Niko Tavernise/Lionsgate; BI
- For the 10th anniversary “John Wick,” BI spoke to directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch.
- They revealed that not everyone was on board with the film’s infamous dog death scene.
- When the movie ran out of money, they found an unlikely savior in Eva Longoria.
In the decade since the release of “,” “Hobbs & Shaw,” and “The Fall Guy,” but I would imagine “John Wick” is close to your heart.
Leitch: That movie was so much from our DNA and had a moment of redefining action, but that was because of our unique experience as not only second-unit directors but we were also martial arts nuts, Kung-fu fans, fight choreographers. We created a brand of action that can really only be executed by us. When you look at a Tarantino film it feels like a Tarantino film, and “John Wick” is an expression of Chad and I collectively.
Then moving forward, Chad has made that specifically his own. When the first action scene happens you know that’s Stahelski’s work. No one else can choreograph that and shoot it like that and make it exciting.
Chad, you’ve made four “John Wick” movies. Are you now ready to move on from this franchise?
Stahelski: When you fall in love you fall in love. I’m in love with John Wick. I’m in love with the process and the story. Keanu and I are both like, if we wake up tomorrow and there’s a good idea, we’re doing it. You can bet your ass.
Another “John Wick” movie?
Stahelski: Yeah. If we felt we weren’t ripping the fans off and had more to give, I’d do it tomorrow. I just don’t have that right now. The other stuff I’m working on are great properties, and I’m excited, but nothing is going to beat this.
What was it about the John Wick character that made you give a decade-plus of your life to it?
Stahelski: Honestly, it’s not like we read it and a light bulb went off. It was a series of accidental successes. It was a series of choices, wants, desires, arguments. The movie we had initially in mind was at least 50% the movie that came out of it. But we learned a lot. We figured we had to go for it. It was a good way to create a platform for us to do what we thought we were good at.
But at the same time, Dave and I had a chip on our shoulders. We wanted to create a different kind of character. The stories you hear about me and Keanu going to the whiteboard and listing the 20 things we hate about action movies and the 20 things we love, I have a photo of that love side of the board and still look at it to this day.
Yes, it’s absolutely true that when we finished “John Wick: Chapter 2” Keanu and I were like, “We’re done.” But we keep coming back because when you start going out and looking at the other jobs, you realize the freedom you had. It became addictive to me.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.