The battle over Keanu Reeves' canceled 4-year-old sequel was extra one-sided than anybody might have predicted

Having been within the highlight for a number of a long time, Keanu Reeves has develop into one of the admired actors within the business, and two of its largest franchises nearly clashed in 2021. Amongst his many fascinating initiatives through the years, Reeves has develop into synonymous with two main motion franchises. which have been initially slated to have sequels in the identical yr, and the outcomes have been utterly one-sided. Lengthy earlier than Reeves voiced Sonic 3In Shadow the Hedgehog, the actor turned a number of movies into large hits, nevertheless it was his work in The Matrix and John Wick that basically stood out.

Each turned large franchises - thanks largely to Reeves' performances - and simply supplied his most recognizable roles. Each sequence are stuffed with character and have enjoyable ideas that stored audiences coming again for years to return. Moreover, Neo and John Wick are amongst Keanu Reeves' finest characters, proving how essential every franchise is to him. In consequence, it's not shocking that he was keen to return for an additional installment of The Matrix and John Wickhowever they nearly competed with one another and there was a transparent winner.

The battle between John Wick 4 and Matrix Resurrections has been set for 2021

COVID Delayed John Wick: Chapter 4 Till 2023

After an 18-year hiatus, The Matrix franchise returned in 2021 with The Matrix Resurrectionsand John Wick: Chapter 4 was initially set to be launched alongside it. The primary two Headquarters the movies have been implausible, serving to the franchise develop into a cinema traditional, however the third installment didn't dwell as much as the identical expectations. Nonetheless, at the very least a trilogy appeared like the proper place to go away the sequence, however with the recognition of remakes and sequels skyrocketing within the late 2010s, The Matrix returned with a fourth movie in 2021; and it wasn't the one Reeves franchise slated to return.

Totally different The Matrix, John Wick was nonetheless a really energetic franchise, and regardless of Chapter 3 being launched in 2019, John Wick: Chapter 4 it was purported to fall simply two years later. Parabellum carried out extremely properly, making the studio need to money in on its booming type with a brand new installment, however sadly, COVID-19 has brought on the movie to be delayed till 2023, which means the battle between the largest Reeves' blockbusters by no means occurred. Whereas the setback could have seemed dangerous on paper, it really labored out for the higher as Chapter 4 turned the most effective John Wick movie but.

Nonetheless, the prospect of Reeves' two most iconic franchises competing seems like a number of enjoyable, however given their contrasting fates, there would solely have been one winner.

Keanu Reeves' John Wick 4 ended up significantly better than the Matrix resurrections

The Matrix Resurrections flopped, whereas John Wick 4 turned probably the most profitable entry within the franchise

The MatrixThe comeback try was a lot flatter than the continuation of John Wickas that they had utterly completely different receptions. Along with changing into the best-received entry within the sequence, John Wick 4The spectacular field workplace was an all-time file for the franchise. Among the many 4 movies, John Wick has formally grossed over $1 billion, which means the fourth installment has cemented its standing as a field workplace hit. However, The Matrix Resurrections failed on the field workplace and didn't make a very large impression amongst critics or audiencesproving that one other movie actually wasn't mandatory for the traditional sci-fi franchise.

Though their evaluations are a bit of higher total than The Matrix 3, Resurrections it grossed simply $159 million on a finances of $190 million. That was by far The MatrixThe worst-performing movie financially, and whereas the fallout from COVID undoubtedly had an affect, it was clear that audiences weren't in line for a franchise that had been gone for practically 20 years. Whereas some movie sequence have made spectacular returns after an extended hiatus, The Matrix was not one in all them, and Resurrection fell drastically in need of expectations, particularly in comparison with John Wick 4It's an enormous fanfare.

John Wick 4's 2021 launch would have additional undermined The Matrix resurrections

The Matrix sequel might have grossed even much less if John Wick 4 had been launched alongside it

Whereas The Matrix Resurrections didn't work because the creators hoped, it might have been a lot worse if John Wick 4 was launched in the identical yr. The consequences of COVID have made going to the cinema a lot much less widespread and If viewers had to decide on between Reeves' two franchises, the outcomes present John Wick 4 would nearly definitely have been probably the most fascinating possibility. The earlier three movies have earned followers' belief, and since fashionable audiences are already invested within the story, seeing Chapter 4 was a no brainer for these accustomed to John Wick.

Social media would doubtless have marketed the 2 towards one another, and whereas each have relevance to the mainstream, John Wick in all probability would have gained the net warfare. Given The Matrix Resurrections additionally launched in December, John Wick 4 I in all probability would have left beforehand. Subsequently, the distinctive evaluations would have been an entire distinction to The Matrix Resurrectionswhich means that individuals who didn't watch the film straight away could have been turned off in comparison with Keanu Reeves'one other launch.

A 2021 debut might nonetheless have damage John Wick 4 because the movie could have been rushed, however there isn't any doubt that it will have had a destructive affect The Matrix Resurrections field workplace, and comparisons between the 2 could have even harmed the latter's total reception, proving simply how one-sided the battle would have been.