‘John Wick: Chapter 2’ Star Keanu Reeves Dishes On ‘The Matrix’ Reunion

John Wick: Chapter 2 is many things to many people, from those hoping for another high octane action flick to those Keanu Reeves fans eager for more big screen drama from the star. While the idea of a new installment in the John Wick saga is enticing, cast and crew details have excited fans for another reason. John Wick: Chapter 2 reunites Reeves and several other filmmaking professionals from another highly successful action film, The Matrix. As the reunion could hardly go unnoticed, Keanu and the rest of the John Wick: Chapter 2 New York Comic Con panel commented on the unofficial reunion, as well as giving details about the new John Wick story.

A Chance Matrix Reunion Brings Keanu Reeves Back Home

As Vanity Fair reports, the upcoming John Wick sequel provided a great opportunity for a reunion of The Matrix‘s top talents, beginning with director Chad Stahelski. Chad worked in the stunts department for The Matrix before moving into directing. When he was presented with the opportunity to direct 2014’s John Wick, Chad naturally wanted Reeves for the role, and as the concept for John Wick: Chapter 2 became a reality, Stahelski again drew from that same talent pool. This time around, Chad wanted to bring in Laurence Fishburne, who played Morpheus in The Matrix films.

First glimpses of the reunion can be seen in the new John Wick: Chapter 2 teaser, as Fishburne’s character confronts Reeves in a scene that will surely appeal to fans of The Matrix.

“The man, the myth, the legend,” he says. “You’re not very good at retiring.”

Stahelski shares that the role was written specifically with Laurence in mind, following an encounter between Keanu and Fishburne at a party. Laurence mentioned that he really enjoyed the first John Wick film, and according to Keanu, that was what got the ball rolling.

“We were like, oh yeah?” Reeves recalled. “He was like ‘yeah, I’ll read the script.'”

Fishburne did read the script and followed that up with a meeting with the John Wick director, eager to sign on for the part.

The Big Question: Is John Wick Retired Or Not?

As Collider shares, 2014’s John Wick brought the character out of retirement, a move that was supposed to be a temporary situation, leaving fans to wonder how the Keanu Reeves character will once again find himself at the center of a new plot. Speaking to fans at the New York Comic Con panel, Derek Kolstad, the John Wick: Chapter 2 screenwriter, reveals that the sequel picks up only four days after the events of the first film.

Kolstad says writing the first film was interesting in that they were alluding to items and past events that were never explained in scenes, flashbacks or otherwise. In coming to develop a John Wick sequel, the writer says it was an opportunity to revisit that past in a new story arc.

“Throughout every script of the film, we referred to this item called the Marker, which is regulated by the Continental,” the John Wick writer explained. “And it’s kind of a blood oath, meaning that John Wick gave someone a request so that he could get out of the life. And because he’s resurfaced, they have resurfaced to actually capture him. But John Wick is changed.”

What Comic Con fans really wanted to know was if John Wick: Chapter 2 would delve deeper into the mythology only implied in the first film. While Stahelski was reluctant to reveal much in the way of an answer, Keanu Reeves was only too happy to respond.

“We learn a little bit more about the world of the Continental, Common plays a character who’s a part of that world. Ian’s role gets a little more international, we go to Rome and we’re introduced to another layer about a group called the High Table,” reveals Reeves. “So it starts to get out there, a little more.”

John Wick: Chapter 2 hits theaters on February 10, 2017.

[Featured Image by Thunder Road Pictures/Lionsgate]