'John Wick 4' likely to start filming this year, says Ian McShane

Ian McShane has said that he reckons John Wick 4 could be set to roll cameras later this year, following a New Year text exchange with Keanu Reeves.

McShane, who plays the formidable Winston, owner and manager of the movie's crime epicentre, the Continental Hotel, broached the sequel in a conversation with Collider.

“Keanu [Reeves] and I exchanged New Year’s greetings and said, ‘Hope to see you this year,'” he said.

Read more: Reeves on whether Neo or John Wick would win in a fight

“I know the script is being written and they’re hoping to do it this year. I know they announced they were gonna do [John Wick 4] and [John Wick 5] together, but who knows.

“The studios announce all sorts of things. No doubt, at some point this year, we’re gonna do John Wick 4.”

The first movie – centring on Keanu Reeves' retired hitman who is forced back into the underworld after his dog is murdered – became a sleeper hit.

2019's John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum became the highest-grossing movie of the series, making $326.7 million worldwide.

A fourth movie was originally planned for release in May of 2021, coinciding with the unveiling of The Matrix 4, also starring Reeves.

Read more: Reeves was not aware of transgender themes in The Matrix

However, the coronavirus pandemic put paid to this, with plans being revised for a May, 2022, release instead.

In August this year, the Lionsgate studio confirmed it was planning to make a fifth movie as well as a fourth, and was set to film both movies back to back.

The Matrix 4, meanwhile, is currently set for release on 22 December.

Watch: John Wick director on Keanu and dog training