As the John Wick franchise celebrates its 10th anniversary, fans have a surprising person to thank for its massive success: actor and producer Eva Longoria.
Financing Fell Through
The action-packed series, which has gone on to gross over $1 billion globally, almost never made it to the big screen. Chad Stahelski, the film’s director and producer, revealed that the first John Wick movie’s funding collapsed just a week before its scheduled start.
“We were less than a week out, and we lost almost $6 million on a gap financing,” Stahelski told Business Insider. “We were financing independently to get the bond, but one of the investors couldn’t raise the money in time.”
With the production on the verge of collapse, the filmmakers were desperate to find a solution. Eva Longoria intervened to rescue the situation.
Longoria to the Rescue
“She (Eva) came to the rescue, and she provided the gap financing, literally less than 24 hours before we had to lock the doors on the movie and walk away,” Stahelski revealed.
Longoria’s timely investment proved to be a brilliant move. The first John Wick film, starring Keanu Reeves as the titular assassin, went on to become a surprise hit, reviving Reeves’ action star status and kickstarting a massively successful franchise.
A billion-dollar franchise
Since that initial outing, the John Wick series has grown into a global phenomenon, with three sequels and a spinoff film in the works. Last year saw the release of the latest installment, John Wick: Chapter 4, to critical acclaim and commercial success, solidifying the franchise’s status as one of Hollywood’s biggest action movie IPs.
“Safe to say, the investment has paid back, with the John Wick franchise ultimately minting over a billion dollars globally,” Stahelski noted.
Keanu Reeves’ bear almost caused problems.
While the franchise’s success is undisputed, the filmmakers behind John Wick did face some unexpected challenges along the way. One of the more surprising battles was over Keanu Reeves’ character sporting a beard.
“The authorities instructed us not to conceal your leading man’s face with a beard,” Stahelski disclosed. The financiers preferred the clean-shaven “Point Break Keanu” and “Speed Keanu” that audiences were familiar with.
However, the directors were determined to create a distinct look for John Wick, one that was part of the film’s “modern-day Greek mythology fantasy” aesthetic. They “caught a lot of shit” for keeping Reeves’ beard, but ultimately, the decision paid off, with fans embracing the character’s rugged appearance.
Killing the dog was another challenge.
Another point of contention was the filmmakers’ decision to kill off John Wick’s beloved dog in the opening moments of the first film. The financiers were adamant that this would “alienate the audience” and suggested shooting an alternate ending where the dog survived.
“People told us, ‘It’s bad luck.’ ‘It’s bad juju.’ ‘It’s ‘Old Yeller,’ you can’t do this!'” Leitch recalled. But the directors stood their ground, knowing that the dog’s death was a crucial narrative device that would drive the entire revenge-fueled plot of the film.
In the end, Eva Longoria’s prompt financial intervention and Keanu Reeves’ support for the directors’ vision allowed the John Wick franchise to realize its full potential. The rest, as they say, is history.
Table of Contents