John Wick Director Reveals Original Plan for the Movie Would Have Totally Changed the Franchise

John Wick director Chad Stahelski details the original plan for the movie, which was very different from the version that was released in theaters. Speaking with ComicBook to promote the new documentary Wick is Pain (now available on digital platforms), Stahelski discussed how he became involved with the project. During development on John Wick, star Keanu Reeves called him to read the script and offer input on how to improve the action sequences. After Stahelski took a look, he realized the early draft of John Wick was a project that didn’t really need his expertise, as the body count was considerably low.

“I swear to God that the first day it’s called Scorn,” Stahelski said. “I think John Wick only killed two people. I think it was like two or three people or something like that. It was very contained, Cold War kind of thing. And I said, ‘Look, this is great, but like, you don’t want us, like, it’d be no problem to help you, but you don’t need us. Like, it’s not that kind of movie where you need, like, our whole team and cost you millions of dollars.’ He’s like, ‘Well, what if you direct it?’ And I was like, ‘Well, I don’t think there’s a lot of second unit here. Like, you know what I mean? It’s one little car thing.’ He’s like, ‘No, no direct movie.’”

John Wick was released in 2014 and became a comeback vehicle for Reeves. It earned considerable praise for its high-octane action sequences, launching a franchise that has upped the ante with each installment. Following the exploits of an underground society of assassins, the John Wick films have been bloody affairs from the beginning, with the Baba Yaga mowing through several waves of enemies in violent shootouts.

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Revamping John Wick into the film audiences know and love today turned out to be the best decision. Each installment has earned more money at the worldwide box office, with 2023’s John Wick: Chapter 4 grossing $440.1 million. The franchise continues to expand with the impending debut of spinoff film Ballerina. There are several other projects, including John Wick 5, in various stages of development as well.

Considering how influential John Wick’s gun-fu is on action cinema, it’s wild to realize that wasn’t always the plan. It would be fascinating to see John Wick as originally conceived. In all likelihood, the concept of a former hitman out for revenge was still there, but it sounds like there was more of an emphasis on character drama instead of visceral action. Stahelski’s use of the term “Cold War” implies the threat of violence was always on the precipice, but things didn’t reach a boiling point until the end. If John only killed two or three people in the initial script, that sequence was probably being saved for the climax.

It’s difficult to say if the initial draft of John Wick would have been as successful as the film that was released. Audiences clearly responded positively to the sheer amount of action that unfolds on screen. If that wasn’t present, then there’s a chance John Wick wouldn’t have spawned a franchise. Still, the original version would have given Reeves an interesting opportunity to explore his dramatic range in a more restrained character-driven piece. Reeves delivered an iconic performance in John Wick, tapping into those sensibilities, but the role became something much more physically demanding than initially envisioned, requiring Reeves to lean into his action chops. There was certainly potential for the early draft of John Wick to make for a compelling film, though it’s hard to argue with Stahelski’s revamp of the premise.