John Wick: Chapter 4 has dominated the action film genre with its thrilling action sequences and riveting story. Director Chad Stahelski has played a crucial role in developing this franchise, and in a recent interview, he revealed some interesting details about the production of John Wick: Chapter 4. The director talked about how the film’s climactic duel was influenced by its setting and where the idea for it originally came from.
Reaching $1 Billion: John Wick’s Humble Journey
John Wick’s meteoric rise to become a billion-dollar franchise may seem unbelievable, given its humble beginnings. However, Stahelski claims that the team’s success has always stemmed from their dedication to their work and genuine appreciation of action movies.
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Stahelski, Keanu Reeves, the scriptwriters, and the entire cast and crew are passionate film buffs who take great pride in moviemaking. Their mutual appreciation for Westerns and Samurai films inspired the show’s bold approach and universal appeal.
Stahelski reveals that the shocking conclusion to John Wick: Chapter 4 was part of the original script. Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves spent some time in Japan thinking about making the film’s conclusion more powerful.
It was decided to end on a note that could be interpreted in multiple ways. Stahelski explains they wanted to wrap up John’s story arc and persona while leaving some mystery. The story that emerged from their brainstorming sessions centers on selflessness, friendship, and making peace with one’s fate.
The Perfect Farewell: Dueling and Emotional Moments
After considering the possibility of John Wick’s demise, Stahelski and Reeves devised an original and befitting send-off for the character. They sought a significant redemption for the protagonist, who had spent several films using his lethal abilities to kill off antagonists.
Some of the franchise’s iconic scenes resulted from the crew’s willingness to choreograph fights with limited space and unusual weapons. Stahelski also reveals that the setting heavily influences the film’s visual style and emotional impact.
A touching scene inspired Stahelski in the original Cowboy Bebop, where one of the main characters tragically falls down a flight of stairs and dies. Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Paris was presented as a potential setting for the final duel by the location scouts, and Stahelski saw its potential right away.
“So, that was the tricky thing of how to spin the whole duel thing. We knew we wanted to duel. We knew we wanted him to sacrifice himself. We just didn’t quite understand the storytelling mechanics to back up and get us there. That probably took us a while, you know, we’re writing the script back and forth for like a year before we finally landed it and it was only like, I think it was less than two months before we rolled camera that we were like, ‘Oh! That’s how we want it!’ That’s after I’d sent a bunch of location scouts to Paris and found Sacré Coeur. We liked the imagery of the church, what that meant and going down the stairs. I have this favorite anime Cowboy Bebop, where Spike Spiegel dies on the stairs, and Hajime Yatate is a huge influence for me, the director of Cowboy Bebop and the creator. So, that all kind of came together when I saw the location.”
John Wick: Chapter 4 has been released, and fans are enjoying the culmination of a journey that began with a man seeking vengeance and transformed into a saga of honor, loyalty, and self-discovery with its stunning visuals, intense action, and emotional depth.
John Wick 4 is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: ComicBookMovie
