John Wick

2022 - 7 - 17

Post cover — Image courtesy of "SYFY WIRE"

What's on SYFY this week? 'Batman,' rewind with 'Warehouse 13 ... (SYFY WIRE)

Looking for superheroes? Want to hang out with everyone's favorite puppy owner John Wick? Looking to rediscover some magical artifacts?

Pete and Myka head into Season 2 as the modern classic Warehouse 13 takes over SYFY Rewind on Friday once again. While we patiently wait for the next big screen installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, go back to some of the early street races and set pieces on Wednesday with a batch of Furious flicks. All on SYFY.

The secret history of how Keanu Reeves became John Wick (EW.com)

But screenwriter Derek Kolstad originally planned on the vengeance-seeking assassin being a much older man when he wrote the script for the first film, which ...

And so think that he read something on a Friday, in ninety minutes, and was like, 'I want to do it.' In that moment, before I met and really clicked with him, I was like, 'Yeah, I really want to do it, too.' The first thing that Keanu said to me was, 'Okay, Derek, I'm going to play him 35.' And I'm like, 'Fine.'" It has this character of John Wick, but then you also have the real world, and at the same time this kind of underworld. "My other best friend in the world, this guy Jimmy Darmody, is an agent at CAA, who at the time represented Keanu," says producer Iwanyk. "And he said, 'Do you have any action movies for Keanu Reeves?' I remember thinking to myself, Keanu is one of the great action stars of the last 25 years — what happened to him? But the tone of the script for John Wick was subversive and really fun. When I first went and met with him and walked into his house, and as he rounded the corner to say hello to me — it's a nice house, it's not ostentatious for a guy who's worth, I dunno, billions — and I look in his office, I see he has three hundred screenplays stacked on his desk, because he reads everything that UTA, WME, William Morris sends out. If you want to have a career as a writer, we should take this.' You know you have a good agent when he's looking at the long game.

John Wick Was Originally Written as a 75 Year-Old Man (We Got This Covered)

Let's hope that's the case anyway, with Lionsgate going all-in on the world-building via prequel series The Continental and Ana de Armas spinoff Ballerina, as ...

But the tone of the script for John Wick was subversive and really fun. “I remember thinking to myself, Keanu is one of the great action stars of the last 25 years — what happened to him? However, things could have turned out a lot differently had any production companies shown interest in the original version of the script.

'John Wick' Originally Called for Older Action Star Like Clint ... (IndieWire)

The “Matrix” actor led a script rewrite with screenwriter Derek Kolstad before the 2014 action franchise was spurred, helmed by former stuntman Chad Stahleski.

“And I’m like, ‘Fine.'” It has this emotional connection with John Wick, who’s grieving, who’s lost the love of his life and has this mythical dark past. It has this character of John Wick, but then you also have the real world, and at the same time this kind of underworld. John Wick: Chapter 4” currently has a March 24, 2023 release date. This den of thieves that have this honor and a code. “I thought, ‘OK, there’s probably one or two names you could do this with: Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford. Other than that, I’m not sure how I put this movie together.’ But the tone of the script for John Wick was subversive and really fun.

'John Wick' Was Originally Written With Two Much Older Actors In Mind (UPROXX)

The original script for 'John Wick' envisioned the assassin being played by a much older actor.

As for how Reeves became involved, the actor’s agent was aggressively looking for projects to get him out of a career slump. But the tone of the script for John Wick was subversive and really fun. While Keanu Reeves is as synonymous with John Wick as he is with Neo from The Matrix, the role of the vengeful assassin almost went in an entirely different direction.

John Wick Was Originally a 75-Year-Old Man, but Keanu Reeves ... (Variety)

Franchise producer Basil Iwanyk confirms in the new book “They Shouldn't Have Killed His Dog: The Complete Uncensored Ass-Kicking Oral History of John Wick, Gun ...

It has this emotional connection with John Wick, who’s grieving, who’s lost the love of his life and has this mythical dark past. “When I first went and met with him and walked into his house, and as he rounded the corner to say hello to me — it’s a nice house, it’s not ostentatious for a guy who’s worth, I dunno, billions — and I look in his office, I see he has 300 screenplays stacked on his desk, because he reads everything that UTA, WME, William Morris sends out. It has this character of John Wick, but then you also have the real world, and at the same time this kind of underworld. This den of thieves that have this honor and a code. What’s he been doing?’ And he was directing his movie, ‘Man of Tai Chi,’ and doing ’47 Ronin.’ We give him the script, we tell him, ‘Clearly, you’re not 75.'” It was the fun of watching Clint Eastwood kick ass.

John Wick Was Originally Scripted as 75 Years Old, Clint Eastwood ... (MovieWeb)

John Wick producer Basil Iwanyk has revealed how the vigilante was originally envisioned to be much older before Keanu Reeves came on board.

Keanu Reeves explains in the new book why he boarded John Wick. The actor said he was attracted to the story about a man who goes on a journey to "reclaim his life" after losing the love of his life. We know now that the decision to make John Wick younger with Reeves in the role has paid off, as the action movie series has been incredibly successful. And so to think that he read something on a Friday, in ninety minutes, and was like, 'I want to do it.' In that moment, before I met and really clicked with him, I was like, 'Yeah, I really want to do it, too.' The first thing that Keanu said to me was, 'Okay, Derek, I'm going to play him 35.' And I'm like, 'Fine.'" But the tone of the script for John Wick was subversive and really fun. Try to imagine Clint Eastwood or Harrison Ford in the lead role in John Wick, because that was what franchise producer Basil Iwanyk had originally pictured for the hit action movie series. What's he been doing?' And he was directing his movie, Man of Tai Chi, and doing 47 Ronin. We give him the script, we tell him, 'Clearly, you're not 75.'"