Kolstad's script drew on his interest in action, revenge, and neo noir films. Producer Basil Iwanyk purchased the rights as his first independent film production. Reeves, whose career was declining, liked the script and recommended that the experienced stunt choreographers Stahelski and David Leitch direct the action scenes; Stahelski and Leitch successfully lobbied to co-direct the project. Principal photography began in October 2013, on a $20–$30million budget, and concluded that December. Stahelski and Leitch focused on highly choreographed and long single takes to convey action, eschewing the rapid cuts and closeup shots of contemporary action films.
Iwanyk struggled to secure theatrical distributors because industry executives were dismissive of an action film by first-time directors, and Reeves's recent films had underperformed. Lionsgate Films purchased the distribution rights to the film two months before its release date on October 24, 2014. Following a successful marketing campaign that changed its perception from disposable entertainment to a prestige event helmed by an affable leading actor, John Wick exceeded box-office projections and became a modest success, grossing $86million worldwide. It received generally positive reviews for its style and action sequences. Critics hailed John Wick as a comeback for Reeves, in a role that played to his acting strengths. The film's mythology of a criminal underworld with rituals and rules was praised as its most unique and interesting feature.
In New York City, John Wick is grieving the death of his wife Helen, who had arranged for him to receive a beagle puppy to help cope with his loss. A few days later, a group of Russian gangsters, led by Iosef Tarasov, accost John at a gas station and fail to intimidate him into selling them his 1969 Boss 429 Mustang.[b] That night, they break into John's home, assault him, kill the puppy, and steal the car. Iosef takes the Mustang to a chop shop to remove its identifying details, but the shop owner, Aurelio, recognizes it and refuses service. Aurelio informs John that Iosef is the son of Viggo Tarasov, the boss of New York City's Russian mafia.
Upon learning of his son's actions, Viggo berates Iosef for incurring John's wrath. He reveals John was once a hitman in his employ, and was renowned and feared in the criminal underworld as the Baba Yaga, a ruthless, relentless "man of focus, commitment, and sheer will". After John fell in love with Helen, a civilian, Viggo gave him a seemingly impossible task to earn his freedom; he succeeded.
John recovers a concealed stash from his former career that includes weapons and gold coins. He rejects Viggo's attempt to make amends and kills the hit squad subsequently sent to his home. Viggo puts a $2million bounty on John and enlists John's former mentor, Marcus, to kill him. John lodges at the Continental, a luxurious hotel that serves as neutral ground for the underworld and where conducting criminal business is forbidden. Winston, the hotel's owner and John's old friend, informs him that Iosef is at a nightclub called Red Circle. John infiltrates Red Circle and confronts Iosef, but he is attacked by Viggo's henchman Kirill and forced to retreat to the Continental for medical attention.
As John rests, a hitwoman, Ms. Perkins, sneaks into his room. Marcus sees Perkins from an adjacent building and fires a warning shot to alert John, who wakes up and subdues her. Perkins reveals Viggo has doubled the bounty for her to kill John in the hotel and has concealed a high-value stash in a church. John hires another hitman, Harry, to secure Perkins but she kills Harry and escapes.
At the church, John destroys Viggo's cache of cash and extensive blackmail material. When Viggo arrives to assess the damage, John assaults him and his men but is hit by Kirill's car and captured. John tells Viggo he will not stop until Iosef is dead because the puppy gave him hope and a chance to not be alone in his grief for Helen. Marcus again intervenes to save John, who kills Kirill and threatens Viggo into revealing Iosef's location in a safehouse. John attacks the safehouse and kills Iosef. Marcus encourages John to return to his everyday life. Perkins witnesses this and reveals Marcus's duplicity to Viggo, who has him tortured and killed. Viggo calls John to taunt him with the details, drawing him back to the city.
Winston has Perkins executed for breaking the Continental's rules, then informs John that Viggo is preparing to leave the city by helicopter. John races to New York Harbor, where he fights and mortally wounds Viggo. John, resigned to dying from his injuries, watches on his phone a video of Helen telling him they need to go home. He breaks into a nearby animal clinic, treats his wounds, and adopts a pit bull puppy scheduled to be euthanized before beginning to walk home.
The cast also includes Omer Barnea as Gregori, Iosef's underling who kills John's dog;[15][16][17]Daniel Bernhardt as Kirill, a former Russian military commander turned Viggo's henchman;[18]Thomas Sadoski as Jimmy, a police officer;[19] and David Patrick Kelly as Charlie, a cleaner who destroys criminal evidence, including bodies.[20] The Continental staff includes Bridget Regan as Addy, a bartender fond of John,[c] and Randall Duk Kim as a hotel doctor.[11]Clarke Peters portrays Harry, a hitman;[24][25]Kevin Nash appears as Francis, a bouncer at the Red Circle night club;[26] and Munro M. Bonnell plays a corrupt priest protecting Viggo's vault beneath a church.[27] A beagle puppy called Andy portrays John's dog, Daisy.[1][28]
Production
Writing
During the early 2000s, Derek Kolstad struggled to gain recognition as a screenwriter, producing up to eight screenplays per year, none of which went into production. Although he continued to write, he stopped pursuing it as a full time career until his wife encouraged him to try again. Kolstad secured a manager and wrote 60 screenplays before finding success with the low-budget action films One in the Chamber (2012) and The Package (2013).[29][30] Over four days in either 2012 or 2013, Kolstad wrote a spec script titled Scorn,[31] the inspiration for which came from two "terrible revenge movies" he had watched. The script's story centered around the character John Wick, a long-retired hitman in his mid-60s to mid-70s who is forced back into his former life. John was modeled on actors such as Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman.[6][32][33] The script included elements such as John's long-deceased wife, his elderly dog, the Continental, Charon, Winston, and the underworld gold coins; it had a kill count of 11 compared to the film's several dozen. John was portrayed as an underworld legend who had been absent for decades, causing younger criminals to dismiss tales of his deeds.[34] Kolstad aimed to explore the character as "the worst man in existence" who finds and loses salvation through love and events that followed this.[35] He had difficulty determining the incident that would lead to John's return, ultimately choosing his dog's murder over the cliché of the killing of the protagonist's wife and family. Kolstad focused his efforts on the first act, believing a solid opening would make later acts easier to write.[36]
At the same time, producer Basil Iwanyk was developing films for Warner Bros. Pictures through his studio Thunder Road Films. Iwanyk was frustrated at not being involved beyond sourcing scripts; he wanted the autonomy to develop independent films so he could be more involved in the process.[41] He focused on action films that could be made on relatively low budgets.[42] Iwanyk read Kolstad's spec script, appreciating its subversive tone and emotional throughline, as well as the relatability and accessibility of a man seeking revenge after losing his wife, his dog, and his car; and his home being violated.[33][42]
Kolstad received multiple offers for the script, but his agent advised him to consider the lowest bid from Iwanyk because Thunder Road Films was ready to start work immediately.[30][43] The deal was completed in February 2013.[44] Kolstad began rewrites alongside Iwanyk and producer Erica Lee over two months.[33][44] Iwanyk originally envisioned older actors such as Eastwood (then 83-years-old) or Harrison Ford (71-years-old) as John but later opted for an experienced actor rather than an elderly one.[6][33][42]
In April 2013, Iwanyk's friend was serving as Keanu Reeves's talent agent. Iwanyk shared the script after the agent expressed Reeves's interest in pursuing a new action project.[44] Reeves was interested in the dynamics between the real world and the underworld, and the emotional connection to John's wife.[45][46][47] The script was sent to multiple directors, many of whom suggested expanding John's family and having them killed to drive the plot, but Kolstad opposed this idea.[44] Others were uninterested because the idea appeared to be a typical Reeves action film.[48]
While Reeves was negotiating his involvement, he sent the script to Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, both of whom had worked with him as stunt coordinators and performers on the initial The Matrix trilogy of films and later projects, and had founded the action, design, and stunt company 87Eleven Productions.[e] He recommended them to choreograph or direct the action sequences, feeling their style matched the script's tone.[52][53][54] Stahelski and Leitch were interested in the variety of action scenes, but they wanted to direct the film itself.[53][55] Stahelski and Leitch gained Reeves's support after pitching him their vision of an assassin thriller with a realistic tone in an otherworldly setting, in which John was an urban legend.[f] Reeves said they impressed him with their intent to make each character memorable and thoughts on the theme of living a double life.[33] In May, Reeves was confirmed for the lead role, and Stahelski and Leitch were to direct it.[46][47][52]
For the next two months, Kolstad and Reeves spent weekends rewriting the script six times to fit Reeves's acting style. John was made younger, and Reeves, then 49-years-old, intended to portray him as a 35-year-old. Dialogue was trimmed to emphasize John's slick and tough persona; a five-page conversation between John and the priest was trimmed to John simply responding "Uh-huh".[57][30] They decided not to depict the impossible task that earned John his freedom, believing they should never show his life before Helen's death.[58]
John Wick's principal characters were cast in September and October 2013.[g] Casting focused on affordable actors who were available in the two-and-a-half weeks before filming began.[63] The task was eased by filming in New York City, allowing the producers to secure local actors such as Ian McShane, who only had to be present to film their scenes without traveling long distances.[64]Character actors who could vivify Kolstad's characters were preferred; despite little screentime, they were considered essential for providing details about John Wick's past and the underworld.[53]
Kolstad named John Wick after his grandfather, and Helen was named for his grandmother.[27][65] Keanu Reeves was paid $1–$2million for his performance.[66] Reeves's personal experience with bereavement, having lost his daughter in 1998 and his partner in 2001, helped him relate to John's emotional state.[67][68] Describing the character, Reeves said:
"[John] thought [his old life] was something he would never go back to... John thought he was stronger than he is, when really he'd been drawing that strength from his wife, Helen... I always thought of it as being a kind of Old Testament revenge story. When someone takes the things he cherishes, violence erupts and John can't temper it."[68]
Stahelski and Leitch prioritized themes of loss and humanity as fundamental aspects of John, wanting to avoid making him a cliché "badass" assassin. They had Reeves grow his hair and beard, and dressed him in stylish suits to create recognizable visual elements.[68] Reeves underwent four months of training, including several hours per day in a gym, strict diet, and stretches, and learned choreography.[h] Despite his previous martial arts experience, the directors aimed to craft a unique style fitting for John, and had Reeves train in judo, Japanese jujutsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and arnis, as well as undergoing tactical-gun training with the Los Angeles SWAT and Navy SEALs.[i] He also learned stunt driving skills, including how to drift a car while aiming a gun.[68][73]
Michael Nyqvist described the relationship between Viggo and John as akin to a father and son, built on love and respect for John's prowess as an assassin.[6] Nyqist trained in the Russian martial art sambo, reflecting the character's impoverished street-brawler origins, and partly based his performance on his Russian trainers.[1][6][74] He generally played his character straight with some eccentricities.[75] Kolstad described Alfie Allen's Iosef as "a dinner-theater version of his father," depicting a wealthy and spoiled youth who perceives himself as tough but lacks his father's strength.[6][74] Allen, attracted to the challenge of speaking different languages and accents, immersed himself in Russian bathhouses in New York to refine his dialect. He faced difficulties, including the physical demands his character endured and the spontaneous additions of Russian dialogue to the script, requiring quick adaptation.[76]
The character Ms. Perkins was originally conceived as a male figure until Adrianne Palicki was cast in the role.[6][9] Palicki characterized the role as a cold, cunning, and ruthless assassin who derives pleasure from killing.[10][77] Palicki trained in judo and jujitsu for a few months, and spent two weeks learning the choreography for her fight scene with Reeves.[j]Bridget Moynahan, who portrayed John's wife Helen, chose not to read the script in its entirety. Her decision was based on the desire to understand only as much about John as Helen would know, contributing to a more authentic portrayal of her character.[6]
Kolstad depicted Ian McShane's Winston as a character who speaks sparingly but commands attention when he does, likening him to a titan in the realm of New York. McShane accepted the role based on his affinity for neo-noir films. John Leguizamo in his portrayal of Aurelio, drew inspiration from the character's stylish wardrobe, embodying a sense of confidence and swagger. Leguizamo explained, "I'm walking through the set and all of a sudden I start feeling a little cocky, like I'm somebody."[6]Willem Dafoe described Marcus as a high-level assassin and father figure to John. He added traits to his aging character such as a scene in which Marcus makes juice because he reasoned the character would maintain his health to stay competitive with younger assassins.[6][78]
Pre-production
Financial issues beset the production before and during filming; Iwanyk had limited assets compared to the major studios and he considered his backers unreliable. He said an investor failed to pay on time and that when he did, "he did things like children do, if he owed us $2.4million he'd send us a check for $2,400 and go 'whoops! I messed up'".[79] Iwanyk and his executives also lacked experience in film financing. He contemplated cancelling the project five days before the scheduled filming date before his lawyer advised that he would likely be sued into bankruptcy by those involved and their guild unions. Iwanyk twice deferred his own fees to cover costs and lent the costume designer his personal credit card for resources, saying he would at least earn air miles.[80] The lack of financial security delayed filming by two weeks,[81] which Iwanyk described as the most difficult and stressful weeks of his career; his family visited to ensure he was safe because he was not sleeping or eating.[82] When financing was secured, it was less than the originally promised sum. Some principal cast made salary concessions; Reeves put his own money into the project, and Stahelski and Leitch modified scenes to keep the budget low.[83] The majority of funding came from Michael Witherill of MJW Films, actor Eva Longoria, and DefyNite Films.[k]
New York City was chosen as the main filming location. Although filming there cost millions more than alternatives such as Baton Rouge, Chicago, and Detroit, Iwanyk said "if I shoot [John Wick] with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background, it feels like a big movie". Kolstad considered a city setting in a noir story to be its own character.[75][89] Budget constraints meant some ideas were abandoned to prioritize financing for the location or departments such as art design and music deemed instrumental to creating the world of John Wick.[75] Stahelski highlighted New York's visual verticality as well as areas like downtown Manhattan, which provided a subterranean atmosphere ideal for creating the mythological underworld setting they envisioned. There were also many restrictions because residents were resistant to mobile trailers used by cast and crew, car chases, and gunfire in their streets. Even on closed streets, the filmmakers had to adhere to speed limits, impacting the execution of car-chase sequences.[70][75]
Design
Staheliski and Leitch drew on a broad amalgamation of their favorite films and directors for John Wick's visual style.[90][91][92] Stahelski described the crime thriller Point Blank (1967) as a significant influence, as well as the classic visual composition of films from the period 1960–1990, including Le Cercle Rouge (1970) and The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)—a comedy in which hired killers pursue the central character.[l] They also drew on Akira Kurosawa's style of holding on the composition,[50][53]John Woo's use of wide shots and multi-opponent combat in films such as The Killer (1989),[91][93] and spaghetti westerns by Sergio Leone.[m] Stahelski referenced Eastwood's enigmatic portrayal in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), emphasizing the power of unspoken backstories. He noted, "we just give you some gold coins... 'Where do the gold coins come from?'... Have your imagination do some work there."[92] The directors said the value of the gold coins was unimportant, comparing them to business cards that grant access to underworld services and inform the audience they are entering a different world.[86][95] Further influences were drawn from the works of director Quentin Tarantino;[50][91] graphic novels;[71][94] and action films such as Police Story (1985), Armour of God, Lethal Weapon (both 1987), Die Hard (1988), and The Matrix (1999).[96]
Stahelski and Leitch eschewed the style of rapid cuts showing different angles and close-up shots common in many contemporary action films, which they thought often led to confusing action sequences. They committed to lengthy, single takes with a wide view of the action, reserving cuts only for covering up mistakes.[n] This was also a practical decision—they had only enough budget for a single-camera setup, and no time for elaborate wire stunts and additional coverage footage that could be used in editing to hide mistakes.[99][100] Iwanyk said if they had an extra $5–$10million, they could have afforded a multi-camera setup and second-unit filming but that economic restrictions resulted in a better action film.[101] The directors focused on practical stunts but used computer-generated imagery (CGI) when necessary to add gun-muzzle flashes and to complete a stunt in which John is struck by a car.[50][70][75]
The settings were intended to be recognizable but distinct, contrasting the private, rural setting of John and Helen—which Leitch described as "organic and warm; very cinéma vérité real"—with the hyper-real underworld where everything is exaggerated. Production designer Dan Leigh emphasized the visual transformation of the underworld, stating that it transcends reality with unique lighting, atmospheric textures, and unexpected elements scattered throughout.[102] Kolstad did not describe the underworld rules and settings in detail, which gave the designers considerable scope. Iwanyk said the lack of detail prevented them from focusing too much on worldbuilding.[102][103] Luca Mosca led costume design, which focused on stylish suits with some functionality over practical combat outfits to provide a high-class aesthetic to the underworld. Mosca utilized variant shades of black in the designs and made them form-fitting and sleek to fit the immaculate nature of the underworld.[6][50][70] John's suit took inspiration from 1970s-style three-piece suits worn by film stars such as Lee Marvin and Steve McQueen.[75] In the film, John's car is identified as a 1969 Boss 429 Mustang. However, due to the limited production of only 1,359 Boss 429s and the need for five cars for filming, which would all be destroyed, using the authentic model was too expensive. Instead, Ford Mustang Mach 1 models were substituted.[3][4]
John's combat style was developed for a previous film by supervising stunt coordinator J. J. Perry, along with contributions from Stahelski and 87Eleven Productions associates John Valera, Jon Eusebio, Danny Hernandez, Guillermo Grispo, Eric Brown, the Machado brothers, Jackson Spidell, and armorer Taran Butler. The combat style blends grappling martial arts with gun combat and a focus on restricting limbs with the left hand, leaving the right hand free for gun action.[1][104] Combat training, which took place at 87Eleven's facility, included an obstacle course to prepare for the Wick house invasion.[50][68]
Filming
The Beaver Building (pictured in 2011) appears as the exterior of the Continental hotel
Principal photography began on October 7, 2013, on a $20–$30million budget, in and around New York City.[62][105][106][o] Filming was arduous, with stresses over the schedule and budget. There was reduced daylight for associated scenes and extensive night-time filming in very cold weather.[75][107] The initial five days of filming took place in Mill Neck village with scenes at John's house.[62][108][109] Iwanyk recalled thinking John Wick would not work after watching the crew lighting a stuffed dog stand-in and several scenes of Reeves brooding.[110] He changed his mind watching John's interaction with the police officer after killing a hitman squad, an absurd situation played with earnestness.[111]
Cinematographer Jonathan Sela intended to use anamorphic lenses for scenes depicting John's domestic life to create a soft, clean image, and spherical lenses for his return to the underworld to create a grittier, darker, and sharper aesthetic. Once filming began, however, he opted to use the lenses for, respectively, day-and-night filming, and contrast the use of a static camera position for the early segments and dynamic movements for the remainder of the film.[100] He lit scenes in a gothic manner to make the underworld appear with a mix of American and European designs, and illuminated characters in a manner that preserved the mystery of whether they were allies or adversaries to John.[112]
Scenes at The Red Circle nightclub were filmed at Surrogate's Courthouse (exterior), Edison Theatre (club interior), and Aire Ancient Baths (below-ground spa).[113][114] The production design added red-and-blue lighting and misted windows to the spa. Sela said they wanted it to look like a part of the underground but they were constrained by the budget; he said this sometimes worked in their favor because it forced them to develop creative solutions.[115] Perry was hired to choreograph the nightclub sequence at the last minute because Stahelski was occupied filming the final confrontation between John and Viggo.[116] Perry, who portrays four characters killed by John in The Red Circle, was only told to begin in the nightclub and move up to the top level.[117] Despite the choreography, improvisation based on spontaneous additions often took place during filming.[115] Reeves's training allowed him to rapidly adapt to the changes and perform many of his own stunts, so filming often operated quickly. Iwanyk said they could capture as much footage in an afternoon as some others could over three days.[p]
The combat sequences adhered strictly to the number of bullets available in John's weapons, and scenes were crafted to include segments of John reloading at realistic intervals. Any alterations, such as the introduction of additional enemies, prompted corresponding adjustments to the bullet count, necessitating the relocation of reloading segments.[118] Challenges arose during the club sequence due to incorrect gear acquisitions, including a holster that impeded Reeves's ability to draw his gun and the use of a silencer attachment that proved impractical. Minor timing issues in scenes at the spa and the club's upper floor posed difficulties, and insufficient footage to conceal the inconsistencies led to alterations in choreography and scenes to more clearly establish character locations.[119] Reeves was also ill; according to Iwanyk, he would vomit between takes then insist on continuing filming.[120] The film's insurers refused to approve Reeves performing a fall from the club's upper floor; Spidell stood in for falls and other hard impacts.[121]
The fight scene between John and Viggo posed challenges during its filming over five nights at Brooklyn Navy Yard.[53][73][114] The temperature was regularly 36 °F (2 °C) and the production was prohibited from using artificial rain on one evening because temperatures dropped too low. Reeves also refused to wear a wetsuit to help prevent hypothermia.[53] Iwanyk thought the scene was an ill-fitting end to the film and would not fare well with audiences because John was fighting an older man. Additionally, the directors had initially planned for a more elaborate vehicle sequence involving several cars, but only two vehicles arrived.[122]
Filming concluded on December 20, 2013, after nine weeks.[129] The directors described it as a difficult learning experience that included many mistakes, and stretched the limits of the budget and schedule, but was ultimately successful.[78] Kolstad lamented the loss of his favorite scene due to scheduling, in which two men at Aurelio's garage see John's car, recognize it, and promptly vacate the premises.[130]
Post-production
John Wick entered post-production on January 10, 2014.[84] Iwanyk characterized this phase as challenging, given the prevailing skepticism about the film's potential success, and with most of the principal cast and crew having already transitioned to other projects.[131]
Editor Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir was mainly known for her work on low-budget independent drama films but her shared dislike for close-up action shots won over the directors.[132] There was no budget for reshoots and no coverage material so she had to work with the available footage.[131] Iwanyk disliked an early, longer cut because the excessive action made the experience numbing and there were too many establishing shots of people walking or driving.[133] Ronaldsdóttir edited the film substantially to reduce the runtime to 101minutes; this version was more positively received.[133][134]
Stahelski was unhappy with the removal of some scenes but Ronaldsdóttir said they generally removed repetitiveness and shortened action scenes to focus on action and spend less time on John's mourning.[135] John's fight with Ms. Perkins was trimmed to avoid depicting excessive violence against women by a man.[65] Ronaldsdóttir, expressing no regret for the cuts, highlighted her enjoyment in trimming dialogue. She emphasized that, while the written words may be perfect on the page, much of it becomes redundant when brought to life by actors with props, sets, and lighting.[136] The directors found balancing the tone with the exaggerated action to be the most difficult part of the production. Stahelski wanted the action to be an integral continuation of the story rather than just a set piece, while Leitch emphasized the delicate balance needed to avoid being too cheesy, serious, funny, or action-oriented.[q]
John Wick was shown to a few of Iwanyk's close associates, who gave a tepid response. A public test screening took place in Orange County, California; Iwanyk said he knew it was well received when the audience loudly laughed after the scene in which Aurelio tells Viggo his son has upset John and Viggo replies "oh".[137] The response was positive enough they held no more test screenings.[138] The death of John's dog remained a point of contention in post-production for Iwanyk, who believed it would alienate audiences and did not justify the number of deaths in response, but Kolstad and Reeves lobbied to retain it.[30][71][139] Stahelski recounted Reeves telling him:
You guys wanted to make a hard-core action movie, right? You wanted to do something genre, outside the box, right? So what's wrong?... So we went back and adjusted our attitude to being unapologetic, and we just went, "John Wick kills 80 guys because of a puppy. Fuck you, we're done."[30][139]
Test audiences were supportive of John avenging his puppy.[30][71][139] Despite Stahelski's and Leitch's collaboration, the Directors Guild of America refused to co-credit them as directors due to internal rules, and Leitch was credited as a producer.[1][2]
Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard composed the score. Stahelski and Leitch requested a "fun, raw, aggressive, unorthodox" score that reflected John's connection to his wife and his hitman past. They also wanted a clear difference between the music in each action sequence. Bates and Richard used a separate tone for the underscore that would allow it to move into the score's "more rocking aspects". Bates said they tried to understand John's thought process and establish the essence of his story; they began writing with the opening scene, which initially featured quicker transitions between John's mourning and the action sequence at the film's denouement.[140]John Wick's soundtrack also includes songs such as "Killing Strangers" by Marilyn Manson, "The Red Circle" by Le Castle Vania, "Evil Man Blues" by The Candy Shop Boys, "In My Mind" by M86 & Susie Q, and "Who You Talkin' To Man" by Ciscandra Nostalghia.[140][141][142] Ronaldsdóttir suggested the use of "Think" by Kaleida.[143]
Release
Distribution and marketing
Keanu Reeves (in 2014) promoting John Wick at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas
By August 2014, John Wick had no secured distributor.[144][145] Industry professionals blamed the lack of interest on the film's untested directors, and Iwanyk's relative inexperience in independent film production. Additionally, Reeves's recent films, such as 47 Ronin and Man of Tai Chi (both 2013), had performed poorly, even in countries where he was expected to have a strong following, such as China and Japan.[146] Despite having secured strong presales in certain countries, Iwanyk said significant territories were not showing interest.[79]
A screening arranged for studio acquisition executives went poorly; one viewer walked out shortly after it started. Lionsgate Films emerged as the sole bidder, offering terms that included no upfront payment and a minimal release commitment, which Iwanyk interpreted as meaning John Wick would go straight to home video.[144][145] However, Lionsgate executives Jason Constantine and Tim Palen championed John Wick, and set an October release date through its subsidiary Summit Entertainment.[r] The John Wick title came late in production; dissatisfied with the original title Scorn, Reeves regularly referred to the film as John Wick in interviews, which Lionsgate executives equated to "seven million dollars in free press".[152]
A trailer created by Palen was well received, as were pre-release screenings at the 2014 Austin Film Festival and Fantastic Fest.[138] Audience demand at Fantastic Fest led to two additional screenings.[153][154] In the week leading up to its release, John Wick was screened at no cost to audiences in 42 cities across the United States.[155] Box office analyst Scott Mendelson wrote Lionsgate's marketing campaign had taken a film with little audience awareness and generated interest by turning a "theoretical B-movie action pick-up into something of an A-level event...[and] a coronation for its iconic star [Reeves]".[156] According to Lionsgate executives, audiences had a favorable opinion of Reeves because of his candid nature in interviews regarding his personal and professional successes and failures.[157] In October, Lionsgate announced John Wick would play in IMAX theaters, which was considered a superior theatrical experience and further raised the film's profile.[156][158][159] Even so, expectations for John Wick were low due to Reeves's recent box-office failures and the film's short promotion cycle.[s]
As a promotional tie-in, the first-person shooter game Payday 2 (2013) added John Wick as a playable character in the week leading up to the film's release. Free copies of the game were given to people who purchased tickets for the film early via online ticket retailer Fandango.[164][165][166]Variety praised the idea for targeting the same male audience as John Wick without the cost of making a full game based on it.[165]
John Wick was premiered at Regal Union Square Theater in New York City on October 13, 2014; Reeves was accompanied by Andy, the puppy that portrays John's dog.[97][167] The event was hosted in partnership with watch company Carl F. Bucherer.[168]
John Wick was released in the United States and Canada on October 24.[169] During its opening weekend, the film grossed $14.4million across 2,589 theaters—an average of $5,568 per theater,[157][169] making it the number-two film of the weekend behind the debut of Ouija ($19.9million) and ahead of Fury ($13.3million), which was in its second weekend.[170] The success of John Wick was a surprise, nearly doubling analysts' low expectations and pre-release estimates of $7–$10million, and over-performing across 347 IMAX theaters with $2.5million, accounting for 18% of its total box-office take.[157][171] The film primarily drew a male audience, and approximately 77% of the viewers were over 25 years old.[171][156]John Wick fell to number six in its second weekend with a gross of $8million, and number eight in its third with $4.1million. It left the top-ten highest-grossing films by its fourth weekend with a gross of $2.2million.[169][172][173]John Wick left theaters by January 22, 2015, with a total box-office take of $43million, making it the 79th-highest-grossing film of the year.[169][174]
Outside the U.S. and Canada, John Wick is estimated to have grossed a further $43million, with its highest grosses coming from Germany ($3.7million), France ($3.2million), Australia ($2.8million), Taiwan ($2.6million), Russia ($2.59million), the United Kingdom ($2.4million), and Japan ($2.3million).[175][176] This made it the 114th-highest-grossing film of the year outside of the U.S. and Canada.[177] Worldwide, John Wick grossed an estimated $86million, making it the 89th-highest-grossing film of 2014.[178][t]
Reception
Critical response
John Wick received generally positive reviews.[158][179][180] On the website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an 86% approval rating from the aggregated reviews of 219 critics and an average score of 6.9/10. The consensus reads; "Stylish, thrilling, and giddily kinetic, John Wick serves as a satisfying return to action for Keanu Reeves – and what looks like it could be the first of a franchise".[181] The film has a score of 68 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[182] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+-to-F scale.[179][183]
Critics, including Peter Travers and Stephanie Zacharek, praised Reeves's performance, describing it as a return to form.[u]Richard Corliss, among others, said it was a fitting role for the actor that benefits from his stoic, taciturn demeanor for a character who conveys intent through actions. Bilge Ebiri said John Wick would have been a typical revenge story with any other actor but the "ethereal and ageless" Reeves makes it "mythic".[v]The Atlantic and The New York Times praised Reeves for being able to suggest depths to his character and portray a physical charisma while maintaining a relatively blank expression.[w] Others said his believable physicality and athleticism enhances the many combat sequences and long single takes.[x]Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian, however, wrote Reeves's deadpan style could only work when contrasted with humorous dialogue, and considered John Wick to be humorless.[189][190] Praise was also given to the main supporting cast, particularly McShane and Nyqvist, though The Atlantic believed the supporting cast were underused.[y]
The directors' decades of experience in stunt work was seen as a major benefit to the action sequences, which Stephanie Zacharek described as among the "most beautifully choreographed" set-pieces in an American action film for a long time.[z] Reviews commended the fluidity of the action sequences and the skill displayed by the performers. They considered the choreography to be inventive, opting for a straightforward and impactful style over slow-motion effects, resulting in heightened shock value. The action scenes were lauded for their adeptness, with their ruthless and effective nature mirroring the demeanor of the film's central character. Some publications highlighted the film's deliberate avoidance of shaky camera movements and quick editing in favor of long takes that help immerse the audience in the sleek choreography, which differentiated John Wick from its peers.[aa]Variety said the large number of equally impressive action sequences compensated for the weak script.[27]
While critics generally described the narrative as a self-serious, cliché-filled, and predictable action script with a stylistic approach, they said it offered a novel setting, creating intrigue related to John's past and the mythology that developed around the criminal underworld.[ab] The mythology in John Wick was identified as a key aspect that differentiated it from other action movies, particularly the codes and rules that govern the criminals, and the Continental hotel, which provided a reprieve to the otherwise non-stop violence in the rest of the film.[ac]Entertainment Weekly praised the rich and stylish world-building, and The Guardian's Jordan Hoffman hoped for future films to explore this setting, even without the John Wick characters.[5][193]
Accolades
At the 2014 Golden Schmoes Awards, John Wick was named the Biggest Surprise of the Year, and was nominated for Most Underrated Movie and Coolest Character (Wick).[197] Reeves received a nomination for the Razzie Redeemer Award at the 35th Golden Raspberry Awards.[198] At the 2015 Taurus World Stunt Awards, John Wick won the award for Best Fight for the scene in which Wick defends his home against Viggo's hitmen. The award was presented to Reeves's stunt double Jackson Spidell; stunt coordinators Darrin Prescott and Jonathan Eusebio; fight coordinator Jon Valera; and stunt performers Carlos Lopez, Daniel Hernandez, Dean Neistat, Justin Yu, Akos Schenek, and Luis Moco. Prescott was also nominated for Best Stunt Coordinator and/or 2nd Unit Direction.[199] At the Golden Trailer Awards, which recognizes marketing campaigns, the film's poster was named Best Thriller Poster, and was nominated for Best Action Trailer and Best Action Poster.[200][201] Dafoe received the Body of Work award at the San Diego Film Critics Society Awards 2014.[202][ad]
Post-release
Home media
John Wick was released as a digital download in January 2015.[203] This was followed by a DVD and Blu-ray release in February.[204][205] The physical release includes a commentary track by Stahelski and Leitch; and six brief featurettes about the training and design of the stunt work, the making of the film, Stahelski's and Leitch's history as stunt coordinators, aspects of the film's criminal underworld, the nightclub action sequence, and the influence of New York City on John Wick.[206] The home-media release was the second-best-selling home release of February behind Dracula Untold (2014), and the number-one rental during its release week. About 50% of its sales were on Blu-ray.[207] A 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version was released in 2017, containing all of the previously released features.[208] The digital release had grossed about $20million by May 2015, and the physical release about $44million by 2022.[209][210]Varèse Sarabande released the film's music soundtrack in October 2014.[142]
John Wick Chronicles (2017) is a virtual reality, first-person shooter video game based on the film for HTC Vive and Steam VR, allowing users to play as John while assassinating powerful targets.[211][212][213]John Wick Hex (2019) is a tactical, third-person video game that serves as a prequel to the film; the game involves John rescuing Winston and Charon.[214][215] The video game Fortnite added John Wick as a playable character in 2019.[216] A five-issue comic book series based on the franchise was released between September 2017 and January 2018. The series, which was written by Greg Pak, is a prequel to John Wick, depicting John's integration into the assassin underworld.[217][218][219]
Thematic analysis
According to professor Ann C. Hall, John Wick is a postmodern epic hero in a contemporary epic universe. She said the John Wick franchise satisfies five of the six requirements to be classified as an epic: the imposing hero is of national or international importance and legendary significance; the setting is vast; the hero conducts great deeds of valor or superhuman courage; the tale involves powerful forces; and characters speak in stylized ways. Hall believed it fails the requirement of objectivity because John is the protagonist and is generally presented positively.[220] Hall links the film's narrative to elements of Samurai lore, Russian folktales, and historical epics from Christianity, ancient Greece, Rome and the Mediterranean.[221] Wayne Wong wrote Stahelski and Reeves have collaborated throughout their careers with choreographers familiar with action in Kung fu films, such as Yuen Woo-ping and Tiger Chen, and that John Wick can be seen as a synthesis of Eastern and Western action styles.[222]
Professor Scott T. Alison and Doctor George R. Goethal said while John has faults and is a ruthless killer, he does not have to objectively do good and his heroism is retaining his integrity against the unjust, violent criminal underworld.[223] John's puppy serves as a connection to his wife and demonstrates his soft side, and Iosef killing it unites the audience against him and anyone obstructing John's quest for revenge.[224] Owen R. Horton described John as "one of the deadliest and most brutal heroes in modern action cinema", but said unlike other contemporary action heroes, John regularly retreats to his soft side, which is defined by his love for his wife. This, Horton says, represents the conflicting multiplicities of manhood.[225][226] According to critic Emanuel Levy, the central question of John Wick is whether John is a bad person who became good or a good person who has done bad things; and whether he can truly change or be redeemed.[33] Kolstad said even though John had left his former life behind, he remains in the outskirts of the city, sees a reminder of it every time he leaves his home, and does not truly escape its shadow.[58]
Hall also analyzed John from the perspective of Reeves's personal life. She said the character and hero share many characteristics, and that in the vein of epic heroes, Reeves faced obstacles in his career but persisted with acting despite criticism; he faced personal trials of courage and loss that inspire his character and make audiences sympathetic to him.[227] Both professor Lisa Coulthard and author Lindsay Steenberg said Reeves's and John's personalities are almost interchangeable, sharing a similar mixed-race background, personal tragedies, professionalism, and an inherent likeability—all of which add authenticity to the character and film.[228] Professor Sarah Thomas wrote that while The Matrix was a defining role for Reeves, it was not originally tailored specifically for him.[229] It was not until the 2010s that Reeves effectively established his own unique star persona, partly influenced by online discussions about his public image, which generated an almost mythical and malleable perception of Reeves.[230] Thomas argued that because the script for John Wick was reworked with Reeves in mind, his public image played a significant role in shaping and interpreting the character. This is in contrast to his role in The Matrix, where the character's meaning would likely remain unchanged with a different actor in the part.[229] According to Thomas, this alignment between Reeves's authenticity and image and the character of John Wick made it a perfect fit, as Reeves's persona filled gaps in the film's narrative.[231]
Legacy
Retrospective assessments
Analysts considered John Wick's success to be an example of a cult sleeper hit driven by strong word-of-mouth, and a positive critical reception from critics and audiences.[ae] Some publications, such as Empire and Time Out, and critics including Stephanie Zacharek have listed John Wick among the best action films.[af] Others, such as IGN and Syfy listed John Wick among the best films in Reeves's filmography.[251][252][253]
Cultural influence
Commentary by Rolling Stone and Collider said that before John Wick, the action genre had been in decline. They wrote that popular film series such as Die Hard and Rambo had been replaced with "forgettable" fare that heavily relied on CGI, shaky camera movements, and rapid edits, or a focus on larger-than-life superhuman bouts in superhero films.[ag] In contrast, publications described John Wick as a groundbreaking entry in the action genre, in part because of its extensively choreographed sequences and practical effects that were filmed in long takes.[ah] Author Ray Morton said the film revitalized the action genre by combining choreography, video-game style visuals, and explicit gore and violence.[256]
John Wick's popularity grew following its release on home video and streaming services, increasing support for a sequel,[ai] which in turn led to a financially and critically successful action film series,[aj] and gave Reeves his most-mainstream success since The Matrix films.[67]Rolling Stone named it "The Last Great American Action-Movie Franchise", transforming what would normally be a B-movie into an "action-cinema connoisseur's dream come true".[ak] The mythology involved in the film's criminal underworld is also seen as contributing to the film's success.[255] Iwanyk said the filmmakers had no idea during the production how evocative the underworld would be with audiences.[58] Just as John Wick drew inspiration from the history of action cinema, it has subsequently been regarded as a significant influence on numerous action films that followed. These include Atomic Blonde (2017), Guns Akimbo (2019), and Extraction (2020), as well as several 2021 releases such as Gunpowder Milkshake, Jolt, The Protégé, and Nobody; the latter was written by Kolstad and produced by Leitch.[255][265]
Far Out described John as a groundbreaking role for Reeves, the character's pragmatic attitude, slick appearance, and relatable revenge story serving to revive the actor's career.[254][255][266]MovieWeb wrote that John's in-narrative status as a legendary character before the film begins was a "genius" decision that adds depth to the character and his universe while the film keeps him sympathetic through the loss of his wife and puppy. The publication said Reeves's iconic status contributed to the character's popularity, and that his dedication to performing many of his own stunts and learning combat techniques led to similar approaches from other actors, such as Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde and Bob Odenkirk in Nobody.[255]John Wick's success made Stahelski and Leitch in-demand action directors; Stahelski directed the film's sequels while Leitch moved outside the series to direct films such as Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2 (2018), Hobbs & Shaw (2019), and Bullet Train (2022).[267][268]
John Wick was not intended to have a sequel but its success, particularly outside the U.S., led to immediate development on a follow-up. John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) doubled the box-office take of John Wick, and received a similarly positive critical and audience response. It was followed by John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), which nearly quadrupled the box-office take of John Wick.[al] A fourth film, John Wick: Chapter 4, was released in March 2023, receiving critical praise and becoming the highest-grossing film in the series.[am] A fifth film is in development as of 2023.[273]
The success of the John Wick films led to several spin-offs. The Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023) is a miniseries focusing on the Continental hotel and its clientele, and Ballerina (2024) is an upcoming film starring Ana de Armas as Rooney, an assassin on her own quest for revenge.[233][274] As of 2023[update], an anime and television series based on John Wick is in development.[275]
Coulthard, Lisa; Steenberg, Lindsay (2022). "Red Circle of Revenge: Anatomy of the Fight Sequence in John Wick". The Worlds Of John Wick: The Year's Work At The Continental Hotel. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN978-0-253-06241-3. OCLC1298389868.
Gross, Edward; Altman, Mark A. (2022). They Shouldn't Have Killed His Dog – The Complete Uncensored Ass-Kicking Oral History Of John Wick, Gun Fu, And The New Age Of Action. New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN978-1-250-27843-2. OCLC1263340546.
Horton, Owen R. (2022). "Masculinity, Isolation, and Revenge: John Wick's Liminal Body". The Worlds Of John Wick: The Year's Work At The Continental Hotel. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN978-0-253-06241-3. OCLC1298389868.
Wong, Wayne (2022). "Killing in Equanimity: Theorizing John Wick's Action Aesthetics". The Worlds Of John Wick: The Year's Work At The Continental Hotel. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN978-0-253-06241-3. OCLC1298389868.
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