Bruce Willis Was Set To Play John Wick Before Keanu Reeves Came Aboard

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As a seasoned cinema enthusiast with over three decades of movie-going under my belt, I must say that the revelation of Bruce Willis as the original John Wick is both intriguing and slightly heartbreaking. Picture it: a grizzled, world-weary assassin, much like Willis’ memorable roles in “Die Hard” or “The Sixth Sense,” embarking on a bloody revenge saga. The mental image is captivating, to say the least.

Prior to transforming his appearance to resemble the action hero we now recognize as John Wick, another popular action star had been considered for the role of the canine-loving killer. However, he would have certainly lacked the long hair that has become synonymous with the character. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter for the 10th anniversary of the first John Wick film, co-director and producer David Leitch disclosed that Bruce Willis, a renowned action star and Die Hard icon, was in line to portray the titular assassin.

Later in his career, Leitch played a significant role in directing films like “Deadpool 2”, “Bullet Train”, and “The Fall Guy”. He shared fascinating behind-the-scenes details about the creation of the original movie, mentioning that Bruce Willis was involved from the start.

The script was initially presented to us by our former manager, Kelly McCormick (who is now my wife and producer). She had arranged a meeting with Basil Iwanyk and Peter Lawson from Basil’s production company, Thunder Road, possibly for second unit work on the script. It was during this encounter that we first encountered the script, and it may have been linked to Bruce Willis at that point in time.

Originally known as “Scorn,” the film we now call “John Wick” was initially titled so due to Keanu Reeves’ persistent reference to it as such during press interviews. The story revolves around an older assassin who embarks on a violent, vengeful journey. Interestingly, Carl Weathers, who plays this character, is approximately 10 years older than Reeves. Despite Reeves’ youthful appearance at age 60, thanks to his iconic role in “The Matrix,” the news of his casting brings a unique perspective to both the main action hero and the movie as a whole.

John Wick Led by Bruce Willis Would Have Been a Different Beast

Instead of focusing on an old assassin nearing retirement, John Wick actually revolves around a highly skilled former hitman who remains a formidable force in the world of killing. This is evident in several modifications made to the film after Keanu Reeves was cast, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski restructured their pitch for John Wick post-casting, turning the original 11 to 15 kill count into a staggering 84 kills, while also emphasizing the mythical aspects of the underworld of assassins.

If you squint a bit, it’s not too difficult to envision Bruce Willis as the lead in a quieter, more introspective revenge story titled “Scorn”, similar to his performance in Rian Johnson’s 2012 sci-fi film “Looper”. Although Keanu Reeves has made John Wick his own, the combination of directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch with Bruce Willis would undoubtedly have produced another masterpiece in action cinema, offering fans a final action movie to cherish from Willis following his recent retirement.

As a die-hard movie enthusiast, I can’t help but marvel at Keanu Reeves and his iconic transformation into John Wick. The action franchise has undeniably soared to unprecedented heights, standing tall amongst the greatest in cinematic history. Although we bid farewell to the main narrative with ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, the universe is far from over. Anime series, a TV show, and numerous spin-offs are brewing behind the scenes.

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2024-11-08 15:31