Scott Adkins would be “stupid” not to reprise John Wick role in spin-off

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com ahead of the London Action Festival – where the cult action star will be taking part in a panel alongside fellow John Wick alum Mark Dacascos to discuss their careers and the $1 billion grossing franchise – Adkins opened up about his biggest role to date and the prospect of reprising it in the future.

Discussing the possibility of playing Killa Harkan again in a prequel or spin-off (the character is killed in John Wick: Chapter 4), Adkins said: “Of course I would [return]. It was a fantastic opportunity to be a part of the John Wick franchise. If they were to do a spin-off that involved other characters, of course I would say yes. I’m not stupid.”

Adkins also revealed his initial reaction to finding out his movie star jaw and athlete’s physique would be hidden behind a gregarious fat-suit: “My first thought was 'oh s***, nobody is going to recognise me' - but after five minutes, I was like 'this will be great because it’s more of a challenge to create a cool character like that.'”

Harkan proved to be a fan favourite with moviegoers, with reports of audible gasps when the character pulls off a jumping spinning kick on the titular assassin and dog lover.

Adkins, who is best known for his work on the cult direct-to-DVD action circuit with films like the critically acclaimed Avengement, Accident Man and the much adored Undisputed sequels, also has nothing but great things to say about his partner in action, Keanu Reeves, saying it is “unheard of” for a star of his stature to embrace the physicality of making the John Wick movies.

“At his age, and having gone so much – he’s a wealthy guy – he doesn’t need to do it, he could get the stunt man more often. But he really loves his job and is super passionate about it. He doesn’t take the position he’s in for granted and he considers himself very lucky to have this job and to entertain people.”

“He says ‘I am the ceiling of what is possible in a John Wick film’, meaning the better he is, the better the movie will be.”

The action icon is also currently mourning the passing of the great Ray Stevenson, who Adkins worked with on the Accident Man movies.

Commenting on The Punisher star’s death, Adkins said: “It was very shocking to hear that news. And Ray holds a special place in my heart because Accident Man was a passion project since I was a kid. I needed a name to close the financing of the movie and I wanted Ray to badly play the part, and he said yes so it was perfect - especially with the character being called Big Ray. He was a great guy and it’s a big loss for the industry. He’s got a Star Wars series coming out and that was going to be massive for him. He was great in RRR. Just a great guy.”

On a more positive note, Adkins is also raring for the London Action Festival and is glad to see the genre – often maligned in the mainstream – get its due.

Now in its second year, the festival features an extravaganza of events for action fanatics including a special screening of The Italian Job, a Q&A with Die Hard and Commando screenwriter Steven E deSouza, and a sit down with Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio.

For John Wick fans, the main show is undoubtedly Adkins’ event, where he will share the stage with Dacascos and share memories of their time being adversaries to the deadly assassin and their lengthy careers in martial arts movies.

The Villains of John Wick with Special Guests takes place as part of the London Action Festival on Saturday 24th June 2023. Visit our Film hub for the latest news and features, or find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

Take part in the Screen Test, a project from Radio Times and the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, to explore the role of television and audio in our lives.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.