequel is called John Wick: Chapter Two, and will be released on February 10, 2017. The movie is currently being filmed in Rome, but we must take exception with the notion that John Wick will find himself strictly kicking “Italian ass” while there. Yes, he killed more than his fair share of Russians in the first movie, but we doubt he’ll discriminate while abroad.
Stahelski is flying solo on the sequel, as Leitch ditched him last year to direct The Coldest City starring Charlize Theron. But Lance Reddick and Ian McShane will reprise their roles as the elegant manager and proprietor, respectively, of The Continental Hotel, the assassins’ home away from home. Bridget Moynahan, who played John’s dead wife who set him up with the puppy that was also cruelly snatched away from him, is also returning, which presumably means we’ll also see the phone John used to watch the videos he’d made of her on the beach. And John’s pit bull, whom he “adopted” at the end of the first film, will also be back.