Home   News   Article Auction House Scotland (AHS) confirmed that the historic Wick High School buildings sold for £76,000 – £21K over the guide price was auctioned on March 27 for a guide price of £55,000+ with property development opportunities flagged up The substantial C-listed building is situated on West Banks Avenue close to Wick town centre and has been vacant since 2017 following the opening of the new community campus Wick High School was founded in 1910 and closed in 2017 when pupils moved to the new £48.5 million community campus nearby The overall lot on offer comprised the main two-storey C-listed building plus four 1960s teaching blocks of 2-4 storeys and several single-storey classrooms The buildings extend to approximately 11,000 sq with the overall site approximately 3.7 acres (1.5 hectares) The former school went under the hammer at an in-room auction at 2pm on March 27 at the Radisson RED hotel in Glasgow AHS was contacted but unable to confirm details of the buyer The auction house said it would contact them to see if they would provide information on its plans for the site A special memorial concert is to be held in London to celebrate the life of the remarkable Denis Wick A special Memorial Concert celebrating the musical life of Denis Wick is to be held at Regent Hall in London in June It will include performances from the Slide Action trombone quartet the Royal Academy of Music Trombone Ensemble directed by Bob Hughes and Dudley Bright Conductor Eric Crees will also direct the Bones Galore Ensemble The concert will take place at Regent Hall 4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month May 5 • 60 bands will look to take one step closer to the British Open this weekend in Blackpool May 5 • There has both audience and critical approval in abundance after David Childs gave the world premiere of James MacMillan's Euphonium Concerto 'Where the Lugar meets the Glaisnock' in Cardiff May 5 • Granite City Brass will celebrate its 175th anniversary thanks to sponsorship from leading vehicle assessor and towbar specialists Mototech Aberdeen May 5 • The Onyx Brass quintet will join forces with Hammonds and Amersham Bands for a musical soundscape of the Halocene epoch as part of the New Music Biennial 2025 Saturday 10 May • Winter Gardens Complex May 5 • Ocean Brass are inviting applications for our Principal Cornet position as we prepare for an exciting schedule of concerts and contests in the second section through 2025 and beyond May 4 • Following a successful start to our 2025 contest season Rode Hall Band are looking for a good FRONT ROW CORNET player to join this enthusiastic friendly and progressive 3rd section band based on the Cheshire/Staffordshire border Rode Hall Band are looking for a good SOPRANO CORNET player to join this enthusiastic Lionsgate has debuted the debut trailer for Wick is Pain an upcoming documentary chronically the making of John Wick and its blockbuster sequels featuring exclusive new interviews with leading man Keanu Reeves Thunder Road producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee and tons of below-the-line talent from the film series and from 87eleven Action Design The documentary takes an extensive look at the making of the modern fable known as John Wick with tons of never before seen behind-the-scenes footage from 2013 as then first time filmmakers Chad Stahelski and David Leitch embark on a journey that would forever change their lives and transition them from highly regarded stunt performers/coordinators into bona fide A-list movie directors There's tons of amazing and intense new stories as they walk us through the first film's extremely tumultuous production including how it lost financing just a few days before shooting was set to begin Stahelski experiencing troubles in his personal life and a number of other unprecedented issues that ultimately resulted in movie magic Reeves said “I’m excited to share and be a part of taking fans behind the curtain on the extraordinary journey of making the John Wick films,” while longtime friend and director Stahelski added “We had an idea for a low-budget independent movie it’s hard to believe what that idea became It’s the fans that embraced the movie that made it all possible—and made all the pain a pleasure.” The documentary is directed by Jeffrey Doe Wick is Pain will screen exclusively at Beyond Fest at the American Cinematheque on May 8 and will be available to buy on Digital HD platforms WICK IS PAIN is the incredible true story behind the John Wick franchise In never-before-seen footage captured over a decade on and off set the film chronicles John Wick’s journey from independent film—facing a mountain of creative and personal challenges—into a global phenomenon that redefined the action genre and launched three megahit sequels and the extended Wick cast and crew as they go behind the scenes of this billion-dollar franchise that almost never happened Lionsgate’s upcoming action-thriller set in the John Wick universe The posters – which feature stars Ana de Armas Keanu Reeves and more – can be viewed by scrolling through the slideshow gallery below While the trailers and some recent interviews have shed light on the plot of Ballerina there was much that wasn’t known about many of the new characters – until now we can also reveal the following official character descriptions: young Eve is taken to the Ruska Roma Ballet School where she receives training in the art of combat Her lessons turn her into a lethal assassin – and a formidable agent of revenge The titular character in the John Wick Universe John Wick first crosses paths with Eve during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum Daniel Pine is a figure steeped in mystery A fateful meeting with Eve and Pine at the Prague Continental sets off an explosive chain of events The formidable leader of the Ruska Roma who runs the infamous ballet school that doubles as a fearsome assassin training ground the Director is a surrogate mother whose lessons are as unforgiving as the assassin world she must survive The iconic manager of the New York Continental It was Winston who first delivered the young orphaned Eve into the hands of The Director arming her with both training at the Ruska Roma Ballet School and a gold coin that would later guide her search for the truth The famously stoic concierge of the New York Continental Charon provides various services to the assassins who stay at the hotel the Chancellor leads an army of cult-like killers He rules a community of assassins in the Austrian mountains with an iron grip Lena is an enigmatic character who reveals herself at the Prague Continental Lena is part of the Chancellor’s cult of assassins Nogi is an instructor at the Ruska Roma Ballet School She teaches Eve to turn her weaknesses into her deadliest weapons Dex is part of the Chancellor’s cult of assassins a loyal soldier who engages in an epic flamethrower battle with Eve saved Eve from certain death when he put up a heroic fight against a squad of assassins sent to kill them both The daughter of the Ruska Roma’s colleague Il Seong Eve’s first field mission is to protect Katla Park at the lavish Minus Eleven club Ballerina is the first movie in the John Wick franchise to not be directed by Chad Stahelski, with Len Wiseman (the Underworld series, Live Free or Die Hard) stepping behind the camera this time. Check out what Wiseman and de Armas had to tell us about Ballerina at CCXP 2024. Where to WatchPowered byNot yet available for streaming. Also I didn't realize Lance Reddick was in this. So sad RIP. I can’t believe that Sooyoung is in this! This is great for her. As a Girls’ Generation fan, I am very proud of her. This is almost destined to be a cluster, Stahelski who directed the Wick films was brought in and basically reshot the entire movie after it sat around for over a year on the shelves cause the studio didn't want to release it. And the last trailer I saw was basically all 'Look, Keanu is in it! Come see it for him!' when you know he's probably showing up for all of 5 minutes screentime. by Pete Volk fellow 87eleven action designer Jeremy Marinas and their team filmed live-action sequences at their studio and sent them to Watanabe’s team in a continual collaborative process that spanned approximately a year Stahelski grew up as a massive fan of Watanabe’s work, and told Polygon he has “literally memorized everything of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.” So when Watanabe and his team reached out to see if Stahelski could recommend a member of his team to give advice on Lazarus’ action design Stahelski jumped at the opportunity and fulfilled a lifelong dream Polygon spoke with Stahelski, calling in from his script-covered office at 87eleven Action Design (the man is attached to approximately 2 million upcoming projects, including quite a few video game adaptations) over Zoom about his experience designing action in a new medium and his love for anime focusing on how the collaboration with Watanabe came together Polygon: Did your experiences on Lazarus and Ninja Kamui change anything about how you think of converting animated projects into live action? Chad Stahelski: I know your sentiment, but I wouldn’t use the word “converting.” We’re not converting anything. We’re an ingredient. Converting is when we lock something in and they’re just going to translate it over. That couldn’t be further from the process. Remember, it’s not just building a house. You’re building a house in a different dimension where gravity and rules don’t mean the same thing. People say, Oh, John Wick is beautiful. I went to fucking Paris, guys. I could spin myself around, open my eyes, and I’d find a good fucking place to shoot For someone as detail-oriented as you, it must be a dream to be able to have that level of control over every single frame and pixel. Everyone wonders why directors always want to go do anime. I bring in a great cast, and all the cast has to do is talk into a mic. I can act it out, and then I can have my animators do the impossible. Are you going to try and do more of that in the future? Yeah, we would love to. Again, I wish I was a Watanabe-san-level guy at that, but that’s something I have to ease into. And I’m going to go with what I know right now, and I think I’m decent at taking real-world stuff and making it, so a couple more of those. But at the same time, yeah, this and what we’re currently doing with John Wick are things we want to venture into that world. Are you interested in taking drawing lessons or anything like that? Oh, I suck, that’s never going to happen. You got to know thyself, right? Did yours and Jeremy’s experience designing action for Ninja Kamui help? How did you think about making Lazarus’ action feel like anime? Were there any limitations you found in animation when designing the action? Turning that around, were there any things that you had wanted to try in live action, but weren’t safe or possible, that you got to play with here? You could do so much. That’s the thing with anime. Look at the opening episode. You want me to run on a monorail, on drones? Of course! Like, fucking anime is incredible. If I could get away with it, having a career in anime as an action design guy wouldn’t be a bad gig. I wish more people would ask us to do it. I’m surprised we haven’t, I’m kind of bummed. I wish more people would call about it. I think you might be getting more calls after this. New episodes of Lazarus air every Saturday at midnight on Adult Swim. The best of Polygon in your inbox, every Friday. We're Back. We hope you'll join us. Learn more Spine was first announced in 2021 as a multiplayer game but after a couple of years in development Spine is a cinematic single-player game that draws heavy inspiration from action-packed blockbusters like John Wick​​​​​​ Spine has drawn the attention of a large population of players attracting more than 400,000 wishlists according to the publisher Nekki showed off new gameplay footage of the cyberpunk action title announced a new ultra-difficult Hardcore mode and shared that the game will arrive on Nintendo Switch 2 the highly trained protagonist who can seamlessly move from enemy to enemy by parrying them or by turning their own weapons against them She can also resourcefully use items in the environment as makeshift weapons and smash enemies into various surfaces in the world The camera is specifically designed to put the player in the action so they feel like they are in an action movie In addition to announcing that the game is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 which is represented by a special pair of sunglasses she wears in this mode she must make it through untouched by enemy fire or strikes You can check out the latest trailer showing off the combat below "Freeflow Gun Fu combat means constant tactical awareness – both of your enemies and of the surroundings in which you fight," game director Dmitry Pimenov said in a press release everything comes back to that cinematic experience while always giving players complete control We want to make players feel like both the star and the director of their own action movie rewarding them with opportunities for creative takedowns by mastering the combo system and the environment and showcasing their combos with dynamic camera angles to immerse them in the action." Spine doesn't currently have a release date but it was originally scheduled for a 2025 release the Steam page currently says "To be announced," while the press release makes no mention of a release window It is currently slated to come to PlayStation 5 Be among the first to get details on the new magazine and membership Create account The singer made her film debut as Akira in 2023’s 'John Wick: Chapter 4' Rina Sawayama is set to return to her role in the John Wick universe as part of the new spinoff film Caine The singer made her feature film debut in 2023’s John Wick: Chapter 4 as Shimazu Akira, the concierge at the Osaka Continental Hotel and the daughter of Hiroyuki Sanada’s Shimazu Koji, who is the hotel manager and a friend of Keanu Reeves’ lead character Now, Variety has reported that Sawayama will be playing Akira again in an upcoming spinoff film that will revolve around Donnie Yen’s Caine a blind assassin and former friend of Wick’s who is coerced into returning to action in the fourth film to kill Wick in order to save his daughter The spinoff film will also be directed by Yen while regular John Wick director Chad Stahelski will be producing The film is set to go into production later this year Speaking about Sawayama’s return to the franchise Stahelski has said: “Rina is such a badass I love what she did with this role in Chapter 4 and can’t wait to see her cross paths with Caine once again.” Yen added: “Most delighted to welcome Rina back into this new exciting journey with us It will be my pleasure and attempt to elevate her amazing character that left us mesmerised from John Wick: Chapter 4!” Another John Wick spinoff film From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina is due to hit cinemas on June 6. Set between the third and fourth John Wick films, it stars Ana De Armas (Blonde, No Time To Die) as an assassin that sets out to exact revenge for her father’s death In 2023, Stahelski told NME that he contacted Sawayama for her role in Chapter 4 after seeing her music videos “I knew very little about her beforehand,” the director said “I was exposed to her as we were casting the role of Akira “We’d seen her music videos and just something about her look and something about her performances in her music videos was… she seemed right out of an anime and Japanese anime is a big influence for this.” The director explained that he then got the singer on a Zoom call “24 hours after I’d seen her video” and invited her to fly over to Berlin and her enthusiasm and professionalism… She was just great and she asked a lot of questions Along with starring in the film, Sawayama contributed a song to the soundtrack titled ‘Eye For An Eye’ Speaking to NME in September about landing the role Sawayama said: “My team are all just so shook by the idea that we even got offered John Wick so I think… none of us really know what’s gonna happen In a four-star review of the film NME wrote: “Chapter 4 doesn’t exude the wheel-spinning cynicism of a forever franchise but at least he understands it: how choreography performance and style can make over-the-top spectacle cohere into pleasurably overwhelming action fizz rather than congealing into a sweaty special effects overload The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952 Home   Sport   Article Organisers of the annual Friends of the Glass darts competition in Wick have described it as “fantastic for the town” after a record turnout at the weekend The three-day gathering at the Seaforth Highlanders’ Club again attracted players from Orkney Moray and the north-east as well as Caithness with a total prize fund of more than £7000 on offer one of the four-strong organising team alongside Malcolm Begg said: “They absolutely love it because it’s so friendly “This has been a record-breaking year in terms of numbers of participants and spectators You couldn’t get in that door at 10 o’clock on Saturday night businesses and people donating raffle prizes and everything Main sponsor was again Hugh Simpson (Contractors) Ltd with many others also contributing to the prize fund Saturday saw 47 men’s pairs and 18 ladies’ pairs in action – a total of 130 players There were 76 entries for the out-of-the hat mixed triples on Friday while the singles on Sunday attracted 43 men and 23 ladies Friends of the Glass is believed to be the longest-running darts competition in Scotland having begun in 1977 as the Caithness Glass tournament before being rebranded “We’re two years away now from our 50th anniversary,” Arthur pointed out “The only break we’ve had was through Covid “A hell of a lot of work goes into organising it The sponsorship varies but the sponsorship boards are all the same size “The help given by the local community to Friends of the Glass is really unbelievable There’s not one bit of bother the whole weekend With it being the May Day holiday they stay the Sunday night and go home on the Monday.” Arthur is chairman of the Seaforth Highlanders’ Club which is undergoing a programme of refurbishment “I give a speech at the Sunday prize-giving,” he said “The first thing I always say is that if it wasn’t for all the board sponsors you’re seeing here because you couldn’t put the prize money out “It’s fantastic for the town – I can’t emphasise that enough It has become a friendship thing more than a darts competition “Murray Lamont [from Mackays Hotel] takes two boards If a businessman is telling you that then you know you’re doing something right “We do run it well because you have to be on the ball as the club is in the process of being done up.” There were around 80 board sponsors this year with many others donating prizes to the raffle Arthur was keen to acknowledge the generosity of Pulteney and Wolfburn distilleries we get jewellery shops… They all give – I’ve never been refused “They ask us what we want and we say ‘whatever you’re comfortable giving’ We’re delighted if we get anything at all.” He added: “We are not a money-making organisation “Last year we gave a £200 donation to the youth darts in the Assembly Rooms We’ll do a donation this year to a different charity “We want to help local charities because it’s local businesses that are helping us The organisers are liaising with Thurso-based Navertech with a view to having Friends of the Glass livestreamed on big screens in the club’s upstairs and downstairs bars next year Arthur also praised the efforts of the club staff “We’ve got a great staff in here,” he said Orkney father-and-son duo Kevin and Jamie Gray took the men’s pairs title on Saturday while the honours in the ladies’ pairs went to Forres duo Mandy Anderson and Maria Ross Kevin made it a double by winning the men’s singles on Sunday Lesley Dawson (Forres) took the ladies’ title Wick’s Aidan Sutherland was part of the winning trio in Friday’s out-of-the hat mixed triples but had to settle for being a runner-up in both doubles and singles Results: Out-of-the hat mixed triples (Friday) – Winners: Darryl Mitchell Pairs (Saturday) – Men’s winners: Kevin and Jamie Gray Ladies’ winners: Mandy Anderson and Maria Ross Singles (Sunday) – Men’s winner: Kevin Gray The John Wick universe is one that’s very ripe for spinoff exploration And that’s exactly what we are getting with the spinoff prequel film Ballerina as well as a sequel film about Caine It’s pretty easy to see why Caine is getting his own film We met this blind High Table assassin in John Wick 4 who takes on his former friend to keep his daughter safe Caine and his daughter are free from the High Table a post-credits scene shows Akira coming for him What will go down in Caine’s John Wick spinoff Here’s everything we know about the film so far.  That could change as it gets closer to completion and release Donnie Yen will both star in, executive produce, and direct the John Wick spinoff Caine film. It will be produced by Basil Iwanyk, Chad Stahelski, and Erica Lee, all of whom worked on the franchise’s previous installments. The writer is The Batman – Part II’s Mattson Tomlin. The film is set to start production soon, perhaps over the summer of 2025.  Of course, Donnie Yen will portray Caine. We can assume that Aimée Kwan will also return as Caine’s daughter Mia. Rina Sawayama will reprise her role as the sword-wielding Akira as an antagonist.  “John Wick: Chapter 4 introduced us to so many compelling, original characters, including Akira. We’re beyond thrilled to have Rina coming back to the franchise—Caine and Akira have unfinished business, and this next chapter in their stories will be explosive,” said Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. We will have to see what new characters we meet and if any others from the franchise will return.  There is currently no release date for Caine. We’re delighted you're perusing our site for all your nerdy news We'd wholeheartedly appreciate you enabling ads to keep this content free either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content and the great news is that you won't have to wait that long to see it Wick is Pain is heading for Video on Demand platforms like Fandango at Home and Prime Video from May 9 following a special screening at BeyondFest on May 8 Wick is Pain details the trials and tribulations of bringing John Wick to the big screen The two-and-a-half-minute trailer shows us what we can expect from Wick is Pain and personal hardships as the team takes the indie film that almost never was and turns it into a billion-dollar franchise Wick is Pain is the directorial debut of Jeffrey Doe whose previous work as an editor has earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination If you want to know how to watch Wick is Pain We have information on where to watch Wick is Pain Wick is Pain releases on Video on Demand platforms on May 9, 2025. The film is already available for pre-order on places like Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV Wick is Pain is currently only available exclusively on video-on-demand platforms the film chronicles John Wick's journey from independent film—facing a mountain of creative and personal challenges—into a global phenomenon that redefined the action genre and launched three megahit sequels Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all ShareSaveCommentBusinessHollywood & Entertainment‘John Wick’ Documentary ‘Wick Is Pain’ Coming To Streaming This WeekByTim Lammers Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights I cover Hollywood and entertainment.Follow AuthorMay 04 01:47pm EDTShareSaveCommentScene from the documentary "Wick is Pain" with Keanu Reeves and a Beagle puppy Wick is Pain — a documentary about the John Wick movie franchise featuring interviews with Keanu Reeves among others — is coming soon to digital streaming The official summary for the film reads, “Wick is Pain is the incredible true story behind the John Wick franchise, starring Keanu Reeves What began as an independent film —facing numerous obstacles including financing challenges — quickly evolved into a global phenomenon that redefined the action genre and launched three megahit sequels director Chad Stahelski and the extended Wick cast and crew as they go behind the scenes of this billion-dollar franchise that almost never happened.” Wick is Pain will arrive on digital streaming via premium video on demand on Friday Wick is Pain will be available on a variety of digital platforms Wick is Pain is currently listed for pre-order on the sites for $9.99 A rental price option is not listed at this time The trailer for Wick is Pain can be seen before (disclaimer: language) The first of four John Wick movies to date was released in 2014 with John Wick John Wick earned $87.7 million worldwide against a $30 million budget before prints and advertising costs and earned $171.5 million worldwide against a $40 million budget before P&A the franchise continued to explode in popularity earned $326.6 million at the worldwide box office before P&A The most recent film in the franchise, John Wick: Chapter 4 had a global take of $440.3 million before P&A The movie saga will continue on June 6 with the release of From the World of John Wick: Ballerina a spinoff film starring Ana de Armas and Reeves in a supporting role While Reeves’ iconic character seemingly perished at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4 Lionsgate is finding a way to bring the character back to life for at least one more film Wick is Pain will arrive on PVOD on Friday Posted in: Lionsgate, Movies | Tagged: wick is pain Wick is Pain is a new documentary set to be released later this week that explores the origins of the John Wick franchise and some quotes from everyone involved with the documentary talking about the project Wick is Pain is directed by Jeffrey Doe It will screen exclusively at Beyond Fest at the American Cinematheque on May 8 and will be available to buy on digital platforms where movies are purchased "I'm excited to share and be a part of taking fans behind the curtain on the extraordinary journey of making the John Wick films," said Keanu Reeves "We had an idea for a low-budget independent movie it's hard to believe what that idea became It's the fans that embraced the movie that made it all possible—and made all the pain a pleasure." "We have never worked harder on any movie than we have on the John Wick series Producing a movie is always long hours and stressful times but John Wick turned that up to the max—and because we survived that's what made the movies so gratifying." "It's safe to say that John Wick changed our lives We had been waiting for the opportunity to show our vision of what action filmmaking could be and this film and this character gave us that opportunity Chad's only guidance was 'Keep it honest.' The bold candor from Chad and the rest of the Wick team was incredible unflinching take on the costs of sticking to your guns to achieve an artistic vision It's been a privilege to share their remarkable story of pain and triumph in a way that I hope it captivates John Wick fans everywhere!" "I met Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski 27 years ago in a dilapidated warehouse in Burbank where they trained daily for a 'sci-fi movie' that ended up being The Matrix I've been fortunate enough to have a front-row seat to a masterclass in filmmaking—and the decades of hard work and resilience that built the icon that is John Wick and the rest of the Wick team for letting us tell their story." said "The phenomenal success of the John Wick franchise demonstrates what happens when filmmakers deliver everything fans wish for in a movie viewing experience: emotionally impactful storytelling one of the most beloved actors of his generation and a next-level approach to every aspect of filmmaking I am so excited for our fans to get this unprecedented glimpse into the incredible story of how those ingredients came together to form the franchise they know and love." A Caithness war veteran with a passion for remembrance and spirituality embarks on a poignant cycling journey through the battlefields of the Netherlands this weekend as part of a fundraising effort for the Royal British Legion A former frontline soldier who served in Afghanistan the 46-year-old has made it his mission in recent years to channel his own battles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression into a force for good — on two wheels Ex-soldier from Wick ‘deeply touched’ by Normandy cycling experience Breezy conditions as just two riders break 30 minutes in Wick 10-mile TT Ex-soldier Kev set for 475-mile charity cycling challenge “This is the third year I’ve taken part in one of the historical cycles for the Royal British Legion,” Kev said “It started after I broke my leg a few years ago I had to reassess what I could do physically and cycling became a kind of therapy for me.” who now studies Christian Theology at UHI’s Highland Theological College in Dingwall combines his fitness efforts with a deepening spiritual journey and a commitment to community service He regularly leads sermons as a lay preacher across rural Caithness and shares his experiences with congregations in the East of Caithness Church in Wick A committee member and flag-bearer for Legion Scotland’s Wick Kev’s first two historical cycles took him through the battle-scarred landscapes of Normandy and first of all In 2023, the Pedal to Ypres event saw the British Legion group cycle 300 miles acrosssix days visiting battlefield sites and cemeteries in northern France and Belgium Kev was the only participant from Scotland among the group of around 40 who cycled to locations such as Arras ALSO READ: Cycle tour of war sites 'a very emotional experience' for ex-soldier Kev The following year in Normandy, he joined riders on a 218-mile route over three days in mid-July to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and collectively raised more than £188,000 for the Legion ALSO READ: Ex-soldier from Wick ‘deeply touched’ by Normandy cycling experience these trips laid the groundwork for this year’s journey through the Netherlands on the eve of the 80th anniversary of VE-Day he will spend three days in the saddle as he visits the “cycling capital of the world” while immersing himself in Allied Forces’ history and Dutch culture “Each of the cycles we do is educational and therapeutic There’s a historian with us who brings the war stories to life as we stop at the battlefields and grave sites,” Kev explained and their ages – some barely out of their teens – and it hits home “I reflect on that dash between their birth and death on their grave and what it represents It’s the culmination of a whole life and their commitment on the battlefield.” This year’s route will take Kev through key Dutch locations that were part of the liberation efforts at the close of the Second World War The Netherlands was liberated just before VE-Day and the group of cyclists will be retracing the steps of Allied forces including the paratroopers who helped free Dutch towns from occupation “The good thing about Holland is it’s nice and flat – and the cycling lanes are brilliant and there’s a real respect for cycling there.” Kev last week took part in the Etape Loch Ness which he uses each year as preparation for these longer charity rides my physical health and my spiritual health are all intertwined,” he said I have faith in God and for me that’s the backbone for everything “Learning at the college has been really profound It’s helped me understand the bible and the word of God Kev’s connection with the East of Caithness Church has played a key role in his fundraising with monthly church collections supporting various causes he uses photographs and personal reflections to engage parishioners many of whom have direct family ties to wartime service Kev will undertake a two-week work placement in Wiltshire as part of his theology degree “I think it’s important to show people that they don’t need to feel imprisoned by their mind,” he adds To support Kev’s fundraising efforts this weekend and help him meet his £1900, visit his donation page at royalbritishlegion.enthuse.com/pf/kevstewart An Orkney man's trial on a series of charges couldn't be fixed at Wick Sheriff Court on Wednesday as a key police witness is recovering from a broken leg sustained in the line of duty possession of knives and cocaine and failing to provide police with a sample as a drug-driving suspect The offences are alleged to have occurred in Kirkwall on the ferry from Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope The case was continued to May 14 for a progress report on the police officer has retained solicitor Fiona MacDonald to fight his case Police reported on the “unexplained” sudden death of a 53-year-old man in Wick this morning (May 1) A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 10.50am on Thursday officers were called to the North Murchison Street area of Wick following the death of a 53-year-old man “His death is being treated as unexplained but there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances “A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.” You can find him at Threads @mickmartin182 In 2023, "John Wick: Chapter 4" introduced us to a bunch of new characters in the "Wick" universe, include Rina Sawayama's Akira, fierce daughter of Shimazu Koji (Hiroyuki Sanada). Now, Variety has confirmed that Sawayama will reprise her role as Akira in the upcoming spinoff "Caine" Read More: Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock Reunite for Romantic Thriller "Caine" will star and be directed by Donnie Yen who likewise made his "Wick" debut in "John Wick: Chapter 4" There is still no official logline for the film but it is reportedly being billed as a Hong Kong-style action thriller and will take place after the events of "John Wick: Chapter 4" with Yen's Caine no longer owing anything to the High Table "Rina is such a badass," said "John Wick" director Chad Stahelski "I love what she did with this role in 'Chapter 4' and can't wait to see her cross paths with Caine once again." "Most delighted to welcome Rina back into this new exciting journey with us," said Yen "It will be my pleasure and attempt to elevate her amazing character that left us mesmerized from 'John Wick: Chapter 4'!" chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group "'John Wick: Chapter 4' introduced us to so many compelling We're beyond thrilled to have Rina coming back to the franchise—Caine and Akira have unfinished business and this next chapter in their stories will be explosive." "Rina will be a tremendous addition to this film and we're excited to be returning to Caine's corner of the John Wick Universe as we start production soon," said producer Basil Iwanyk The world of "John Wick" is expanding quickly with the first spinoff film the documentary "Wick Is Pain" becomes available on digital chronicling the making of "John Wick" and how a single indie action film became a popular cinematic universe Keanu Reeves will be reprising his titular role in "John Wick: Chapter 5" with Stahelski once more returning to direct and the expansion of the "Wick" Universe doesn't end with films Along with the already released 2023 miniseries "The Continental" the series "John Wick: Under the High Table" is on the way Set after the events of "John Wick: Chapter 4" 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Reveals Fiery First Look at Zoe Saldana Documentary Details the Shocking Rise of Keanu Reeves 'John Wick' Series A man who missed three appointments with a social worker has been warned that putting him in jail might be the only way to complete a background report. Alan Barton (55) appeared at Wick Sheriff Court to answer about the missed appointments. The social worker had wanted to discuss an assessment requirement as part of a background report called for, previously, after the accused admitted threatening or abusive behaviour towards his partner. The incident occurred during a journey the couple made between Halkirk and Wick, on February 10. During the trip, Barton, said to have been under the influence of alcohol, used “insulting language” towards the woman. He also twice breached a condition of his bail not to contact her and was warned by a different sheriff that a third time would mean a prison sentence. Sheriff Gordon Lamont told Barton, of Barrogill Street, Wick: “The flavour I am getting is that you are not cooperating. You are shaking your head, but on three occasions you have not turned up without explanation. The court’s patience is getting worn. “I will continue the case for two weeks for a new appointment to be made in the hope that you will attend. If you don’t, the matter will come back to this court. “One option might be to remand you, so that we will be sure of getting the report, but I will give you one more chance.” Barton, who has an offending record, will return to court for sentence on May 14. You do not wanna let him down."Play“When we say John Wick is pain it’s kind of like a ‘fuck yeah.’” So declares Keanu Reeves in Wick is Pain an upcoming documentary about the John Wick franchise that will be available on dgital on May 9 IGN can exclusively reveal the trailer for the film and more cast and crew who have worked on the four films (You can watch the trailer via the player above or the embed below.) Wick is Pain utilizes never-before-seen footage shot over a decade both on and off the set of the Wick films The doc also chronicles the travails of the very first John Wick movie from 2014 a small indie film plagued by financier problems that got shut down at one point You do not wanna let him down,” Stahelski recalled in the trailer about the dire straits the first movie found itself in “I don’t know how you find six and a half million dollars by Monday,” producer David Leitch said Fellow producer Basil Iwanyk was even more blunt: “I took money out of my house (John Wick’s savior turned out to be actress Eva Longoria who invested the $6 million necessary to resume production.) John Wick ultimately spawned a billion-dollar franchise an upcoming documentary about the franchise featuring new interviews with Reeves but I almost fell asleep watching John Wick 4 It's three hours of fight scene after fight scene after fight scene with almost no story And you know Wick is going to win every fight Agree with a sentiment I've seen elsewhere this used to be something that was included on the DVD as a bonus feature I like this series but they're really milking it now he's a parody of a parody of “occasional one word Keanu.” There’s NOTHING to invest in They're campy stupidity that sucks the fun out of that camp by painstakingly take themselves very seriously 🙄 And the action is so tedious like a video game played in godmode against endless waves of faceless enemies.…which maybe would have worked if they didn’t pretend it was all serious and weighty the good ol' days when this was a one-and-done movie with a shoestring budget not the bloated neo-noir nonsense it is today  Perthshire farmer and legendary agricultural comedian Jim Smith is bound for Caithness next month to perform at Wick Assembly Rooms on May 31st The post-lambing event promises to be a great night out and is the fourth date of Jim’s very well received #KeepTalking Highlands and Islands tour in partnership with Scottish agricultural support charity RSABI Jim will be supported live on stage at Wick by well-known local singer Lisa Douglas who is from a farming background and very much looking forward to sharing the stage with Jim RSABI’s #KeepTalking initiative aims to encourage those living and working in Scottish agricultural communities to reach out and connect with friends family and neighbours and look after their own mental health The gig will be an opportunity to relax and connect with friends and family – comparing notes of the highs and lows of farming over the busy spring work period while enjoying a combination of comedy and great music as well as supporting RSABI with 10% of each £20 ticket sale going to the charity said: “I’ve never performed in Wick before but have wanted to for a long time so we are really looking forward to heading north next month “We’re delighted with how the #KeepTalking tour is going and it is great to be able to share a powerful message to promote good mental health and remind everyone that no matter how busy we are it is vital to find time to check in on others especially if we think someone might be feeling low or lonely “Having been an RSABI ambassador for five years I am very aware of the great work they do and the tour is a great opportunity to remind farming folk about the services they offer and their 24/7 Helpline – 0808 1234 555.” said: “We’re really pleased with the reception we received for our previous three events on Skye and Orkney and we’re so grateful to Jim for putting on another great night of entertainment in Caithness Our thanks also to the team at Wick Assembly Rooms for being so helpful and supportive and also to singer Lisa Douglas who will join Jim on the stage “We hope the night in Wick will be a great opportunity to get out take a break and get together after such a busy period of lambing and spring work.” Jim Smith will be performing alongside Lisa Douglas on Saturday, May 31st at Wick Assembly Rooms, Sinclair Terrace, Wick KW1 5AB. Tickets (18 years and over) cost £20, plus booking fee, with 10% donated to RSABI and can be purchased via EventBrite More information on the event and ticket purchase can be found on the RSABI website at www.rsabi.org.uk RSABI offers free practical, financial, and emotional support including counselling services, delivered quickly after receiving the initial enquiry. Its free confidential support service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, by calling 0808 1234 555 (calls won’t show up on phone bills) or through a confidential webchat service, available on RSABI’s website www.rsabi.org.uk.  RSABI are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data that we maintain about you. As part of GDPR we would like to verify that you are happy to receive marketing emails from us about our activities and how we continue to help people in Scottish agriculture. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. View our Privacy Policy in full Website Powered by T'Go Creative UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre is arguably one of the greatest fighters of all time after a legendary career inside the Octagon. But his success likely wouldn’t’ve produced the same results without his star-studded team at Tristar Gym, led by top-tier coach Firas Zahabi Zahabi is known for his unorthodox training methods and slew of top talent he’s helped grow inside the gym, including his younger brother Aiemann, who returns at UFC 315 later this month against Jose Aldo not all of his techniques have been learned and perfected solely inside the gym’s walls Actor Keanu Reeves is one of the most successful action stars to hit the big screen after memorable performances in ‘The Matrix’ and the ‘John Wick’ movie franchise His movies are known to include high-octane drama and action and he’s trained in some martial arts during his film career to pull off his own stunts one of Reeves’s on-screen techniques came from Tristar During a recent upload to the Tristar Gym YouTube channel I used to rush people punching and kicking and then whenever they would grab a hold of me it appears Zahabi’s claims aren’t from a hostile side and Reeves hasn’t responded to Zahabi’s remarks Reeves has attended several high-profile UFC events including multiple International Fight Week cards in Las Vegas As Zahabi prepares his brother and other gym members for their upcoming fights, St-Pierre remains sidelined from combat sports, and a fighting return is unlikely. But St-Pierre keeps a keen eye on what’s happening in MMA, including the ongoing Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall saga Since Jones defended the UFC heavyweight title in November, discussions of a potential super fight with Aspinall haven’t slowed down. Aspinall is the UFC’s longest-reigning interim titleholder, stemming from his knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 Emergency services were called to the scene of the crash on the B874 near to Watten Cemetery on Wednesday. Emergency services were called to the scene of the crash on the B874 near to Watten Cemetery at around 10.25pm on Wednesday. The incident involved a grey Yamaha motorcycle and a red Renault Clio. The rider of the motorbike, an 18-year-old man, was taken to Caithness General Hospital where he later died. The driver and passenger of the car were uninjured. The road was closed while investigations were ongoing and re-opened about 6.55am on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Police Scotland is urging anyone with information regarding the crash to come forward. Sergeant Calum MacAulay, of Road Policing North, said: “Our inquiries are continuing to understand the full circumstances of what happened. Sadly, the male motorcyclist died, and our thoughts are with his family and friends. “I would ask anyone who may have seen either the car or the motorbike prior to the crash, or who may have dash-cam footage to contact us as soon as possible. “Anyone with information should call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 4119 of Wednesday, April 30, 2025.” STV News is now on WhatsAppGet all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Follow STV News on WhatsAppScan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country '+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text+' "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title+" "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text+" Have you ever wanted to go behind the scenes of a John Wick movie To celebrate what Keanu Reeves and the cast and crew have created over a decade we’ve been given the opportunity to explore the mythology of John Wick through an exciting new documentary that’ll be airing digitally on May 9th Wick is Pain will feature interviews with Reeves and more cast and crew members who helped bring the Baba Yaga to life Wick is Pain will include never-before-seen footage shot across all four films showcasing the evolution from a small indie film to a mega crowd-pleasing blockbuster Will you be watching the documentary when it airs? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to check out more from the world of John Wick right here He has a BA in Media Studies and is currently doing an MA in Media & Communication He has been a comic book and film fan ever since he was little when his dad used to take him out of school to go and see the latest superhero/blockbuster movie You must be logged in to post a comment A sheriff has ordered the arrests of two key witnesses who failed to turn up for a jury trial which had to be postponed who is facing charges including abduction and serious assault was called at Wick Sheriff Court on Monday fiscal depute Ruairidh McAllister advised Sheriff Gordon Lamont: “The Crown is unable to proceed.” Mr McAlister explained that efforts to trace one of the missing witnesses The fiscal depute said that police had been carrying out checks during the past fortnight and visited an address in Aberdeen the occupants had only been there a month and knew nothing about Miller Mr McAllister added: “Her present whereabouts are unknown I cannot see she will be traced for this matter to proceed this week.” The other missing witness was Andrew Harper He was also required to attend but failed to do so was granted bail to an address in Kessock Avenue are alleged to have taken place at two Wick houses He has also pleaded not guilty to a further charge of threatening or abusive conduct refusing to leave a house in Glamis Road when requested by police officers uttering threats of violence while holding a shard of glass and causing the street to be cordoned off and a firearms incident to be actioned The former Wick High School site is finally under new ownership after being sold at auction for £76,000 The Caithness school campus went under the hammer after lying deserted and deteriorating for eight years complete with C-listed old buildings and a number of more modern blocks was offered for sale at the much higher sum of £250,000 it was listed by Auction House Scotland with a knock-down guide price of £55,000 The West Bank Avenue campus eventually sold  for £21,000 above the guide price during an online auction The identity of the new owners remains unclear the campus provides plenty of development opportunities including four teaching blocks dating back to the 1960s and the main two-storey C-listed school building Auctioneers have suggested several uses for the land ranging from a new housing development to a commercial venture The campus was decommissioned back in 2017 following the construction of a new Wick Community Campus Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments who captivated audiences with her breakout performance as Akira in "John Wick: Chapter 4" is officially set to return to the action-packed world of the "John Wick" franchise Lionsgate has announced that Sawayama will once again portray the fan-favorite assassin in the upcoming "Caine" spinoff film starring and directed by legendary martial arts icon Donnie Yen The announcement was made today by Adam Fogelson Sawayama's return marks the continuation of a storyline that resonated with fans in "Chapter 4" where her character Akira was introduced as a fierce and emotionally complex figure within the broader "John Wick" universe Her compelling performance and action scenes quickly established her as a standout among the film's new characters "John Wick: Chapter 4 introduced us to so many compelling We're beyond thrilled to have Rina coming back to the franchise- Caine and Akira have unfinished business and this next chapter in their stories will be explosive," said Fogelson The new "Caine" feature will dive deeper into the personal arc of Yen's titular character a blind High Table assassin who found himself caught between duty and personal redemption in "Chapter 4" Now free from his obligations to the High Table Caine's journey continues in a narrative that promises intense action and new dimensions of the "John Wick" universe Production on the film is slated to begin in Hong Kong later this year and is being backed by a seasoned team of franchise veterans Producing are Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee of Thunder Road whose producing credits span all four "John Wick" films the longtime architect behind the "John Wick" films' signature style will also produce via his 87Eleven Entertainment banner and we're excited to be returning to Caine's corner of the John Wick Universe as we start production soon," said Iwanyk Stahelski praised Sawayama's performance and her potential impact on the next installment I love what she did with this role in Chapter 4 and can't wait to see her cross paths with Caine once again,*" he shared who brought gravitas and nuance to the role of Caine expressed his enthusiasm for reuniting with Sawayama on screen who will also serve as executive producer in addition to directing aims to bring his signature stylistic flair to the project “Most delighted to welcome Rina back into this new It will be my pleasure and attempt to elevate her amazing character that left us mesmerized from John Wick: Chapter 4!” he said The screenplay is currently being developed by Mattson Tomlin known for his work on "The Batman Part II" and "BRZRKR" based on a previous draft by Robert Askins the film is confirmed to pick up after the events of "John Wick: Chapter 4" continuing the narrative threads of both Caine and Akira in a standalone story that promises to expand the franchise's mythos Next on the slate for the franchise is "Ballerina" starring Ana de Armas as a deadly assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma Directed by Len Wiseman and written by Shay Hatten (based on characters created by Derek Kolstad) "Ballerina" is scheduled for release on June 6 Lionsgate has revealed development on an animated "John Wick" feature to be directed by Shannon Tindle and written by Vanessa Taylor and a fifth "John Wick" installment is currently in early development.   Support Independent Journalism: Your contribution helps us deliver the unbiased Join us in keeping journalism accessible to all FlickDirect™ is your go-to source for all things entertainment AN 18-YEAR-OLD biker has died following a horror crash near a Scots cemetary Emergency crews raced to the scene in Wick The alarm was raised following a collision between a grey Yamaha motorcycle and a red Renault Clio on the B874 near to Watten Cemetery The male motorcyclist was rushed to Caithness General Hospital where he later died The driver and passenger of the car were uninjured Police have urged anyone with information or dashcam footage to get in touch. Sergeant Calum MacAulay of Road Policing North said: “Our inquiries are continuing to understand the full circumstances of what happened. "Sadly, the male motorcyclist died, and our thoughts are with his family and friends. or who may have dash-cam footage to contact us as soon as possible “Anyone with information should call Police Scotland on 101 Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click here Every Celeb at Met Gala 2025 - See All Red Carpet Photos & Full Guest List (Updating Live All Night) Lily James & Dominic Cooper Look Elated to Run In to One Another, Share Some Sweet Exchanges NFL's Joe Burrow Fuels Romance Rumors with This Model and there’s an exciting casting update Caine is also being directed by Donnie Yen He will also serve as an executive producer on the project The movie goes into production later this year “Rina is such a bada–. I love what she did with this role in Chapter 4 and can’t wait to see her cross paths with Caine once again,” said producer Chad Stahelski Donnie added: “Most delighted to welcome Rina back into this new exciting journey with us It will be my pleasure and attempt to elevate her amazing character that left us mesmerized from John Wick: Chapter 4!” The film is described as “an Hong Kong-style action thriller much like those that made Yen famous,” with the latest screenplay written by The Batman Part II scribe Mattson Tomlin It will follow the events of John Wick: Chapter 4 as Caine has been freed from his obligations to the High Table “John Wick: Chapter 4 introduced us to so many compelling We’re beyond thrilled to have Rina coming back to the franchise—Caine and Akira have unfinished business and this next chapter in their stories will be explosive,” said Adam Fogelson Find out who else is coming back to the franchise! 2025 3:37 PM EDTAvid fans of the John Wick movie franchise have even more reason to be excited after recently learning that John Wick 5 is officially in development An upcoming behind-the-scenes documentary entitled Wick Is Pain is set to release on May 9, and with that comes an intriguing trailer that offers never-before-seen footage in what can probably be best described as "chaotic" about a beloved Keanu Reeves film that almost never happened The trailer for the documentary features some pretty eye-opening commentary from John Wick director Chad Stahelski as well as key producers who faced budget issues that appeared to have the movie's fate hanging by a thread One of the more telling quotes from the trailer regarding whether or not the movie would even resonate with the audience "Is this f------ terrible?" Reaves asks at the 1:43 mark of the clip right after the Hollywood "no-no" of killing a dog in a movie was discussed "We were a tiny little movie," a producer stated at one point in the trailer I don't know how you find six-and-a-half million dollars by Monday." but even in the relatively brief video—as compared to the documentary's full running time of 80 minutes—the stress in making the film feels very much conveyed "We have never worked harder on any movie than we have on the John Wick series," said producer Basil Iwanyk "Producing a movie is always long hours and stressful times but John Wick turned that up to the max — and because we survived that's what made the movies so gratifying." Iwanyk saying the actors and crew "survived" making John Wick kind of sums up everyone's stress-cooker of an experience throughout the trailer paired with the glaring last-minute budget concerns "It's safe to say that John Wick changed our lives for everyone involved," Leitch shared "We had been waiting for the opportunity to show our vision of what action filmmaking could be The Wick is Pain documentary is already available for pre-order purchases on platforms like Amazon Prime but otherwise will be digitally released on May 9 following its exclusive screening at "Beyond Fest" at the American Cinematheque on May 8 "I'm excited to share and be a part of taking fans behind the curtain on the extraordinary journey of making the John Wick films," Reeves said of Wick is Pain ‘Caine’: Rina Sawayama Returns As Badass Akira In ‘John Wick’ Spinoff Directed By Donnie Yen Rian Johnson Counters Netflix CEO’s Comments On “Outdated” Theatrical Model: “Theatrical Is Not Going Anywhere” ‘Together’ Trailer: NEON’s Buzzy Horror Flick Heads To Theaters July 30 Marvel Officially Announces ‘Thunderbolts*’ Real Title Is ‘The New Avengers’ ‘American Psycho’: Chloë Sevigny & Patrick Schwarzenegger Want In On Luca Guadagnino Remake 16 Must-See Films To Watch In May:  ‘Thunderbolts*,’ ‘Phoenician Scheme,’ ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ & More 10 Must-Watch TV Shows In May: ‘Poker Face,’ ‘Dept. Q,’ ‘Murderbot’ & More ‘Thunderbolts*’ Review: Marvel’s Shamed Misfits Defeat Self-Doubt & Find Their Heroic Purpose ‘Andor’ Season 2: Tony Gilroy Talks Emotional Consequences, Expanding Rebellion & Why He’s Done With ‘Star Wars’ [The Rogue Ones Podcast] ‘The Pitt’ Review: Max’s Engrossing Medical Drama Is ‘ER’ Meets ‘24’ With A Little ‘Industry’ ‘Poker Face’ Season 2 Review: Natasha Lyonne’s Detective Series Takes Big Swings With Absurdist Mysteries ‘The Gilded Age’ Trailer: Love Conquers All or Costs Everything In Season 3 ‘Shogun,’ ‘Baby Reindeer,’ ‘Fantasmas’ Top 2025 Peabody Awards Winners Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Will Start The ‘Wicked For Good’ Promo Campaign On ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ ‘Havoc’: Gareth Evans Talks Tom Hardy, Virtual Cameras, Christmas Violence & The Possibility Of ‘The Raid 3’ [The Discourse Podcast] Patti LuPone Revisits An Emotional ‘Agatha All Along’ Journey And, Yes, She Really Does Love The New ‘Sunset Boulevard’ Exclusive: Lydia B. Kollins On Her “Automatic Yes” To ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ ‘Salvable’ Review: Toby Kebbell & Shia LaBeouf Can’t Help This Boxing Drama To Feel Original ‘Electra’ ‘Review: Maria Bakalova, Daryl Wein Star In A Genre-Confused Romp With Little To Say ‘Havoc’ Review: Tom Hardy & Director Gareth Evans Deliver Maximum Sicko Mode Chaos In Slight, But Entertaining Cop Thriller ‘MobLand’: Tom Hardy On Shakespearean Gangsters, ‘Havoc,’ & Why The Spider-Man/Venom Team-Up Never Happened [Bingeworthy Podcast] ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Teaser Trailer: Spike Lee’s A24 Cannes-Bound Ransom Thriller Stars Denzel Washington ‘Sally’ Trailer: Acclaimed Sundance Doc About Trailblazing First Woman To Blast Into Space [Ned] ‘Everything’s Going To Be Great’ Trailer: Bryan Cranston & Allison Janney Star In A Show Business Dramedy Premiering At Tribeca Tony Awards 2025: George Clooney, Cole Escola, Sarah Snook, Nicole Scherzinger, Sadie Sink Land Nominations ‘Adolescence,’ ‘The Pitt’ & ‘Dying For Sex’ Top 2025 Gotham Television Awards Nominations Halle Berry, Jeremy Strong, Alba Rohrwacher Join 2025 Cannes Film Festival Jury During the big studio and exhibitor event of CinemaCon in April, Lionsgate announced that action star Donnie Yen (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) would be directing his “John Wick” spinoff “Caine,” with a script from screenwriter Mattson Tomlin (“The Batman Part II”) as the Hong Kong-set pic has landed another “John Wick 4” actor given how in-flux these “John Wick” projects are it wasn’t automatic that Sawayama would end up in the shooting version of “Caine” until this casting update READ MORE: ‘John Wick’: Donnie Yen To Direct Hong Kong-Set ‘Caine’ Spinoff With Script From ‘The Batman Part II’ Writer [CinemaCon] Another neat element is that Lionsgate is launching sales at the Cannes Film Market this month as the studio is likely seeking international partners It will be my pleasure and attempt to elevate her amazing character that left us mesmerized from ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’!” Yen said in a statement It’s unknown if Akira will indeed take on a main antagonist role or simply be one of many as Caine is expected to see his own hero’s journey in the form of a film highly influenced by the Hong Kong action/crime genres from notable names like John Woo Yen isn’t a stranger to directing himself or action projects having previously helmed movies like “The Prosecutor” and “Sakra.” who is also writing Reeves and Justin Lin‘s “BRZRKR,” is working from a previous draft of the script by Robert Askins Support independent movie journalism to keep it alive. Sign up for The Playlist Newsletter. All the content you want and, oh, right, it’s free While we can’t say if Keanu Reeves will show up as Wick in “Caine” like he does in “Ballerina” this June. But Lionsgate has announced “John Wick 5” is in active development with franchise director Chad Stahelski and Reeves returning Making it extremely possible that Wick’s off-screen death was a possible fake-out allowing him to do more cameos in these spinoffs and we’ll likely learn more casting additions with production said to be gearing up “soon.” 😎⚔️https://t.co/eYjsGtb0F9 Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" The Playlist is a leading film and television website critical takes and more for the film community at large from moviegoers to entertainment industry players to the modern-day binge-happy viewer Growing in reach over the last eight years in all forms of destination traffic and social media our loyal audience looks to The Playlist as an ahead-of-the-curve tastemaker for celebrating both contemporary and new cinematic voices Contact us: [email protected] © Copyright - ThePlaylist.net All Rights Reserved A lifeboat volunteer from Wick who begged for a second chance has been told to stay away from his former partner had earlier admitted to sending repeated messages to his now ex-girlfriend when he could not accept things were over He would send messages to her friends and even her son requesting them to pass on notes asking her to reconcile following a deferment for background reports on his circumstances Macalpine was admonished for his behaviour had a 14-month relationship with his victim between 2023 and 2024 fiscal depute Shay Treanor said it was only “shortly afterwards” that his campaign to win her back began “Mr Macalpine began to contact numerous associates of [her] The messages were all of a similar nature,” he said “They were asking [her] son or colleague to contact her and ask her to reconcile the relationship “[She] was made aware of the messages from somebody she didn’t know As a result of being made aware of the messages she forwarded matters to the police.” Mr Treanor added Macalpine’s ex was “extremely supportive” of a non-harassment order being granted said the lifeboat volunteer meant no malice in his messaging “I start my submission by acknowledging on his behalf that it was entirely his fault that the relationship came to end He’s expressed regret and sorrow in terms of the report “Each individual message taken in isolation really wouldn’t have caused any harm It just wasn’t taking ‘no’ but he acknowledges it clearly would have caused irritation and upset to the lady.” “He’s learned his lesson,” Mr Cruickshank added Sheriff David Harvie said he was “content” a non-harassment order would be the appropriate disposal in the case and admonished him – delivering no further punishment which prevents Macalpine from contacting or attempting to contact his former partner Shan Ally PETE Wicks and new love interest Samantha Kenny were spotted partying at Olivia Attwood's 34th birthday last night The Sun revealed that Love Island's Samantha, 27, is dating ex Towie lothario Pete, 37, just weeks after his split from Maura Higgins And now Pete has introduced Samantha to his circle of pals including his KISS radio co-star Olivia and best mate Sam Thompson Samantha looked glamorous in a chocolate brown off-the-shoulder maxi dress at swanky restaurant Bacchanalia in Mayfair She made it a mission to run around swiping the Labubu dolls that had been scattered around the venue The Liverpudlian took to her Instagram story to share snaps of her posing on the staircase and in front of a mirror she filmed herself having a good time with his pals The Sun revealed that Samantha and Pete's met on the showbiz party circuit after the make-up artist shot to fame on last summer’s series of the ITV dating show, where she coupled up with Joey Essex Just days after it was revealed Pete’s best mate Sam Thompson was also seeing a former Islander — Samie Elishi, who was also at the bash and was spotted enjoying a steamy kiss after. A source said: “Pete and Samantha have gone on a few dates and have really hit it off. Samantha and Pete were spotted hugging outside Mayfair’s Amazonico club at the end of March She was dumped by Joey on Love Island when bombshell Grace Jackson entered the Majorca villa Pete’s break-up with Maura in February made waves after she accused him of cheating The source added: “Samantha is a fresh start for Pete.” Samantha's time on Love Island ended in tears when Joey Essex dumped her for Grace Jackson. Sam got her revenge when she was invited back to the villa alongside a group of dumped islanders to vote one couple out before the final She confronted Joey and told him: "You were lying to my face for two weeks "You saying to me we were one of the strongest couples in here and saying that you liked me as much as I liked you but then saying to Grace it was a friendship couple." Joey tried to defend himself and said: "We were in a friendship couple," to which Samantha fired back: "We went on a date I don't know why you're saying that." While it was reported that Pete has “moved on and couldn’t care less” about ex Maura The pair were in a blossoming relationship and she even spoke about him in the I'm A Celebrity jungle before they dramatically split up two months later Maura then branded Pete a cheater after it was revealed in February that they had called time on their romance Since then, Maura made headlines after The Sun spotted her kissing married McFly star Danny Jones at the BRITs Danny later released a statement on social media apologising to his family - while Maura's ex Pete took a swipe at her Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ A Wick man has admitted an assault in which he used a piece of wood George Newlands will be sentenced next month at Wick Sheriff Court The 51-year-old was said to have repeatedly punched a man and struck him with the weapon to his severe injury who noted that Newlands was currently subject to a community payback order He will consider it on May 27 before passing sentence Indie Spotlight | Knights in Tight Spaces makes me feel brilliant and dumb in equal measure but I just can't stop smashing heads either way a burly strongwoman leading a party of medieval mercenaries in endless battles against ruffian rogues and sorcerous ne'er-do-wells for gold and glory Her ability to bare-knuckle brawl is governed by a deck of cards and I'm doing everything I can to draw Head Smash every time the 10 damage plus 1 damage per combo is nice but I keep using it just because it feels cool to slam heads against walls and tables Knights in Tight Spaces is a deckbuilding tactics game and if the idea of a turn-based strategy title where your cards determine what hand-to-hand moves you can use sounds familiar you might've played the previous game from developer Ground Shelter appropriately titled Knights in Tight Spaces trades the slick action film aesthetics for a fantasy vibe while keeping the deckbuilder-meets-tactics game basics intact Knights in Tight Spaces might feel like little more than a medieval reskin of its predecessor But Knights in Tight Spaces ups the ante with aspects you can't help but compare to Dungeons & Dragons there's now a whole playable party of heroes Controlling a whole group of heroes at once makes the battles exponentially more complex but equally it's that much more satisfying when you put together a massive party-wide combo that absolutely wrecks the enemy Each battle in Knights in Tight Spaces takes place on a single-screen tile-based board representing a location like a tavern or a stable you draw a hand of cards that let you move and attack and you can spend momentum – a resource that refreshes every turn – or combo points – which build up as you attack – to deploy these cards in the fight Some cards have straightforward effects like "deal X damage" or "move X spaces," but most create more unique outcomes A sweeping kick will deal less damage than most attacks but it'll leave the enemy prone and unable to attack next round You can use the shift card to move in a straight line but you can also use it to slip to the far side of an enemy and it makes for a very useful escape when you're cornered the grapple card can let you strong-arm an enemy into a useful position but you can also use it on an ally to quickly yank them out of harm's way The positional game here especially is an absolute delight and dodging their attacks to the degree that they start beating up each other is incredibly satisfying The levels are built such that they keep widening the list of possibilities and enticing windows to kick the bad guys through It gets even more satisfying once you start lining up combos for your whole party to take part in An attack on a bad guy will trigger follow-up combo moves from relevant allies whether that's a nearby brawler who'll take a free melee attack or an arrow shot from a distant archer who can take a straight-line shot halfway across the room The key limitation on your party is that you move every member with the same limited hand of cards each turn Did you burn a movement card to move your brawler into position to drop kick that opposing mage into oblivion Now that card is no longer an option to get your own spellcaster out of imminent danger All these layered systems help keep the battles engaging There are plenty of difficulty options to help mitigate the pure challenge if you want that but the game demands a cognitive investment from you that's going to keep expanding I like tactics games and I'm generally decent at recognizing the consequences of my actions but Knights in Tight Spaces has so much to keep track of that I've regularly found myself committing to a move and immediately regretting it because of some reactive effect I've completely forgotten about for as much fun as I've been having with Knights in Tight Spaces I'm finding myself thinking its predecessor – which focuses on just a single playable combatant with a single loadout of moves – might ultimately be more my speed far from finding Knights' complexity frustrating I'm fascinated by how its systems fit together Knights in Tight Spaces has kept orbiting in my brain even when I'm not playing it Was I right to build a varied party of balanced classes the first time around Or should I centralize around an all-brawler party so that I can prune my deck down to just the cards that best suit them How would I best position my party to get a full The fact that these questions are lingering in my head is probably the best indicator of a great deckbuilder and even if I might need the training wheels of its simpler predecessor for now you better believe I'm coming back to Knights in Tight Spaces so I can answer these questions once I've fully grokked the essentials Knights in Tight Spaces is out now on PC. For more, check out our Indie Spotlight series He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015 then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming or a long haul in American Truck Simulator you will then be prompted to enter your display name Regular users of the Wick/Aberdeen air link are having to put up with a “second-class” service Comments on a recently launched Facebook group include concerns that flights to and from Wick John O’Groats Airport are “treated as an afterthought” by Eastern Airways with the needs of Caithness travellers “consistently sidelined” in favour of more lucrative routes in the south Flights were reinstated in April 2022 under a public service obligation (PSO) funded by the Scottish Government at £1 million a year and Highland Council with a £300,000 annual contribution. A continuation of government funding into the financial year 2025/26 was announced last month Jacqueline Innes created a Facebook group to bring together statistics and passenger experiences after a catalogue of complaints about delays and late cancellations Her group, Eastern Airways – Caithness Tracker She and her husband Ian are regular users of the Wick/Aberdeen service Mrs Innes has reported growing concerns from regular users particularly in light of the latest timetable changes and “ongoing issues with reliability” Less than a fortnight after the Scottish Government funding announcement a revised timetable came into effect with Monday and Friday morning flights dropped from the schedule Councillor Raymond Bremner, the Highland Council leader and chairman of the Wick John O’Groats Airport Working Group, said last week the changes had been made “in order to ensure the continued sustainability of the route” It means the service continues to operate six days per week but now with a single return flight on all weekdays as well as Sundays said: “There’s a strong feeling locally that this PSO-supported route is being treated as an afterthought by Eastern Airways with the needs of Caithness travellers consistently sidelined in favour of the airline’s more commercially attractive routes.” She summarised a number of points raised by regular passengers saying: “I hope they help illustrate the level of frustration and the real-world impact these changes are having on those who rely on this service.” • “The Wick/Aberdeen route appears to be sandwiched between Eastern Airways’ more lucrative routes (for example Humberside and Teesside) both of which have more convenient flight times despite not being subsidised through a PSO.” • “Wick/Aberdeen is being allocated less favourable timings suggesting the schedule is being designed to prioritise Eastern Airways’ commercial routes over public service obligations.” • “This leaves Caithness passengers feeling like a second-class priority despite public funds supporting the route.” • “There is increasing frustration that Eastern Airways continues to receive £1.3 million in PSO funding inconvenient timings and frequent cancellations – prompting many to question whether the public is receiving value for money from this contract.” • “If there are delays to the Humberside flight the Wick flight is at risk of cancellation Passengers have experienced this already.” • “Cancellations are often attributed to “operational reasons” – leading to frustration and a loss of confidence in the service There’s a perception this may be due to crew or aircraft shortages.” • “The flight schedule has changed three times in two years creating instability and making it difficult for passengers to plan regular travel.” • “The latest schedule change is not felt to be an improvement for most users.” • “Early morning or evening options – which would better support business and commuter travel – have been removed.” • “Flight times no longer align well with onward connections from Aberdeen.” • “Some regular users have had to give up flying altogether due to the unreliability and poor timing opting instead to drive long distances – sometimes starting as early as 3am to reach Aberdeen.” Last week Councillor Bremner acknowledged there had been “impacts on regular service users” following the timetable changes He said the past year had been “a challenging one” but insisted the goal is “to enable and support the delivery of lifeline air services” in the far north Eastern Airways has been approached for comment covering the period from March 24 to October 25: dRMM has completed a mixed-use neighbourhood at Wick Lane a project that challenges conventional co-location design set in the heart of Hackney Wick and Fish Island in East London combines 175 homes and 2,250 square metres of commercial space within a context that celebrates its industrial and creative roots Wick Lane rejects the simplistic “beds above sheds” model instead creating a thoughtful link between residential and industrial uses The project is a response to the London Legacy Development Corporation’s brief to deliver housing while safeguarding employment space and Strategic Industrial Land (SIL) dRMM’s approach weaves the area’s rich history with a forward-looking vision resulting in a community that embraces diversity in use and design Taking cues from the site’s industrial past Wick Lane’s architecture reflects 200 years of manufacturing heritage and corrugated metal structures inspired a palette of materials that includes red and black brick Each building is treated with a single material applied to roofs maintaining a cohesive yet varied aesthetic Situated between the Fish Island conservation area to the north and SIL to the south Wick Lane occupies a unique position in Hackney Wick’s diverse urban realm The site is bounded by Joseph Bazalgette’s 19th-century sewers and the Greenway an elevated route connecting Victoria Park to the Olympic Park The constraints of a Thames Water sewer head informed the site layout ensuring open access while creating a flow of pedestrian and cycle routes a new enterprise managing the industrial spaces has curated a tenant mix ranging from tattoo and hair salons to textile studios and bike workshops Interior fit-outs by Sophie Franks Designs emphasize flexibility and functionality ensuring the spaces adapt to varied creative and light-industrial needs “This is the first time I’ve had an office outside my flat and it’s been good to be part of the growing community,” said Seb Michalski a custom clothing and merchandise company that serves businesses and brands “There are new businesses moving in all the time – we learn from each other and help each other out Our street frontage has helped with getting clients too as people walk past and pop in to see what we’re doing.” commercial spaces act as a buffer between homes and SIL Podium gardens and landscaped public spaces soften the transitions while distinctive public realms known as Wick Walk and The Yard foster community interaction establishing a connection to the Greenway Residents’ pocket gardens and dual-aspect apartments maximise daylight and create serene environments amidst the urban energy the scheme’s landscaping reflects the industrial origins of the area with soft planted borders and new pedestrian routes including a revitalized connection to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park “Wick Lane is a wonderful reimagining of the spirit of Hackney Wick and Fish Island; an idealised vision of its proud industrial and creative heritage,” said Philip Marsh “We are all incredibly proud of what we have achieved here successfully delivering an exemplary scheme that accords with the ambitions of the London Legacy Development Corporation.” land and planning director at Taylor Wimpey added: “It was a pleasure working with dRMM who enabled Taylor Wimpey to unlock this technically challenging site They delivered us an exemplar design that became one of the most interesting and successful mixed -use schemes in this part of east London.” © Built Environment and Architecture Media Ltd 2025 We use cookies and other tracking technologies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website analyse your use of our products and services assist with our promotional and marketing efforts These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies but some parts of the site may not work then These cookies allow the provision of enhance functionality and personalisation They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages then some or all of these functionalities may not function properly These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site They help us know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site All information these cookies collect is anonymous we will not know when you have visited our site These cookies are set through our site by our advertising partners They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant ads on other sites you will not experience our targeted advertising across different websites These cookies are necessary to display content from social networks such as Facebook In such a way that you can share our content with your favourite social networks Police Scotland have launched an appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage following a fatal crash near Wick last night Emergency services were called to the scene at around 10.25pm on Wednesday where a grey Yamaha motorcycle and a red Renault Clio had collided on the B874 close to Watten Cemetery was taken to Caithness General Hospital where he later died The road was closed while investigations were ongoing and re-opened about 6.55am this morning Sergeant Calum MacAulay of Road Policing North said: “Our inquiries are continuing to understand the full circumstances of what happened and our thoughts are with his family and friends “I would ask anyone who may have seen either the car or the motorbike prior to the crash A house in Wick was cordoned off and a police firearms incident declared after George Harper is alleged to have embarked on a catalogue of abuse involving knives and ammonia Harper was subsequently charged with two counts of abduction one of assault and a third charge of having behaved in a threatening or abusive manner The abduction charges allege that the 43-year-old pulled the living room curtains at a property on Glamis Road and prevented his victims leaving the property The first count on the indictment states that on May 19 Harper took possession of a knife which he used to repeatedly strike James McPhee hit him with an extension cable and attempted to pour ammonia over his eyes to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement Harper is further accused of threatening or abusive behaviour refusing to leave it when requested by police officers smashed a window and appeared to hold a shard close to his neck while consuming a quantity of unknown tablets The accused also faces a charge of possessing Diazepam Harper is alleged to have punched and slapped Robyn Miller placed an extension cord around her neck and tightened it repeatedly kicked her on the head and attempted to pour ammonia over her to her injury and danger of her life who denied all the charges at Wick Sheriff Court this week was further remanded and will stand trial on March 3.