WhenJohn Wickhit theaters in 2014, audiences weren’t quite sure what to expect.Keanu Reeveshad been promoting his latest action flick for quite some time, and since it had been years since he headlined his own notable action movie (and no,47 Ronindoesn’t count, folks), we were all pleasantly surprised by the results. Not only wasJohn Wickincredibly stylish, but it was also surprisingly deep considering it centered on a man hell-bent on revenge after the death of his dog. It’s no wonder the 2014 film spawned three Reeves-led sequels, buthad the project stuck to its original name, it might never have been an action-packed success story. Titles do matter, and in the case ofJohn Wick, Keanu Reeves' failure to remember the original name of the picture worked out in the movie’s favor.
What Is the Original ‘John Wick’ About?
If you haven’t seenJohn Wick, then you’re missing out on one of the best action flicks of the decade. The filmfollows former hitman John Wick(Reeves) after the passing of his wife, who had gifted her husband a puppy to help him deal with her death. As John begins to deal with the loss, things soon take a wrong turn. Unfortunately, the Wick home is soon broken into by a band of Russian gangsters, who not only steal the 1969 Mustang he had made plenty of memories with his wife in,but they kill his dog as well. It turns out, the young criminal who stole Wick’s car is the son of Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist), our hero’s former employer and all-around villain. Given his vast connections in the criminal underworld, and that he’s feared by many of them, Tarasov is a formidable opponent who is not to be trifled with.
‘John Wick’ Exploded Into Theaters 10 Years Ago — Action Movies Have Never Been the Same
‘John Wick’ inspired its own subgenre of gritty revenge thrillers with strong neo-noir capabilities.
Nevertheless,Wick pursues his revenge and effectively returns to the criminal underworldhe fought so hard to escape from. Even though his actions make him even more enemies than ever, Wick takes his revenge the only way he knows how. And boy, is it an explosive mess of stylistic violence that still manages to feel classy and exciting. Reeves re-defines his role in action pictures with the John Wick character, adding a cool calmness to some of the most excessive bits of violence you could imagine. Long gone are the days of shaky-cam fights made popular byThe Bourne Identity, asJohn Wickadds expert layers of well-choreographed actionin nearly every scene. It’s beyond impressive what the filmmakers were able to do with this Keanu Reeves-led production. But what wasJohn Wickoriginally called? Well, you’ll be glad they changed it.
‘John Wick’s Original Title Is a Long-Forgotten Memory, and For Good Reason
In a 2020 interview withComicbook.com,John WickscreenwriterDerek Kolstadrevealed that the picture was originally calledScorn, but Reeves evidently connected so deeply with his character that he couldn’t remember the screenplay’s five-letter title. Instead, he referred to it only by the name of the leading character.“The only reason it’s calledJohn Wickis that Keanu kept referring to it asJohn Wick,” Kolstad explained. “Marketing was like, ‘Dude, that’s four to five million dollars in free advertising so far, so it’sJohn Wickinstead ofScorn.’ I can’t imagine it beingScornnow.” We can’t either. WhileScornisn’t a bad title for a revenge movie (though it does sound a bit more like aSylvester StalloneorDolph Lundgrenpicture),John Wickoffers the film a presence that can only be embodied by an actor like Keanu Reeves. There’s a mystery to it that only adds to the world, and given Wick’s own status within that world, it makes complete sense that he would be at the very center.
Given the name “John Wick” spreads fear throughout the criminal underworld established in the picture, it makes perfect sense that the film itself would rest on the name as its title. Whenever John’s name is spoken by newcomers or those around the Continental,there’s an air of excitement and dread attached to it. Frankly,Scorndoesn’t evoke those same feelings, and it doesn’t doJohn Wickjustice.Scornmay have been the title that got the script to Reeves in the first place, but it’s debatable whether the picture would’ve been as successful in the long run (and certainly once it became a franchise) with such a simple and, well, less memorable title.
Speaking of, Kolstad wroteJohn Wickand its immediate sequel,John Wick: Chapter 2, before screenwritersShay Hatten,Chris Collins, andMarc Abramsentered forJohn Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum. “Parabellumwas [directorChad Stahelski’s idea] and I love it,” the screenwriter explained. By the timeJohn Wick: Chapter 4(which sadly didn’t get its own subtitle) came around, Kolstad was booted from the project, with Shay Hatten and Michael Finch taking over writing duties moving forward. “At a certain stage the studio will tell you, your creation is graduated, and you wish it well,“the screenwriter told Collider concerning the news. “I’m still close with Chad (Stahelski), still close with David (Leitch), and I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m excited to see.” Even without Kolstad involved, theJohn Wicklegend continues.
The John Wick Franchise Continues To Grow Beyond Keanu Reeves
Giventhe popularity of the John Wick films, it’s not surprising then thatthe series has grown into a franchise far beyond Derek Kolstad or even Keanu Reeves. After all, the first film revealed that there’s an entire world of assassins and criminal enterprises out there living in the shadows, and even after four John Wick films, it hardly seems as if we’ve scratched the surface of what’s possible. In 2023, Peacock released a three-episode miniseries,The Continental: From the World of John Wick,which further expanded on the strange neo-noir world of hitmen first established in the original. The prequel series, taking place in an alternate history 1970s, followsIan McShane’s character Winston Scott (played here byColin Woodell) in his formative years at the hotel.Mel Gibsonalso stars as the Continental’s operator, Cormac O’Connor. Beyond that, another John Wick television continuation —titledJohn Wick: Under the High Table— is currently in the works, though we know very little about that project at all.
There have been plenty of other rumored projects to take place within the John Wick universe, with the next one,From the World of John Wick: Ballerina,set to hit theaters in 2025. The film follows a new assassin,Ana de Armas’ Eve Macarro, as she seeks revenge for her father’s death. Keanu Reeves is set to return as John Wick, as is McShane as Winston Scott andLance Reddickas Charonin one of the actor’s final on-screen appearances before his death. As it stands now,the John Wick franchise continues to grow, and it shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.Ballerinatakes place between the third filmParabellumandChapter 4in the flagship film series. HadJohn Wickbeen calledScorninstead,the movie might not have received the marketing boost that it needed in order to become a sure-fire hit. Though the original 2014 picture is arguably still the best of the bunch, the sequels have continued to live up to the name, as has Reeves himself, who is the best the action genre currently has to offer.
John Wickis available to watch on Pluto TV in the U.S.
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An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters who killed his dog and stole his car.
