Keanu Reeves and Donnie Yen spar in 'John Wick: Chapter 4' trailer

In the latest instalment of movie franchise John Wick, its star Keanu Reeves will be sparring with Hong Kong martial arts legend Donnie Yen.

The official trailer for John Wick: Chapter 4, which dropped on Thursday, shows Reeves, 58, reprising his role as the titular hitman character, complete with his sharp black suit.

Yen, 59, who plays Wick's old friend Caine, joins a cast which includes Swedish actor Bill Skarsgard, 32, who takes on the juicy role of new villain Marquis de Gramont, and Japanese action star Hiroyuki Sanada, 62.

The trailer opens in a church, with Caine telling Wick: "You're going to die."

They are later seen coming to blows in an action sequence involving guns and swords in what looks like an art gallery.

There will also be a much-anticipated fight scene between Yen and Sanada in the movie. Yen popularised wing chun martial arts with his four Ip Man movies (2008 to 2019), while Sanada is best known for roles in movies such as The Last Samurai (2003), Mortal Kombat (2021) and Bullet Train (2022).

Director Chad Stahelski, who has helmed the John Wick franchise since the first movie in 2014, said in an interview with entertainment website Collider on Thursday: "I mean, when you have Hiroyuki Sanada and Donnie Yen going at it, it's always fun.

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"Hiroyuki is used to the Japanese way of doing things, very precise. And you have Donnie that's really the epitome of Hong Kong action of 'Let's just be great and make it up on the day of, and get the energy.' So, to put them together and to find a little organic mix was really fun."

The movie opens in March 2023 and a fifth instalment is already in development. Reeves is also in talks to reprise his role in a John Wick spin-off, Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas.