The John Wick series expanded to a globe-trotting adventure after the first became a runaway hit. The franchise has been to Italy, Morocco, Japan, and Paris. Now, Chapter 4 is heading to Austin, Texas, as the film is now set to have the first secret screening of the SXSW Film Festival. Variety is reporting that Keanu Reeves action sequel is set to be shown at a major venue next week.
Lionsgate, the studio distributing the film, and the organizers for the film festival have not commented on the story. Presumably, to keep the mystery going. However, a source has revealed that the movie’s digital marketing will play a big role in how attendees can grab their tickets to the secret screening.
John Wick Chapter 4 recently held its world premiere earlier this week in London. Then, the film would host a screening in Berlin. This secret screening at SXSW will be the first showing of the film on this side of the pond. After the overseas premiere, the reactions to this installment have been overwhelmingly positive. A couple of reactions would go as far as to say that this film is one of the greatest action movies ever made, including one of the film’s stars, Scott Adkins, who made the claim on his Facebook after watching the premiere, which is notable since the action star is known to scrutinize action movies that don’t live up to expectations, including his own films.
A lot of the reactions also address the film’s running time of nearly three hours is actually earned with this one. Consequence editor Liz Shannon Miller had tweeted that the “three-hour runtime makes so much sense when you’re going *that* hard. The third act alone… just glorious.” Film critic Erick Weber would be another to say that this entry is one of the greatest action movies ever made, and expounded that it “tops all 3 of its predecessors in storytelling, scope & stakes, countless astonishing set pieces.” Eric Eisenberg also addresses the runtime, “It’s an epic with smart pacing that never lets the action feel exhausting, and the set pieces are phenomenal. Great cast of series newcomers, but Donnie Yen is the MVP.”
Gear up for John Wick Chapter 4, which is slated to hit theaters on March 24.