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‘John Wick’ Stars Honor Late Co-star Lance Reddick

A poster of the late Lance Reddick, a cast member in "John Wick: Chapter 4," hangs on a backdrop at the premiere of the film, Monday, March 20, 2023, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP)
A poster of the late Lance Reddick, a cast member in "John Wick: Chapter 4," hangs on a backdrop at the premiere of the film, Monday, March 20, 2023, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP)
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‘John Wick’ Stars Honor Late Co-star Lance Reddick

A poster of the late Lance Reddick, a cast member in "John Wick: Chapter 4," hangs on a backdrop at the premiere of the film, Monday, March 20, 2023, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP)
A poster of the late Lance Reddick, a cast member in "John Wick: Chapter 4," hangs on a backdrop at the premiere of the film, Monday, March 20, 2023, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP)

Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne were among the "John Wick: Chapter 4" stars honoring Lance Reddick, their co-star who died unexpectedly last week, at the film's Los Angeles premiere.

"We lost our brother, and in a really sort of very shocking way. I think we’re all still in shock. "Life is," the visibly-shaken Fishburne said, pausing briefly before continuing, "hard sometimes."

Many of those who worked on the film wore blue ribbons to honor Reddick, who was a prolific character actor with prominent roles in "The Wire," "Oz" and the "John Wick" film franchise.

"Just to be in his light and to get a chance to work with him, I’ll cherish for the rest of my life," Reeves said. "He had such a passion for his work and his craft. He was gracious. He had a dignity to him and a presence."

Reddick, 60, died Friday in Los Angeles of natural causes, his publicist Mia Hansen said. No further details were provided.

Tributes have poured in for the actor, whose roles made him a beloved and recognizable star of television and films. He played Charon, the multi-skilled Continental Hotel concierge who is fond of Wick, an assassin played by Reeves. The latest installment arrives in theaters Friday.

"He’s the goodness of this film. He was kind of, in many ways, the heart of the film because his character loved John Wick," Fisburne said.

"You know, it’s always hard when you lose someone that you love dearly ... but you’re also incredibly grateful for the time you had together. We were fortunate enough to work with Lance since the very beginning of the ‘John Wick’ franchise. I mean it’s been almost 10 years," director Chad Stahelski said.

"I really wish he could be with us tonight, but, you know, life. But we’re very fortunate to have known him. And he’s a great man, a great artist, a great human, a dear friend."

Shamier Moore, a newcomer to "Wick" franchise, recalled how Reddick took time to say a kind word on set.

"I grew up watching Lance Reddick. It is a bittersweet moment because he was definitely one of my heroes growing up as an actor, as a Black actor," Moore said. "And even though we didn’t share screen time together in this film, we shared some time off camera and he was salt of the Earth when he first met me.

"He said, ‘Shamier, you’re incredible. I love your work man,’ and like, it melted me like a puddle."

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Movie Review: In ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ the Superhero Movie Finally Accepts Itself for What It Is 

Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds attend the premiere of "Deadpool & Wolverine" in New York City, New York, US, July 22, 2024. (Reuters)
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds attend the premiere of "Deadpool & Wolverine" in New York City, New York, US, July 22, 2024. (Reuters)
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Movie Review: In ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ the Superhero Movie Finally Accepts Itself for What It Is 

Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds attend the premiere of "Deadpool & Wolverine" in New York City, New York, US, July 22, 2024. (Reuters)
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds attend the premiere of "Deadpool & Wolverine" in New York City, New York, US, July 22, 2024. (Reuters)

If one thing is certain about “Deadpool,” it’s that its titular hero, for reasons never explained, understands his place in the world — well, in our world.

Indeed, the irreverent and raunchy mutant is sure to belabor his awareness of the context in which he lives — namely an over-saturated, increasingly labyrinthine multibillion-dollar Marvel multiverse which spans decades, studios and too many films for most viewers to count.

From its inception, the “Deadpool” franchise has prided itself on a subversive, self-aware anti-superhero superhero movie, making fun of everything from comic books to Hollywood to its biggest champion, co-writer and star, Ryan Reynolds.

It’s no surprise then, as fans have come to expect, that the long-anticipated “Deadpool & Wolverine” further embraces its fourth wall-breaking self-awareness — even as it looks increasingly and more earnestly like the superhero movie blueprint it loves to exploit. That tension — the fact that “Deadpool” has called out comic book movie tropes despite being, in fact, a comic book movie — is somehow remedied in “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which leans into its genre more than the franchise’s first two movies.

Perhaps this gives viewers more clarity on its intended audience. After all, someone who hates superhero films — I’m looking at you, Scorsese — isn’t going to be won over because of a few self-deprecating jokes about lazy writing, budgets for A-list cameos and the overused “superhero landing” Reynolds’ Deadpool regularly refers to.

But this time around, director Shawn Levy — his first Marvel movie — seems to have found a sweet spot. Levy is surely helped by the fact that the third film in the franchise has a bigger budget, more hype and, of course, a brooding Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.

That anticipation makes their relationship, packed with hatred and fandom, all the more enticing. Their fight scenes against each other are just as compelling as their moments of self-sacrificial partnership in the spirit of, you guessed it, saving the world(s).

Speaking of worlds, there is one important development in our own to be aware of ahead of time. The first two “Deadpool” films were distributed by 20th Century Fox, whose $71.3 billion acquisition by the Walt Disney Co. in 2019 opened the door for the franchise to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, “Deadpool & Wolverine” takes full advantage of that vast playground, which began in 2008 with Robert Downey Jr.’s “Iron Man” and now includes more than 30 films and a host of television shows. The acquisition is also a recurring target of Deadpool’s sarcasm throughout the movie.

Although steeped in references and cameos that can feel a bit like inside baseball for the less devoted, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is easy enough to follow for the casual Marvel viewer, though it wouldn’t hurt to have seen the first “Deadpool” and Jackman’s 2017 “Logan,” a harbinger of the increasing appetite for R-rated superhero violence. The Disney+ series “Loki” also gives helpful context, though is by no means a must watch, on the Time Variance Authority, which polices multiverse timelines to avoid “incursions,” or the catastrophic colliding of universes.

A defining feature of “Deadpool” has been its R rating and hyper violent action scenes. Whether thanks to more money, Levy’s direction or some combination of the two, these scenes are much more visually appealing.

But “Deadpool & Wolverine” does succumb to some of the deus ex machina writing that so often plagues superhero movies. Wade Wilson’s (the real identity of Deadpool) relationship with his ex (?) Vanessa is particularly underdeveloped — though it’s possible that ambiguity is a metaphor for Deadpool’s future within the MCU.

The plot feels aimless at points toward the end. One cameo-saturated battle scene in particular is resolved in a way that leaves its audience wanting after spending quite a bit of time building tension around it. While there are a few impressive stars who make an appearance, audiences may be disappointed by the amount of MCU characters referenced who don’t make it in.

The bloody but comedic final fight scene, however, is enough to perk viewers back up for the last act, solidifying the film’s identity as a fun, generally well-made summer movie.

The sole MCU release of 2024, “Deadpool & Wolverine” proves it’s not necessarily the source material that’s causing so-called superhero fatigue. It also suggests, in light of Marvel’s move to scale back production following a pandemic and historic Hollywood strikes, that increased attention given to making a movie will ultimately help the final product.