Kolstad Returning For John Wick 3

Derek Kolstad, who wrote the manly movies John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2, will return to write more surgical violence for the third movie.

He has been hired to write the screenplay for the third installment of the action franchise, John Wick: Chapter 3, for Lionsgate and producer Basil Iwanyk.

The third movie is going into production later this year, with Reeves expected to reprise his role of hitman John Wick. Chad Stahelski, who co-directed the first movie with Derek Leitch and sat solo behind the camera for the second one, is working with Kolstad and developing the project with an eye to direct it.

The first two movies have taken in over a quarter of a billion worldwide, more than easily profiting. The movies, which took audiences deep into a worldwide society of assassins, have also been a hit with critics.

Bringing back Kolstad is seen as keeping the creative team intact and not messing up a winning combination.

Kolstad wrote the original Wick on spec; it was originally titled Scorn. The writer is keeping a handle on his creation’s activities outside the movies, having also written the VR video game, John Wick: Chronicles (currently available on Steam), and is consulting on the John Wick comic book series, coming out later this year.