John Wick 4 director stands up to criticism over its mammoth runtime

The new John Wick movie has raised eyebrows before it even hits cinemas because of its mammoth runtime which the director has defended in a new interview.

Keanu Reeves is back as assassin John Wick who is intent on getting revenge by taking down the High Table following the wild events of Chapter 3 - Parabellum.

It seems as though this will be no easy feat, as the viewers can expect to see the events play out on screen for almost three hours straight.

So, you'll probably need a lot of snacks by your side to avoid missing any of the action.

Now that we know for sure that the fourth movie will be the biggest John Wick instalment yet, lasting a whopping 169 minutes, fans are still wondering if the film needs to be that long.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is almost three hours long. Lionsgate Films

To put it into context, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which not only served as a sequel to the 2018 Marvel film but also a colossal tribute to its late star Chadwick Boseman, lasts a mere 161 minutes while the first John Wick film is only 101 minutes.

Director Chad Stahelski isn't offended about the criticism regarding his film's runtime.

"I don't think we’ve ever concerned ourselves, we just watch the movie," he told Digital Spy, adding that they tried longer and shorter runtimes.

"I think it's the length that we feel is the best version of the movie. We've tried longer, we've tried much shorter. That's what we feel is a good movie."

In a November 2022 interview with Collider, the director revealed he watched most recent ‘version of the cut’ almost 100 times and still loved every minute.

Lionsgate Films

“Look, I've watched this thing now, this version of the cut, close to 100 times, and another 100 by the end of the month at least. And this is the first one that we watch. I don't get bored at all. It's my own film," he said.

"I know it's weird to say, but I watch it, and I was like, ‘Oh, I'm still in the movie.’ It doesn't take me out. I don't ever feel like, ‘F**k, just end this thing already. I can't watch it again'."

Reeves is joined by joined by Laurence Fishburne, Donnie Yen, Shamier Anderson, Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada, Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown and pop star Rina Sawayama in her first film role.

John Wick: Chapter 4 will be released in cinemas on 24 March 2023.

Topics: Film and TV, John Wick

Gregory Robinson

Gregory is a journalist for UNILAD. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, he has worked for both print and online publications and is particularly interested in TV, (pop) music and lifestyle. He loves Madonna, teen dramas from the '90s and prefers tea over coffee.