Common will play the villain in the John Wick sequel

By Rick Marshall October 28, 2015

common the rapper — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Last year’s John Wick was one of 2014’s surprise hits, with Keanu Reeves’ titular hitman winning over critics and audiences alike with a fast-paced, action-packed revenge story that earned more than $78 million worldwide and prompted the studio to green-light a sequel. This week, we learned a bit more about the shape that sequel will take with the first piece of casting news to come out of the upcoming project.

Oscar-winning musician and actor Common will reportedly play the primary villain in the sequel to John Wick, facing off against Reeves’ returning character in the film.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Common will play the head of security for a female crime lord. Reeves and Common are the only confirmed cast members for the film at this point.

Along with Reeves reprising the title role, the film will also bring back director Chad Stahelski, who co-directed the original film with David Leitch but will now go solo behind the camera for the sequel. John Wick screenwriter Derek Kolstad will also script the sequel.

The first, official synopsis for the film kept things brief as far as details go:

“In the follow up to last year’s adrenaline-fueled revenge and redemption thriller, legendary hit man John Wick is back,” reads the initial description of the film.

The original film cast Reeves as a retired hitman who finds himself back in the game after the naive son of a gangster steals his prized car and kills his dog — a final gift from his deceased wife. The supporting cast included Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe.

In addition to roles in the 2008 action film Wanted and 2006’s Smokin’ Aces, Common took home an Academy Award for his musical contributions to Selma, Ava DuVernay‘s Oscar-nominated 2014 film that chronicled Martin Luther King’s civil-rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965. Common will also appear in the upcoming Suicide Squad movie.

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