Keanu Reeves was visibly emotional when asked about his fallen co-star, Lance Reddick.
via YouTube
March 2023 has been a bittersweet month for the entire John Wick family. On the one hand, they lost one of the stars of their franchise: popular actor Lance Reddick passed away on the 18th following what his family referred to as “natural causes.” He was still only 60 years old.
On the other hand, the latest film in the Keanu Reeves-led universe was released in theaters across the world on the 24th, after its premiere in London about three weeks before. The movie — titled John Wick: Chapter 4 — had a very strong opening weekend, raking in a whopping $138 million at the box office. The film was produced on a total budget of $100 million, which means that it has already become a commercial success.
With such returns, this latest installment is on track to become the best performer in the franchise financially. The previous record is held by Chapter 3, which was released in 2019 and grossed at $328 million, from a budget of $75 million. There are rumors that JW4 will be the final movie in the series, although there had been prior plans for a fifth release.
RELATED:What Keanu Reeves Fans Can Expect From ‘John Wick 4’
The early promise of the latest film is also good news for fans hoping for yet another John Wick in future. Sadly, if that day does come, Reddick will not be a part of it, with Reeves emotionally eulogizing him at a recent red carpet event.
How Close Was Lance Reddick To His John Wick Co-Stars?
Via Instar
Like any other line of work, it is not often that crew and cast members from a particular production grow really close to each other while working on a project. Lance Reddick’s own portfolio reads of dozens of other films and TV shows, yet he would have likely been the first to admit that not everyone he worked with had turned out to be a close friend of his.
With John Wick, however, it was a different story altogether. In fact, shortly before his tragic and unexpected passing, he appeared alongside Keanu Reeves and their other co-star Ian McShane in an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show. While this was just another duty to perform in promoting the film, their chemistry on the talk show demonstrated the depth of their friendship.
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Reddick also emphasized this closeness, saying: “The other thing for me is how the theme of family is [so] huge in this particular film. [So] yeah, literal family, but also you see the three of us, how it’s not just the family that you’re born into, but the family that you created. And how much we really are family.
Keanu Reeves Got Emotional When Asked About Lance Reddick
The passing of Lance Reddick was an absolute hammer blow to the John Wick family as well as all of his loved ones and fans. Still, the show had to go on beyond his death, and Keanu Reeves and co. have carried on the work of promoting their new film with even more diligence. It was during one such event that he was asked about his fallen colleague and friend.
From the off, Reeves appeared to still be very emotionally raw with the subject, even as he — alongside other attendees — wore blue ribbons in memory of their deceased brother. As he started to answer the question, it also became apparent that he was struggling to refer to Reddick in the past tense.
“Lance was… is a very beautiful person and a special artist. His grace and dignity, his shining light of character was just something really special,” Reeves said, while wiping off a tear from one of his eyes.
What Have Other Tributes Of Lance Reddick Been Saying?
Via: HBO
While the fans’ grief over Lance Reddick’s death might not match up to that of his close friends, family and co-workers, those who adored him from afar clearly did so with a lot of affection in their hearts for him.
“Lance Reddick’s passing shocked me as much as Annie Wersching’s passing did,” one fan wrote on YouTube. “Both prolific actors who happened to be in almost every show/movie I followed, both passionate to their craft as you could tell by their past interviews and behind-the-scenes clips, and both still young they could have done more shows and films.”
Reddick was overwhelmingly loved and respected by his peers in the film industry, but it was his John Wick family who led the way in paying tribute to him. “Total shock and disbelief. Lance was a wonderful human being and a wonderful colleague. My deepest condolences, peace and love to his wife, Stephanie, and all his family,” said Ian McShane in a statement.
Keanu Reeves also released a joint statement with their director Chad Stahelski. “[Lance] was the consummate professional and a joy to work with… We dedicate the film to his loving memory. We will miss him dearly,” the statement read, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Source: thethings.com
