John Wick (film)

During the early 2000s, Derek Kolstad struggled to gain recognition as a screenwriter, despite being related to successful author Lori Wick. Kolstad produced up to eight screenplays per year, none of which went into production. To further his career, Kolstad moved closer to the film industry in Los Angeles but decided to leave after two months. With encouragement from his wife Sonja, Kolstad secured a manager and wrote 60 screenplays before finding success with low-budget action films One in the Chamber (2012) and The Package (2013).[31][32]

Over four days in either 2012 or 2013, Kolstad wrote a spec script titled Scorn,[33] the inspiration for which came from two "terrible revenge movies" Kolstad 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 Wick was modeled on actors such as Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman.[34][6][35] The script included elements such as Wick's elderly dog, a long-deceased wife named Charon, Winston, the Continental, and the underworld gold coins; and had a kill count of 11 compared to the film's several dozen. Wick is portrayed as an underworld legend who has been absent for decades, causing younger criminals to dismiss tales of his deeds.[36] Kolstad aimed to explore the character as "the worst man in existence" who finds and loses salvation through love and events that followed this.[37] Kolstad had difficulty determining the incident that would lead to Wick's return, ultimately choosing his dog's murder over the cliché of the killing of the character's wife and family. Kolstad focused his efforts on the first act, believing a solid opening would make later acts easier to write.[38]

The draft was influenced by the variety of action films of which Kolstad was fond, including Aliens (1986), Predator (1987), and Die Hard (1988); and revenge films, westerns, and noir films such as Miller's Crossing (1990).[lower-alpha 4] Kolstad included black comedy, believing levity added to the characters' humanity, drawing influence from comic actors such as Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, and Roscoe Arbuckle; and his favorite animated television series, including Rick and Morty and SpongeBob SquarePants.[41] After garnering feedback from family and agents, Kolstad made minor changes and the spec script was put out for sale.[42]

Chad Stahelski (pictured in 2014) and David Leitch (2018)

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.[43] He focused on action films that could be made on relatively low budgets.[44] 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.[44][35] Several studios were interested in the spec script and could offer Kolstad more money than Iwanyk.[44]

Kolstad met with his agent to discuss the five offers he received but the agent told him to ignore all but the lowest bid by Iwanyk, because Thunder Road Films was ready to start work immediately.[45][32] The deal was completed in February 2013.[46] Kolstad began rewrites alongside Iwanyk and producer Erica Lee over two months.[46][35] Iwanyk originally envisioned elderly actors such as Eastwood or Harrison Ford as John Wick but later decided he did not want an elderly actor but one "who has a seasoned history in the film world".[44][6][35]

In April 2013, Iwanyk's friend at talent company Creative Artists Agency was Keanu Reeves's agent, who asked Iwanyk if he had any action projects that were suitable for Reeves. Iwanyk gave the agent the script, telling him to ensure Reeves understood "clearly, you're not seventy-five".[46] Reeves was interested in the dynamics between the real world and the underworld, and the emotional connection to Wick's wife.[47][48][49] The script was sent to several directors but Kolstad said their responses were; " 'I totally want to do this. Maybe John Wick is married, his mother-in-law lives with him, he has four kids, and they kill the entire family?' And I was like 'You don't get it. We're not doing that' ".[46] Others were not interested because the idea appeared to be a typical Reeves action film.[50]

While Reeves was negotiating his involvement, he sent the script to Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, both of whom had worked with Reeves 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.[lower-alpha 5] He recommended them to choreograph or direct the action sequences, believing their style matched the script's tone.[54][55][56] Stahelski and Leitch were interested in the variety of action scenes, but they wanted to direct the film itself.[57][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 Wick is an urban legend.[lower-alpha 6] Reeves said they impressed him with their intent to make each character memorable and thoughts on the theme of living a double life.[35] In May, Reeves was confirmed for the lead role, and Stahelski and Leitch were to direct it.[54][49][48]

For the next two months, Kolstad and Reeves spent weekends rewriting the script six times to fit Reeves's acting style. John Wick was made younger and Reeves intending to portray him as a 35-year-old. Dialogue was trimmed to portray Wick as a "badass"; a five-page conversation between Wick and the priest was trimmed to Wick simply responding "Uh-huh".[59][32] They decided not to depict Wick's "impossible task", believing they should never show the character's life before Helen's death.[60]

Adrianne Palicki (pictured in 2013) and Willem Dafoe (2019)

Many of John Wick's principal cast were added to the film in September and October 2013.[lower-alpha 7] Casting focused on affordable actors who were available in the two-and-a-half weeks before filming began.[65] The task was eased by filming in New York City (NYC), allowing the producers to secure NYC-based actors such as Ian McShane, who only had to be present to film their scenes without traveling long distances.[66] Character actors who could vivify Kolstad's characters were preferred; they might have little screen-time but were considered essential for providing details about John Wick's past and the underworld.[55]

Kolstan named John Wick after his grandfather, and Helen was named for his grandmother.[29][67] Keanu Reeves was paid between $1–$2 million for his performance.[68] Reeves brought his personal experience of bereavement to the role, believing he related to the character's emotional state.[69][70] Describing the character, Reeves said:

"[Wick] thought [his old life] was something he would never go back to ... [Wick] thought he was stronger than he is, when really he'd been drawing that strength from his wife, Helen ... he thought he was in control, but the switch flips and there's no turning back. I always thought of it as being a kind of Old Testament revenge story. When someone takes the things he cherishes, violence erupts and [Wick] can't temper it."[70]

Stahelski and Leitch emphasised loss and humanity as a fundamental aspect of Wick, wanting to avoid making him a "stereotypical badass assassin". They had Reeves grow his hair and beard, and dressed him in stylish suits to create recognizable visual elements to Wick.[70] Reeves undertook four months of training, including several hours per day in a gym, strict diet, and stretches, and learned choreography.[lower-alpha 8] Although he had previous martial arts experience, the directors wanted to create a style fitting for Wick, and had Reeves train in judo, Japanese jujutsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and arnis; he also took tactical-gun courses with the Los Angeles SWAT and Navy SEALs.[lower-alpha 9] He also learned stunt driving skills, including how to drift a car while aiming a gun.[70][75]

On his role as Viggo, Michael Nyqvist said, "I found the relationship between [John Wick] and Viggo to be interesting. Viggo has always liked [John] because he was brilliant at his job. They have the kind of love and respect you might see between a father and son."[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][76][6] He generally played his character as a straight man with some quirks.[77] Kolstad described Iosef as "a dinner-theater version of his father. Iosef is a rich kid who imagines himself a tough guy; but without his father's muscle, he's a punk ... he's one spoiled kid".[6][76] Alfie Allen said he was attracted to speaking different languages and accents, and spending time in Russian bathhouses in New York to test his dialect. He found some of the physical punishment his character endures and spontaneous additions of Russian dialogue he had to quickly learn difficult.[78]

The female assassin Ms. Perkins was written as a male character until Adrianne Palicki was cast in the role.[9][6] Describing the character, Palicki said; "Ms. Perkins is what you think the quintessential assassin would be. She's cold, heartless, conniving, badass, and I think that she has fun with what she does. She enjoys it. I think that she'd clearly do it for a dollar."[79][10] Palicki trained in judo and jujitsu for a few months, and spent two weeks learning the choreography for her fight scene with Reeves.[lower-alpha 10] Moynahan did not read the script entirely, wanting to know only as much as Helen would know about Wick. Iwanyk said; "Helen probably thought John had some skeletons in his closet, but it wasn't important. All we know as an audience is that the moment he met her, he became a different person."[6]

Kolstad described Winston as someone who "doesn't say a lot, but when he does, the Earth moves. If [Wick] and Viggo are the gods of New York, Winston is the titan." McShane took the role because of his fondness for neo-noir films. John Leguizamo informed his performance on Aurelio's "slick" clothing, saying; "I'm walking through the set and all of a sudden I start feeling a little cocky, like I'm somebody. It all helps".[6] Willem Dafoe described Marcus as "an assassin on a very high level" who serves as a father figure to Wick in "the sense that he's the king of the pride. When a new lion takes over a pride, he slaughters all the cubs." He added traits to his aging character such as a scene in which Marcus makes juice because he believed the character would maintain his health to keep up with younger assassins.[6][80]

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 $2.4 million he'd send us a check for $2,400 and go 'whoops! I messed up' ".[81] Iwanyk said he and his executives lacked experience in film financing; five days before the scheduled filming date, he considered canceling the project. His lawyer advised he would likely be sued into bankruptcy by those involved and their associated 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.[82] The lack of financial security delayed filming by two weeks;[83] Iwanyk described them as the most-difficult and most-stressful weeks of his career; his family visited to ensure he was safe because he was not sleeping or eating.[84]

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.[85] The majority of funding was provided by Michael Witherill of MJW Films, actor Eva Longoria, and DefyNite Films.[lower-alpha 11]

New York City was chosen as the main filming location. Although filming there would cost millions of dollars more than alternatives such as Baton Rouge, Chicago, and Detroit, Iwanyk said in a neo-noir film, the location is also a character, and "if I shoot [John Wick] with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background, it feels like a big movie".[91][77] Stahelski said New York offered visual verticality but also areas such as downtown Manhattan, where it could appear almost subterranean, offering the mythological underworld setting they wanted. There were also many restrictions because residents were resistant to film trailers, car chases, and gunfire in their streets. Even on streets closed for filming, the filmmakers had to obey the speed limit, impacting car-chase sequences.[72][77] Stahelski said they could not do everything they wanted because they had to prioritize spending on the location or other departments, and believed New York City was instrumental to conveying the "cool world" of John Wick.[77]

Staheliski and Leitch drew on a broad amalgamation of their favorite films and directors for John Wick's visual style.[92][93][94] Stahelski described the crime thriller Point Blank (1967) as a significant influence;[92][93][94] they also reviewed the "classic" visual composition of films from the period 1960–1990,[52][55][73] including Le Cercle Rouge (1970), The Killer (1989), and The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)—a comedy in which hired killers pursue the central character.[92][93][94] They drew on Akira Kurosawa's style of holding on the composition,[55][52] John Woo's use of wide shots and multi-opponent combat,[95][93] and spaghetti westerns by Sergio Leone.[lower-alpha 12] Stahelski said; "look at [Clint Eastwood] in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly—there is so much back-story unsaid there. We just give you some gold coins, and then it's, 'Where do the gold coins come from?' We'll get to that. Have your imagination do some work there."[94] Other influence came from the works of director Quentin Tarantino, and actors Lee Marvin and Steve McQueen;[93][52] graphic novels;[73][96] and action films such as Police Story (1985), Armour of God and Lethal Weapon (both 1987), Die Hard (1988), and The Matrix (1999).[97]

Stahelski and Leitch eschewed contemporary action-film styles of rapid cuts showing different angles and close-up shots, which they believed resulted in a "confusing fury of movement". They agreed to perform lengthy, single takes with a wide view of the action, and only cut away to cover up mistakes.[lower-alpha 13] This was also a practical decision because 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.[100][101] Iwanyk said if they had an extra $5–$10 million, they could have afforded a multi-camera setup and second-unit filming but that the "economic experience" resulted in a better action film.[102] 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 Wick is struck by a car.[52][72][77]

The setting combines the familiar in the private, rural setting of Wick and Helen—which Leitch described as "organic and warm; very cinéma vérité real"—and the hyper-real underworld in which everything is a "little over the top". Production designer Dan Leigh said: "the visual manifestation of [the underworld] is something that transcends reality. The light is a little bit different. There's texture in the air. There are unexpected objects everywhere."[103] Kolstad did not describe the underworld rules and settings in detail, which gave the designers lots of scope. Iwanyk said the lack of detail prevented them from focusing too much on world building.[103][104] The directors said the value of the gold coins was unimportant, comparing them to business cards that grant access to underworld services, and that while some aspects of the underworld did not work, the coins informs the audience they are entering a different world.[88][105] Luca Mosca led costume design, which focused on stylish suits with some functionality over practical combat outfits to provide the underworld "classiness" throughout the film. Mosca used variant shades of black in the designs and made them form-fitting, sleek, and "timeless" to fit the immaculate nature of the underworld.[52][72][6] Wick's suit was influenced by 1970s style three-piece suits worn by film stars such as Steve McQueen and Lee Marvin.[77] In the film, Wick's car is referred to 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 would have been too expensive. Instead, Ford Mustang Mach 1 models were utilized.[3][4]

Supervising stunt coordinator J. J. Perry; Stahelski; and 87Eleven Productions associates John Valera, Jon Eusebio, Danny Hernandez, Guillermo Grispo, Eric Brown, the Machado brothers, Jackson Spidell, and armorer Taran Butler; had developed for an earlier film a combat style that combined grappling martial arts with gun combat and a focus on restricting limbs with the left hand, leaving the right hand free for gun action.[106][1] Combat training, which took place at 87Eleven's facility, included an obstacle course to prepare for the Wick house invasion.[52][70]

The Beaver Building (pictured in 2011) appears as the exterior of the Continental hotel

Principal photography began on October 7, 2013, on a $20–$30 million budget, in and around New York City.[107][108][64][lower-alpha 14] 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.[109][77] The first five days of filming began in Mill Neck village with scenes at Wick's house.[110][111][64] Iwanyk recalled thinking "oh shit, this movie's not going to work" after watching the crew lighting a stuffed dog stand-in and several scenes of Reeves brooding.[112] He changed his mind after Wick's interaction with the police officer after killing a hitman squad; an "absurd" situation that was played straight.[113]

Cinematographer Jonathan Sela intended to use anamorphic lenses for Wick's domestic life to create a soft, clean image; and spherical lenses for his return to the underworld to create a "gritter, darker, and sharper" picture. 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.[101] He lit scenes in a "gothic manner" to make the underworld appear with a mix of American and European designs, and lit characters to maintain the mystery of whether they were Wick's friend or foe.[114]

Scenes at The Red Circle nightclub were filmed at Surrogate's Courthouse (exterior), Edison Theatre (club interior), and Aire Ancient Baths (below-ground spa).[115][116] 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.[117] Perry was hired to choreograph the nightclub sequence at the last minute because Stahelski was busy filming the final fight between Wick and Viggo.[118] Perry, who portrays four characters killed by Wick in The Red Circle, was only told to begin in the nightclub and move up to the top level.[119] Despite the choreography, improvisation based on spontaneous additions often took place during filming.[117] Reeves 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 others could over three days.[lower-alpha 15]

Combat strictly followed the number of bullets in Wick's weapons and included scenes in which he could reload. If changes were made, such as the addition of three enemies to a scene, the number of bullets was changed accordingly and reloading scenes had to be moved.[120] There were some difficulties filming the scene because the production design had bought incorrect gear, such as the holster, which made it difficult for Reeves to draw his gun; Perry said they used a silencer attachment that would be impractical. There were minor issues in timing in scenes at the spa and the club's upper floor, and there was not enough filmed footage to cover the inconsistencies, resulting in changes to some choreography and scenes to establish the characters' locations.[121] Reeves was ill; according to Iwanyk, he would vomit between scenes then insist on continuing filming.[122] The insurers refused to let Reeves perform a fall from the club's upper floor; Spidell stood in for falls and other hard impacts.[123]

The fight between Wick and Viggo, which was filmed over five nights at Brooklyn Navy Yard, was difficult.[116][75][55] The temperature was regularly 36 °F (2 °C); the production was prohibited from using artificial rain on one evening because temperatures dropped too low. Reeves refused to wear a wetsuit to help prevent hypothermia.[55] Iwanyk believed the scene was an ill-fitting end to the film and would not fare well with audiences because Wick was fighting an older man. The directors had planned the preceding vehicle sequence to involve several cars but only two arrived.[124]

The Beaver Building was the location for exterior scenes at The Continental, and interior scenes were filmed at several buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn, including the Cunard Building, Hotel Wolcott, and a bank vault in the Financial District.[116][125] marble was glued to its surfaces to make it appear expensive.[125] Exterior scenes set at Viggo's headquarters were filmed at the Maritime Exchange Building and on the roof of ModernHaus SoHo on Grand Street.[116][72] Filming also took place at Calvary Cemetery,[126] a gas station in Upper Nyack,[127] Republic Airport,[128] Manhattan Bridge, Schaefer Landing, and Bethesda Terrace and Fountain.[116] The church scene was scripted as a bank heist but scouts had difficulty find a suitable location; Stahelski and Leitch believed hiding it in a church would be interesting.[55][77] Interior scenes were filmed at St. Francis Xavier Church, while the exterior combines the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building in New York and the Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles.[129][130][116]

Filming concluded on December 20, 2013, after nine weeks.[131] The directors described it as a difficult learning experience that included many mistakes, and stretched the limits of the budget and schedule, but they achieved their goal.[80] Kolstad lamented the loss of his favorite scene due to scheduling, in which two men at Aurelio's garage see Wick's car being driven in, recognize it, and immediately leave the premises.[132]

John Wick entered post-production on January 10, 2014.[86] Iwanyk described it as a struggle because there was little faith the film would succeed, and most of the principal cast and crew had moved on to other projects.[133]

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.[134] There was no budget for re-shoots and no coverage material so she had to work with the available footage.[133] Iwanyk described a longer version of the film as "painful" because the excessive action made the experience numbing and there were too many establishing shots of people walking or driving.[135] Ronaldsdóttir performed more substantial cuts, reducing John Wick to 101 minutes, which received a more-positive response from Iwanyk, who said; "Holy shit! This is good!"[135][136]

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 Wick's mourning.[137] Wick's fight with Ms. Perkins was edited because they could not show him being as violent to a female character.[67] Ronaldsdóttir did not regret the cuts, saying: "I like cutting out dialogue. Not because it's not good, it's just because when it's on the page, it's perfect. When you have the actors embody it, you have all the props and sets and the lighting and everything, so a lot of dialogue becomes redundant."[138] The directors found balancing the film's tone with the "over-the-top" 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. Leitch said: "There's a fine balance, because you’ve seen this kind of movie a thousand times. Too cheesy, too serious, too funny, too goofy, not action-y enough, too action-y."[lower-alpha 16]

John Wick was shown to a few of Iwanyk's close associates, who gave a "lukewarm" 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 Wick and Viggo replies "oh".[139] The response was positive enough they held no more test screenings.[140] The death of Wick'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.[141][73][32] 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.' "[141][32]

Test audiences were supportive of Wick avenging his puppy.[141][73][32] Despite Stahelski's and Leitch's collaboration, the Director's 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 film's score. Stahelski and Leitch requested a "fun, raw, aggressive, unorthodox" score that reflected Wick'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 Wick's thought process and establish the essence of his story; they began writing with the opening scene, which at the time had more-immediate transitions between Wick's mourning and the action sequence at the film's denouement.[142] 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.[143][142][144] Ronaldsdóttir suggested the use of "Think" by Kaleida.[145]

Keanu Reeves (in 2014) promoting John Wick at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas

By August 2014, John Wick had no secured distributor.[146][147] Industry professionals blamed the lack of interest on the film's untested directors, Iwanyk's lack of experience in independent film production, and Reeves's declining success at the box office—his 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.[148] While John Wick had secured "strong presales" in some countries, Iwanyk said "important territories" were not showing interest in the film.[81]

A screening arranged for studio acquisition executives went poorly; one viewer walked out shortly after it started. Lionsgate Films made the only offer, which included no upfront payment and a bottom release commitment, which Iwanyk believed meant John Wick would go straight to home video.[146][147] Lionsgate executives Jason Constantine and Tim Palen, however, championed John Wick, and set an October release date through its subsidiary Summit Entertainment.[lower-alpha 17] The film's title came late in production; Reeves disliked the screenplay's title Scorn and regularly referred to it in interviews as John Wick, which Lionsgate executives equated to "seven million dollars in free press" and titled the film John Wick.[154]

A trailer created by Palen was well received, as were pre-release screenings at the 2014 Austin Film Festival and Fantastic Fest.[140] Audience demand at Fantastic Fest led to two additional screenings.[155][156] In the week leading up to its release, John Wick was screened at no cost to audiences in 42 cities across the United States.[157] Box office analyst Scott Mendhelson 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]".[158] 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.[159] In October, Lionsgate announced John Wick would play in IMAX theaters, which was seen as a "premium" theatrical experience and further raised the film's profile.[158][160][161]

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.[162][163][164] Variety described this as a "pretty imaginative marketing move", targeting the same male audience as John Wick without the cost of making a full game based on it.[163]

By late 2014, the film industry was in decline, the mid-year had seen a total gross of $4.1 billion, a 15% decline from the previous mid-year and the lowest total since 2006.[165][166] This was a result of shifting release dates, a lack of anticipated film releases, which were either postponed until 2015 or were being distributed via video on demand, and few major projects from top male stars. Although production costs fell and attendance for female audiences rose, industry analysts blamed the decline on the weaker tranche of films that were released that mid-year.[165] Studio executives were expecting the late-2014 tranche of films to match the previous year's record performance, with anticipation for Gone Girl, Interstellar, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.[165][166] Expectations for John Wick were low due to Reeves's recent box-office failures and the film's short promotion cycle.[lower-alpha 18]

John Wick was premiered at Regal Union Square Theater in New York City on October 13, 2014; Reeves was accompanied by Andy the puppy.[98][171] The event was hosted in partnership with watch company Carl F. Bucherer and many of the cast wore the brand's watches for the premiere.[172]

John Wick was released in the United States and Canada on October 24.[173] During its opening weekend, the film earned $14.4 million across 2,589 theaters—a average of $5,568 per theater,[173][159] making it the number-two film of the weekend behind the debut of Ouija ($19.9 million) and ahead of Fury ($13.3 million), which was in its second weekend.[174] The success of John Wick was a surprise, nearly doubling analysts' low expectations and pre-release estimates of $7–$10 million, and over-performing across 347 IMAX theaters with $2.5 million, accounting for 18% of its total box-office take.[159][175] The film attracted a mostly male audience, about 77% of which were over 25 years of age.[175][158] John Wick fell to number six in its second weekend with a gross of $8 million, and number eight in its third with $4.1 million. It left the top-ten highest-grossing films by its fourth weekend with a gross of $2.2 million.[176][177][173] John Wick left theaters by January 22, 2015, with a total box-office take of $43 million, making it 79th-highest-grossing film of the year.[178][173]

Outside the U.S. and Canada, John Wick is estimated to have earned a further $43 million, performing well in Germany ($3.7 million), France ($3.2 million), Australia ($2.8 million), Taiwan ($2.6 million), Russia ($2.59 million), the United Kingdom ($2.4 million), and Japan ($2.3 million), among others.[179][180] This made it the 114th-highest-grossing film outside of the U.S. and Canada.[181] Cumulatively, John Wick earned an estimated worldwide gross of $86 million, making it the 89th-highest-grossing film of 2014.[182][lower-alpha 19]

John Wick received generally positive reviews.[183][160][184] 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".[185] The film has a score of 68 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[186] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+-to-F scale.[187][183]

Critics were near unanimous in their praise for Reeves's performance, describing it as a return to form.[lower-alpha 20] 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".[lower-alpha 21] 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.[lower-alpha 22] Others praised his believable physicality and athleticism that enhances the many combat sequences and long single takes.[lower-alpha 23] 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 "pretty humorless".[193][194] Praise was also given to the main supporting cast, particularly McShane and Nyqvist, though there was criticism the actors were underused.[lower-alpha 24]

The directors' decades of experience in stunt work was seen as a major benefit to the film's action sequences, which Stephanie Zacharek described as among the "most beautifully choreographed" set-pieces in an American action film for a long time.[lower-alpha 25] Reviews praised the action scenes for their "fluidity" and "grace" that relies on the proficiency of their performers and the innovative choreography that eschews slow-motion focus for a blunt, direct manner that provides more shock value, and were impressive in their competency and their brutal, efficient nature, reflecting the film's main 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 differentiates John Wick from its peers.[lower-alpha 26] Variety said the large number of equally impressive action sequences make up for the weak script.[29]

While critics generally described the narrative as a self-serious, cliche-filled, and predictable action script with a stylistic approach, they said it offers a novel setting, creating intrigue related to Wick's past and the mythology that developed around the criminal underworld.[lower-alpha 27] The mythology in John Wick is identified as a key aspect that differentiates it from other action movies, particularly the codes and rules that govern the criminals, and the Continental hotel, which enforces a neutral-ground policy and provides a contrast to the otherwise non-stop violence in the rest of the film.[lower-alpha 28] Entertainment Weekly described the world-building as "rich" and "stylish", with Hoffman hoping for future films to explore this setting, even without the John Wick characters.[197][5]

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).[201] Reeves received a nomination for the Razzie Redeemer Award at the 35th Golden Raspberry Awards.[202] 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.[203] 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.[204][205] Dafoe received the Body of Work award at the San Diego Film Critics Society Awards 2014.[206][lower-alpha 29]

John Wick was released as a digital download in January 2015.[207] This was followed by a DVD and Blu-ray release in February.[208][209] 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.[210] The home-media release was a success, being 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.[211] A 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version was released in 2017, containing all of the previously released features.[212] The digital release had earned about $20 million by May 2015, and the physical release about $44 million by 2022.[213][214]

Varese Sarabande Records released the film's music soundtrack in October 2014.[144]

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 Wick while assassinating powerful targets.[215][216][217] John Wick Hex (2019) is a tactical, third-person video game that serves as a prequel to the film's events; the game involves Wick rescuing Winston (McShane) and Charon (Reddick).[218][219] The video game Fortnite added John Wick as a playable character in 2019.[220]

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 Wick's integration into the assassin underworld.[221][222][223]

According to 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. It fails the requirement of objectivity because Wick is the protagonist and is generally presented positively.[224] Hall links the film's narrative to elements of Samurai lore, Russian folktales, and historical epics from Christianity, ancient Greece, Rome and the Mediterranean.[225] 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.[226]

Scott T. Alison and George R. Goethal said while Wick 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.[227] Wick'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 in Wick's quest for revenge.[228] Owen R. Horton described Wick as "one of the deadliest and most brutal heroes in modern action cinema", but said unlike other contemporary action heroes, Wick regularly retreats to his soft side, which is defined by his love for his wife. This, Horton says, represents the conflicting multiplicities of manhood.[229][230] According to critic Emanuel Levy, the central question of John Wick is whether Wick 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.[35] Kolstad said even though Wick 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.[60]

Hall also analyzed Wick 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.[231] Both Lisa Coulthard and author Lindsay Steenberg said Reeves's and Wick'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.[232]

John Wick is regarded as one of the best action films ever made.[lower-alpha 30] Several publications have named it one of the best action films of the 21st century,[lower-alpha 31] and among the best films in Reeves's filmography.[242][243] 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.[lower-alpha 32] Its popularity grew following its release on home video and streaming services, increasing support for a sequel, which became a financially and critically successful film series, and gave Reeves his most-mainstream success since The Matrix films.[69] Reeves said: "We certainly didn't know when we started on John Wick that it would become like this ... We're only getting to tell these stories because of the audience. So thank you."[69]

Commentary by Rolling Stone and Collider said before John Wick, the action genre had been in decline; popular film series such as Die Hard and Rambo had been generally replaced with "forgettable" fare that heavily relied on computer-generated imagery (CGI), shaky camera movements, and rapid edits, or a focus on larger-than-life superhuman bouts in superhero films.[lower-alpha 33] 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.[lower-alpha 34] Author Ray Morton said the film revitalized the action genre by combining choreography, video-game style visuals, and explicit gore and violence.[248]

John Wick's success launched one of the most-successful action franchises ever made. 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".[lower-alpha 35] The mythology involved in the film's criminal underworld, such as a unique currency and strict rules, is also seen as contributing to the film's success.[246] Iwanyk said the filmmakers had no idea during the production how "evocative" the underworld would be with audiences.[60]

Like how John Wick was influenced by the history of action cinema, it is seen as an influence on many action films that followed, such as Atomic Blonde (2017), Guns Akimbo (2019), and Extraction (2020); and 2021 films Gunpowder Milkshake, Jolt, The Protégé, and Nobody—which was also written by Kolstad and produced by Leitch.[246][249]

Far Out described Wick as a groundbreaking role for Reeves whose pragmatic attitude, slick appearance, and relatable revenge story served to revive the actor's career.[250][247][246] MovieWeb wrote Wick's in-narrative status as a legendary character before the film begins was a "genius" decision that adds depth to the character and the film's universe while keeping 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.[246] 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 and Shaw (2019), and Bullet Train (2022).[251]

• 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. ISBN 978-0-253-06241-3. OCLC 1298389868.
• 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. ISBN 978-1-250-27843-2. OCLC 1263340546.
• Hall, Ann C. (2022). "John Wick: Keanu Reeves's Epic Adventure". Heroism Science. Richmond, Virginia: University of Richmond. 7 (2). doi:10.26736/hs.2022.01.08.
• 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. ISBN 978-0-253-06241-3. OCLC 1298389868.
• 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. ISBN 978-0-253-06241-3. OCLC 1298389868.