As a longtime movie enthusiast who has witnessed the evolution of action cinema, I can confidently say that the John Wick franchise is one of the most remarkable success stories in recent years. The saga’s creators, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, have shared fascinating anecdotes about their struggles to maintain the integrity of the story, particularly when it comes to two essential elements: Keanu Reeves’ iconic beard and the heart-wrenching death of John Wick’s dog.
As a die-hard fan of the John Wick saga, I was astounded to learn that the studio almost tampered with two sacred aspects of this action masterpiece. In an exclusive interview commemorating the 10th anniversary since Keanu Reeves’ first portrayal of the unforgettable assassin, directors Chad Stahelski and co-director shared insights on the enduring legacy of this adored franchise. Interestingly, Stahelski disclosed that financiers preferred a clean-shaven Reeves, as opposed to his iconic John Wick beard, which they deemed unappealing compared to his appearances in films like Point Break, Speed, and The Matrix. Even more shocking, the studio almost halted the franchise by attempting to persuade Stahelski and co-director not to kill off John Wick’s loyal canine companion.
Indeed, our goal was to create a contemporary take on Greek mythology in a fantasy film. This isn’t your typical mainstream production, and we had an idea for Keanu Reeves that was quite unique. However, the financial backers were more interested in showcasing a familiar side of Keanu – like his roles in ‘Point Break’ or ‘Speed’. It was suggested at the time that as the leading man, Keanu’s face should not be hidden under a beard.
In an interview with Business Insider, Leitch mentioned that although he prefers not to delve into it, there have been disagreements about actors sporting beards. He quoted, “He needs to be clean-shaven for international!” as the standard studio stance. Stahelski admitted he received a lot of flak regarding Reeves’ facial hair, but the filmmakers remained firm in their decision to present the star differently from his past action hero personas.
Initially, we believed our jobs were secure, so on the first day of filming, we incorporated Keanu Reeves’ beard into the scene. Later in the week, when the team viewed the daily footage with cinematographer Jonathan Sela’s distinctive half-light shots, the response was overwhelmingly positive.
Without a doubt, John Wick’s distinctive style of a beard and long hair has not only become synonymous with his character, but also strongly linked to Keanu Reeves himself. Interestingly, Reeves maintained this same appearance when reprising the role of Neo in the 2021 film, The Matrix Resurrections.
The Studio Advised Filming a Laughable Alternate Ending… Just in Case
However, if Wick hadn’t killed his dog, it would probably have altered the course of the entire franchise significantly. This near miss was revealed by Leitch in an interview.
People warned us, “This is unlucky.” “This is bad vibes.” “It’s like Old Yeller, you can’t do this!” “No one will want to watch this; you’ll lose the audience.” I replied, “We’re depicting executions up close. Killing a dog is harsh, but what about the gruesome slaughter of so many human beings? Will they be able to stomach that?” They didn’t grasp that we were creating a genre film. We are die-hard fans of genres, and we know those intense scenes are what create lasting impacts.
As we wonder about other possible ways the John Wick story could have started besides the tragic loss of his pet, director Stahelski shares that the studio once proposed an absurdly unlikely alternative ending…
Over the coming two weeks, there was a proposal to film an alternate finale where the puppy turns out to be alive instead of dead. However, Keanu supported our decision. In the end, they decided, ‘Let’s go ahead and find out what these people are capable of.’
It’s fortunate that Stahelski and Leitch managed to have their vision realized, leading to the John Wick action series achieving unprecedented success among its genre peers. This achievement looks set to endure with the impending release of Ballerina, marking the beginning of several anticipated spin-offs in this franchise.
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2024-10-22 14:31