He's taken ownership of this character. And so they couriered it over to him and then I got a call at one. In fact, dj2s Dmitri M. Johnson said that hes been wanting to make a Streets of Rage movie since he was 12 years old and called the film a dream project that already has a dream team to bring it to life. Terms of Use and Derek Kolstad: Yeah, it's pretty nutso, outside of what we're all dealing with, and every conversation begins with 10 to 12 minutes of that. If I can emulate and replicate any success I've had with John Wick elsewhere, I'm going to be that 11-year-old that snuck into an R-rated movie, giggling. I'd much rather you go see a movie and be pleasantly surprised, or not, to see my name as written by, or story by, because I like that kind of comradery in the trenches. Kolstad wrote the first two John Wick films and co-wrote the third, with his work also spurring two other anticipated projects: the limited series The Continental from Lionsgate/Peacock and the female-driven spin-off Ballerina led by 2023 Oscar nom Ana de Armas. The comic's story centers on a 9-year-old girl named Gully, searching for her father with some magical gloves; Garrison, a swordsman with a magical blade; and Red Monika, a bounty hunter. As Kolstad put it, "I want to do a tinier sliver of that world. Apparently too big for creator Derek Kolstad to remain involved. The High Table of it all, the machinations of that, it's kind of what we were always wanted to do is allude to complexity while presenting as simplicity. He's an associate editor for Collider and has written for . Regardless, Lionsgates involvement indicates strong confidence in Kolstads script. Sorry, but you can't access this content! "When you think of the contractually of these things, the third one I shared the credit with any number of people, they didn't have to come back to me, and so they didn't. 2023 GAMESPOT, A FANDOM COMPANY. The video game industry is very rich with interesting stories and compelling characters and Splinter Cell is one of the many Ubisoft titles getting an adaptation on Netflix. Screenwriter Kolstad created the John Wick character and universe and has solo writing credit on the first two Keanu Reeves . But over time and over development, I'm a lover of dogs, and suddenly that became much more central and key. I think the third was 90 plus on Rotten Tomatoes? What's the future look like for you? It's the star, clean-shaven, handsome, cool." That is their gun-fu. So, I think with comedy its about respecting your audience. By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's There's also a John Wick spin-off movie titled Ballerina in development. The fourth film is slated for May 27, 2022, and Kolstad also adds that hes not involved with the already announced fifth John Wick film. At a certain stage the studio will tell you, your creation is graduated, and you wish it well. Derek Kolstad, creator of the John Wick film franchise starring Keanu Reeves, will not be involved in the fourth and fifth sequels that are set to emerge in the next few years but there are no hard feelings, he says in a new Collider interview.. Kolstad has sole writing credits on the first two films, which came out in 2014 and 2017, but he shared screenplay credits with three other . Also credited as "characters created" in the John Wick franchise. The only reason it's called John Wick is Keanu kept referring to it as John Wick. I had done some direct to DVD and that kind of stuff beforehand, but I know very little about that one and yet I give it my blessing, because how fucking cool is that? During the siege, my favorite little anecdotal image is when John and the gunman are on either side of the wall and the gunman goes to shoot and John does this crouch spin, shoots behind his back thing. When you think of our favorite movies, I'd rather do the First Blood version. It's very negative, but if you can look at four and go, "Is it one long movie, or do you take your time, let it breathe, be its own creature as four and five?" Derek Kolstad, the creator and writer behind the "John Wick" franchise of action movies starring Keanu Reeves, says he's not involved with the upcoming fourth and fifth films in . EXCLUSIVE: Derek Kolstad, scribe and creator of the John Wick franchise and co-writer of the upcoming Marvel mini-series The Falcon And the Winter Soldier, is teaming up with Swiss producer-distrib [3] The film was released in 2014 and was followed by John Wick: Chapter 2 in 2017 and John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum in 2019. "Interview: 'John Wick: Chapter 2' Screenwriter Derek Kolstad on Expanding the World and Paying Homage to 'Open Range', "How Pasadena Resident and John Wick Creator Derek Kolstad Achieved "Overnight" Success After 20 Years", An interview with Derek Kolstad, screenwriter of John Wick, John Wick Writer Derek Kolstad Sets up The Steward With Cristal Pictures, Hitman Targets A TV Relaunch With John Wick's Derek Kolstad, 'John Wick 3' Brings Back Writer Derek Kolstad, "Amazon Develops Live-Action Hellsing Film With John Wick Writer", "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Production Brief", Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Derek_Kolstad&oldid=1148346725, This page was last edited on 5 April 2023, at 16:37. It was about the world. It's harder, still, to even make a go, but I've got a couple in the wings that would be my dream of this character that inhabits my dreams late at night and my nightmares and haunts me. Kolstad revealed that while it wasn't his choice not to write the movies, he's very aware of how Hollywood works. Everyone was just all cackling and grins and, "Can you believe we do this for a living?" A . You'd much rather keep the story intimate. He then wrote The Package, which also starred Lundgren. The creator of the John Wick series teases what fans can expect from his upcoming Dungeons & Dragons TV show. Anytime you do a movie of any sort, at a certain point, it's no longer a screenplay, from my standpoint. EXCLUSIVE: UTA has signed Derek Kolstad the writer-producer best known for architecting the John Wick and . You're killing the dog. Let us know in the comment section below! ComicBook.com: How's it going out your way? I write a lot of action in my screenplays, just because by the time you get there and you're invested as a reader, you want to have some fun. Authors Derek Kolstad Net Worth Derek Kolstad Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, Relationships, Married, Dating, Family, Wiki Biography Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Kolstad attended Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart and later studied business administration at Taylor University in Indiana. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. Some people may not know that hes also been involved in some things on the small screen. It's a matter of all of us excited to play again. Kolstad was asked about his involvement with John Wick 4 and 5, which will be directed by Chad Stahelski and . And you have to rebuild. Because you look at The Matrix of it all and you look at the way Hollywood is moving about right now, it's just the nascent stages. He continued to write for the sequels of the franchise and is mainly known as a screenwriter of action films and shows. This Indiana Jones 5 trailer was revealed during Star Wars Celebration 2023. Thanks for reading! Are these people aware that they're assassins and they just kind of let them do their assassinating, as long as they don't get involved with the masses, or what's the deal? What it ultimately becomes, in the best possible ways, is just the same kind of energy. He is the co-creator and writer of Die Hart and he also executive produced and wrote two episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Nearly 30 years later, a long-delayed fourth installment was released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows. Absolutely, no doubt. By Matt Grobar. Does that help your cause a little bit? Originally dreamt up as a movie titled Scorn by screenwriter Derek Kolstad, John Wick landed Keanu Reeves and served as a catalyst for the revival of the career for the fan-favorite actor. All of us are trying to figure out what the starting pistol for true production looks like, which is why, to their point, wisely, the studios will come back saying, "What do you have like Alien or The Descent or John Carpenter's The Thing?" To see them up on the screen again, that would be great. We give the updated Mercenaries mode in Resident Evil 4 Remake a spin in this S-Rank gameplay clip, featuring Leon. Paramount snagged the rights to "Stray," an action movie from "John Wick" mastermind Derek Kolstad. But there was this pushback and pushback from all different angles until that first screening. But with Wick, every single move tells a story. The show has been in development at Starz for several years, but there has been no news about it for nearly a year. But without that dog connection and without that underlying soul and the heartbeat of that character, and also the levity it brings the character and the levity it brings the humor, it was key. Speaking of IP, speaking to world-building and stuff, obviously The Continental is still out there for STARZ. It's just an incredible piece of filmmaking. Derek Kolstad, the creator and writer behind the John Wick franchise of action movies starring Keanu Reeves, says hes not involved with the upcoming fourth and fifth films in the series. Outside of any number of specs that are set up looking forward, Nobody got moved which is my Bob Odenkirk action thriller to next February. Kolstad was also asked about the John Wick spin-off series The Continental. Watch the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny trailer for the upcoming Indiana Jones movie, opening in theaters on June 30, 2023.Harrison Ford returns as the legendary hero archaeologist in the highly anticipated fifth installment in the iconic Indiana Jones movie franchise. The first script he sold was called Acolyte, which was purchased by Voltage Pictures in June 2012. Kolstad will also serve as a producer on the project, which is excited to tackle, saying, "The 10-year-old me is still grinning." Related: Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter: Which. Is there one property you would love to take a stab at? At a certain stage the studio will tell you, your creation is graduated, and you wish it well. You mentioned the siege earlier. He wrote on and exec produced the former project, centered on a younger version of Ian McShanes New York Continental Hotel owner and John Wick ally Winston Scott, played by The Flight Attendants Colin Woodell. All of the best story tellers are people who also like to consume other peoples stories and Derek Kolstand is no exception. It was the big genre guys, but a lot of them came back with, I think everyone came back with, "It can't just be a dog. Email news@gamespot.com. Serious pushback is you're spending money on a movie with Keanu Reeves. I just got a phone call from Keanu Reeves. No, I'm not involved with The Continental that much, if at all, in a non-writing EP, because when John Wick came out, I'm a baby writer. I did it in less than a week, gave it to the guys and the funny thing is, looking back on it all, to me it wasn't about the dog. Did you have a treatment for where you wanted to see everything from the get-go, or are you a movie-by-movie guy? Those are your favorite moments. EXCLUSIVE: UTA has signed Derek Kolstad the writer-producer best known for architecting the John Wick and Nobody action franchises for representation in all areas. . Cover photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images. How far along are you guys on number four? Biography. Hwanwoong (ONEUS) - Age, Height, Girlfriend, Net W Who is Rachel Holm? The idea being of if we can Shoehorn is the wrong word. I think there's a surreal notion to all of that, where it's the levity of the humor. As soon as the dog died, and seeing their reaction and then seeing the siege in house, we were like, "Yep, we were right.". He's an associate editor for Collider and has written for Shudder, CBS, Paste Magazine, Guff, Smosh, Obsev Studios, and more. [6], In 2017, it was reported that Kolstad would write a live-action television adaptation of the Hitman franchise as well as an action-thriller titled The Steward. They're talented cats, man. Unfortunately, it seems that this dream . Despite going up against titans like James Bond and Universal's Fast and Furious franchise, the world of John Wick continues to pump out features critics and fans alike rave about. I am the guy who wrote the spec that got made and I was blessed enough to be part of three, and hope, in a certain respect, to be a part elsewhere. Winter Preview: New Shows Worth Watching; 100 Best Shows on . Join the Escapist + for ad-free viewing. Additionally, Shuji Utsumi and Toru Nakahara will oversee the movie for Sega. Although he always felt like he wanted to pursue a career in screenwriting, he initially found himself on a more traditional path. All rights reserved. Acolyte: When his wife is kidnapped, a simple man reveals himself to be anything but as he assembles his old crew to rescue her. Social media has become the first place that most people look when they want to learn more about someone in the entertainment industry. I love to write, man. After years of hard work, things really started to take off for Derek after the release of the 2014 movie John Wick. I want this thing to survive and thrive.". Derek Kolstad and Dmitri M. Johnson are teaming to launch the media company Story Kitchen, with APA partner Mike Goldberg exiting the agency to join the duo as a co-founder of the new company. I've got to ask, what's the status of The High Table and assassins in this world? Kolstad sold a script titled Scorn to Thunder Road Pictures, which signed Keanu Reeves for the lead role in April 2013. When he gets a break from work, he enjoys spending time with his loved ones. No, it wasnt my decision. Both Chad and Dave have these invisible back pocket leather notebooks of ideas. Its no secret that breaking into the entertainment industry can be difficult. How would you rate this article? I just started talking about where the character goes, but I was talking like you would an old radio serial. Well, we didn't know. Aubrey Drake Graham was born in Toronto, Canada on October 24, 1986, to American Catholic Dennis Graham and Canadian Jew Sandra Graham. Kolstad created the character, played by Keanue Reeves, and has written or co-written every film in the John Wick franchise to date. Action is action, and we'll get to that, and it will be cool, but when a guy says or does a certain thing, that's where TV has its strong point.". But in an interview with Collider, Kolstad said the franchise got a little too big for him and that he wasnt asked by the studio to return. Early Life. I love Wisconsin, man. Right, right. Marketing was like, "Dude, that's four to five million dollars in free advertising so far, so it's John Wick instead of Scorn." This project was announced in October 2019 and will focus on a young female assassin who is out for revenge after her family is massacred. But does he know anything specific about characters, setting, or plot moves? YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Reeves is gearing up to begin filming on John Wick Chapter 4 fairly soon after wrapping The Matrix 4, and Chad Stahelski is returning to direct, but this time with just Shay Hatten billed as the screenwriter. I think I'm somewhere in between, because when you even look at some of your favorite movies as a kid, a lot of them are standalone. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site. I grew up with noir, so the Raymond Chandler, Phil Marlowe is a dream of mine. I saw the initial script with the Wick character initially had him in his 60s as the retired assassin. And to be honest too, what happened with John Wick, I'd like to do again. The John Wick franchise is set to embark on a make-or-break period as the next two films will be shot back-to-back. 1. And so I'll stick to my guns when it comes to the characters and certain aspects of the world, but as to the story, by the time you start shooting, you throw away the bible going, 'Hey, it got us here, but now look where we are.' This sequence is super, super layered the way it is. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. And even when we talked about this going into production, Chad [Stahelski] and Dave [Leitch] and everyone else was very much akin to, "No, it's the dog." Derek spent years writing scripts and thinking of ideas and at one point he considered giving it all up and focusing on something else. But to other people, was the dog just an excuse to do what he did before? It's funny, the reason I'm answering it this way, literally, I have these PostIt notes on my computer of, "This is what I'm working on today.". The fourth film is slated for May 27, 2022, and Kolstad also adds that hes not involved with the already announced fifth John Wick film. Kolstad did however give a brief update on The Continental, which is a Starz spinoff TV series set within the world of the John Wick films but following the various assassins who come and go at the secret hotel that harbors them. During an interview with Pasadena Magazine, Derek said, Of all the genres, comedy is the hardestWhen shown to an audience, theres chuckles. I worked for Dale Carnegie and I taught sales managers how to build and staff their sales teams. I don't know how many drafts we did, but it was all of us in the trenches and it just felt good. I'm 46, I grew up with the guy. My parents went to UW-Madison. We were watching the audience. That's what's been the most fun about it. Dungeons & Dragons began life as a role-playing tabletop game played with a bunch of dice and a bunch of imagination. Even if the Bob Odenkirk film wasn't scripted by Wick franchise scribe Derek Kolstad, the similar nature of the Keanu Reeves franchise and Odenkirk's action-comedy ass-kicker would have been . Derek Kolstad, the writer and creator of the "John Wick" action franchise, Dmitri M. Johnson, a producer on "Sonic the Hedgehog," and Mike Goldberg, a partner with agency APA, have . They have no idea what's going on. Or, it's about to happen. Back in Chapter Two, there's that insane scene where Keanu and Common shoot at each other with silenced pistols. Think back even six, seven years ago, we didn't know. We recently caught up with Kolstad to talk all things Wick, from the tense discussions that were had behind the studio and creatives about that heartbreaking dog storyline to telling adequate stories through shootouts and fistfights. Exciting. Little kid from there. The dog was a part of it. Do you guys have a naming plan? Additional credits include The Man from Nowhere, Splinter Cell and Die Hart. Even that's kind of the graphic novel, lower third of it all. Privacy Policy, Now Playing: John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum - Official Trailer. They've done quite well with that. Derek Kolstad: The age of 26, I was a consultant in Chicago. Born and raised in Iowa, but that's beside the point. And yeah, it's personal, so I'm never going to talk s*** about John Wick. It's this whole world. Although films based on movies can sometimes be disappointing, but based on Dereks track record we think this one is in good hands. 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