Asia Kate Dillon is not reprising their role as The Adjudicator in John Wick: Chapter 4, according to the official trailer and cast list, and this could prove to be a bigger problem for the franchise than some might think. The series is planning spinoffs such as The Continental and Ballerina, something which is diversifying the series and causing some controversy. However, The Adjudicator character from the second sequel being missing from the next official up-and-coming installment is arguably a bigger franchise problem.
The Adjudicator was a new character introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3, also known as Parabellum, working on the authority of the High Table and tasked with taking down John Wick for his capital crime. As such, they serve as the main antagonist of the film. The character was something new for the franchise; they wielded their authority and command throughout the narrative with no weapon to speak of, as their intimidating presence alone was enough to establish, and indeed enforce, their power.
John Wick 2 & 3 Were Great Steps Forward
Ruby Rose, a gender-fluid actor, appeared in John Wick: Chapter 2 as the secondary antagonist Ares. They played an important role in the film, featuring in one of the hardest-hitting John Wick fight scenes. They even crudely search Wick at an earlier stage, so thoroughly that he was taken aback by their audacity, perhaps even impressed by it. For John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the franchise took another big step forward with LGBTQ+ representation. Asia Kate Dillon, an actor with non-binary gender identity, was approached for the role of The Adjudicator, who exercised admirable agency in their request to have their character also be non-binary.
Speaking to The New York Times, Dillon revealed that they said to the film’s director, Chad Stahelski, “we have a real opportunity here. I’m a non-binary actor. There’s no reason that this character has to be a non-trans person. Let’s make them non-binary.” The inclusions of Ruby Rose in the first sequel, and Asia Kate Dillon in John Wick: Chapter 3, were progressively powerful steps forward for LGBTQ+ representation, as well as allegorical statements of the community’s power and uncompromising authority in society today.
Given the series’ positive trajectory on this subject, Dillon’s Adjudicator being absent from John Wick: Chapter 4, along with trans and non-binary actors and characters in general, may suggest that the producers are now retreating from the idea of LGBTQ+ inclusivity. If this is the case, one would have to ask why, especially considering how popular and well-received Dillon’s character was in the previous film. This runs the risk of alienating the LGBTQ+ community, but also fans in general.
Why John Wick 4 Can Still Be A Little LGBTQ+
There is some hope, however. As shown in the official trailer, Rina Sawayama was cast in John Wick 4, and will be playing the role of Akira as her debut movie role. Sawayama identifies as both bisexual and pansexual, and even though her character in the film might not live up to the gravitas of The Adjudicator in the previous entry, it could be a promising sign of more LGBTQ+ representation to come in the film series.
According to The Matrix writer and director, Lilly Wachowski, The Matrix is a trans story. Upon learning this, Keanu Reeves recently said in an interview with Yahoo: “For Lilly [Wachowski] to come out and share that with us, I think is cool. I’m glad that it’s gotten out that [the transgender allegory] was the original intention.” Reeves is a supporter of LGBTQ+ representation and was, together with John Wick: Chapter 4 director Chad Stahelski and Lionsgate, very much behind the idea of having The Adjudicator character be non-binary. So perhaps he can have some influence on more inclusivity with further John Wick installments.
