Exclusive: Keanu Reeves Reteams With John Wick Director For Action Movie Cipher, Plot Revealed
If/when we ever see John Wick 5 is still up in the air, but we can tell you the star and the director from all four Wick features are working together again. Our trusted and proven sources have revealed Keanu Reeves will be teaming up with long time collaborator Chad Stahelski for the upcoming action thriller Cipher. Like the Wick saga, Reeves and Stahelski will make Cipher for Lionsgate.
We have exclusively learned Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski will collaborate on the upcoming Lionsgate action movie Cipher.
Cipher will be part of the same action genre as the John Wick flicks, though from the logline it’s clear Keanu Reeves won’t be playing the same kind of tortured assassin. Instead he’ll play skilled operative Alex Steele who is racing against time to decipher a complex code that holds the key to preventing a global cyber attack orchestrated by a shadowy organization.
Considering the casting of Keanu Reeves in the lead role, Cipher could prove to be a huge test of Stahelski’s directorial range. Before the film even hits theaters, there will no doubt be plenty of fans and critics who will dismiss it as a John Wick clone. As an action director known for a distinct style, Stahelski will have to prove his innovation to distinguish Cipher from the Wick films.
Reeves has confessed to a cameo as John Wick in the upcoming spin-off Ballerina, however Stahelski is producing that film with Len Wiseman (Underworld) in the director’s chair.
Though, to be fair, Stahelski will likely have plenty of chances to show he can do more than direct puppy-mourning assassins before Cipher hits theaters. The filmmaker has a long list of films in various stages of production, including adaptations of Rainbow Six, Ghosts of Tsushima, the 2016-18 crime comic Kill or be Killed, and the long-brewing Highlander remake.
Keanu Reeves has not been confirmed to be involved with any of those other Stahelski-helmed projects (though a future casting announcement for any wouldn’t be surprising considering their long history). Reeves has confessed to a cameo as John Wick in the upcoming spin-off Ballerina, however Stahelski is producing that film with Len Wiseman (Underworld) in the director’s chair.
Keanu Reeves And Chad Stahelski
The relationship between Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski goes back decades to the latter working as Reeves’ stunt double in 1999’s The Matrix. A friendship the pair describe more as brotherhood developed, and their work has crisscrossed all over the place, with Stahelski working as stunt double, stunt coordinator, and other roles in Reeves’ films.
Their collaborations are as varied as all four chapters of The Matrix series, the Sam Raimi helmed 2000 horror thriller The Gift, the 2005 indie dramedy Thumbsucker, Constantine also from 2005, and 2013’s Man of Tai-Chi — so far Reeves’ only feature directorial effort.
Once we know more about what to expect from the Keanu Reeves-led action thriller Cipher, we’ll make sure you know.
