A peek into Keanu Reeves' stunt training for 'John Wick 2'

LOS ANGELES (AP) — To play a character rumored to have once killed three men in a bar with a pencil, Keanu Reeves went through three months of "John Wick boot camp": intensive training in martial arts, gun work, fight choreography and stunt driving.

Chapter 2, in theaters Friday, with Reeves reprising his role as the title character: an unflappable and inventive assassin reluctantly drawn into an international criminal underworld.

Reeves' preparation for the sequel built on his action-star past and skills he learned for the original "Wick" film, including training in judo and jiu-jitsu.

There are more guns in "Chapter 2," so the actor spent countless hours drawing, shooting and reloading various firearms.

Friends with Stahelski since their "Matrix" days, the actor brought him the script for 2014's "John Wick" and encouraged Stahelski to make it his directorial debut.

Reeves was drawn to the mysterious environment and compelling central character: I love his will, his passion.