Earlier this month, Lionsgate debuted a newJohn Wick 2 posterthat revealed this explosive assassin is “relit,” as he takes aim at a new group of villains with the action swinging to Europe. Today we have yet another new poster, which takes advantage of the title, showingJohn Wick(Keanu Reeves) himself is literally “relit,” with the hitman’s tie serving as his own short fuse. What will happen whenJohn Wickfiguratively explodes? We can certainly expect plenty of carnage, which looks to be even more explosive than the first movie, judging by the recent trailers.
While most of the story is set in Rome, we saw in the first clip released byLionsgatelast week thatJohn Wickis returning to theContinental Hotel, a secretive hang-out for international assassins, where he’s greeted by Charon (Lance Reddick), who is surprised to see him back so soon. The clip also confirms that John’s new dog, a pit bull he’s seen picking up from a dog pound at the end ofJohn Wick, is still alive and well. The first look photo from September showed John walking his dog over the Brooklyn Bridge, a scene which, judging from the clip, seemingly took place just before the Continental Hotel scene.
The original dog from the first movie was given to him as a present from his wife Helen (Bridget Moynihan) before her untimely death from an undisclosed illness. The brutal death of this dog is what setsJohn Wickoff on a murderous rampage in the first movie, but don’t expect John’s new dog to suffer the same fate. ProducerBasil Iwanykwas recently asked about whether or not the dog will be killed, only teasing that fans will see what happens to him, and that “it’s great.“Keanu Reeveshas also hinted that this dog will not be killed, so it seems the filmmakers have cooked up quite a surprise regarding this new dog. SinceBridget Moynihanwill also be back, presumably in flashbacks, perhaps we’ll get to know more about how she died as well.
OriginalJohn WickstarsIan McShane(Winston),John Leguizamo(Aurelio),Thomas Sadoski(Jimmy) andLance Reddick(Charon) have returned to reprise their roles. New cast members includeRiccardo Scamarcioas the new villain,Laurence Fishburneas an assassin known as The Bowery King, along withCommon,Ruby RoseandPeter Stormare.Ian McShanerevealed in his interview this summer thatJohn Wickkilled a Russian gangster, and now there is a contract out on his life. DirectorChad Stahelskihas teased that the movie has twice as much action as the first, and that this story explores more of the assassin’s underworld that centers around the Continental Hotel.
Lionsgate has set a February 10 release date forJohn Wick 2, which will go up against Universal’sFifty Shades Darkerand Warner Bros.‘The LEGO Batman Movie. This could be one of the first huge box office weekends of the year, with three movies in wide release that extend popular franchises. After directingJohn WickwithDavid Leitch,Chad StahelskidirectsJohn Wick: Chapter 2solo, working from a script by originalJohn WickwriterDerek Kolstad.David Leitchwent on to directThe Coldest Cityon his own, starringCharlize Theron, which doesn’t have a release date in place yet. Take a look at the latest poster fromJohn Wick: Chapter 2, to get yourself ready for all of the explosive action coming your way on February 10.
