‘John Wick 4’ Updates: Donnie Yen joins Cast As Wick’s Friend

Fans are looking ever forward to updates on the “John Wick” franchise, and they’re met with more action-packed adventures, now that Donnie Yen is confirmed as part of its cast. Yen will portray an old acquaintance of Keanu Reeves' character John Wick, with whom he has shared a similar haunting past and enemies, according to Deadline.

“We are very lucky to have Donnie Yen join the franchise,” director Chad Stahelski said. “I am looking forward to working with him in this exciting new role.”

"Donnie Yen will bring a vibrant and powerful energy to the franchise," added producer Basil Iwanyk. "We were determined to bring him on board to John Wick 4 and are thrilled for the opportunity to have such a major talent to collaborate with Keanu."

According to CBR, Yen isn’t the only one joining “John Wick 4.” British singer Rina Sawayama will be joining the team, making "John Wick 4" her big-screen debut. So far, little is known about Sawayama's character and has yet to be revealed by the showrunners.

Canadian actor Shamier Anderson is also reportedly part of the cast whose character is still under the wraps. Anderson is known for his role as U.S. Deputy Marshal Xavier Dolls on Syfy’s “Wynonna Earp.”

Yen is no stranger in U.S. blockbuster films. His cinematic credits include the “Ip Man” franchise, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” and “xXx: Return of Xander Cage,” among many others.

"John Wick 4" was confirmed in May 2019 and is slated for May 21, 2021. But due to COVID-19, the film was pushed back to May 27, 2022. It was initially planned to film back-to-back with John Wick 5, according to reports, but Lionsgate decided to postpone the production and focus only on the fourth installment.

Production starts this summer in France, Germany, New York City, and Japan.

John Wick stars Reeves as a former assassin who pursues down the criminals who killed his wife and dog. The movie's action sequences and Reeves' performance gained great acclaim among critics.

The second and third movie installments were also critically acclaimed and financially successful.