This article is about the 2014 film.

For the entertainment franchise, see John

Wick.
John Wick
John Wick TeaserPoster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Chad Stahelski[a]
Produced by
Basil Iwanyk
David Leitch
Eva Longoria
Michael WitherillThis article is about the 2014 film. For the entertainment
franchise, see John Wick.
John Wick
John Wick TeaserPoster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Chad Stahelski[a]
Produced by
Basil Iwanyk
David Leitch
Eva Longoria
Michael Witherill
Written by Derek Kolstad
Starring
Keanu Reeves
Michael Nyqvist
Alfie Allen
Adrianne Palicki
Bridget Moynahan
Dean Winters
Ian McShane
John Leguizamo
Willem Dafoe
Music by
Tyler Bates
Joel J. Richard
Cinematography Jonathan Sela
Edited by El�sabet Ronalds
Production
companies
Thunder Road Pictures
87Eleven Productions
MJW Films
DefyNite Films
Distributed by Summit Entertainment
Release date
September 19, 2014 (Fantastic Fest)
October 24, 2014 (United States)
Running time
101 minutes[2]
Country United States
Language English
Russian
Budget $20�30 million[3][4][5]
Box office $88.8 million[3]
John Wick is a 2014 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Chad
Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. It stars Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist,
Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John
Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe. It is the first installment in the John Wick film
series.
The story focuses on John Wick (Reeves), searching for the men who broke into his
home, stole his vintage car and killed his puppy, which was a last gift to him from
his recently deceased wife (Moynahan).[6] Stahelski and David Leitch directed the
film together, though only Stahelski was credited.[1]

Kolstad had completed the screenplay in 2012 and further developed it for Thunder
Road Pictures.[7] The film was produced by Basil Iwanyk of Thunder Road Pictures,
Leitch, Eva Longoria, and Michael Witherill. It marks Stahelski and Leitch's
directorial debut as a team after multiple separate credits as second-unit
directors and stunt coordinators. They previously worked with Reeves as stunt
doubles on The Matrix trilogy.[8]

Stahelski and Leitch's approach to action scenes drew upon their admiration for
anime[9] and martial arts films.[10] The film used fight choreographers[11] and gun
fu techniques[12] from Hong Kong action cinema.[13] The film also pays homage to
works such as John Woo's The Killer, Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Cercle Rouge and Le
Samoura�,[14] John Boorman's Point Blank, and the spaghetti western films.[15]

The film was met with positive reviews, with critics calling it one of Reeves' best
performances and one of the best action films of 2014. It grossed $88 million
worldwide against a production budget of $20 million. Two sequels, John Wick:
Chapter 2, and John Wick: Chapter 3 � Parabellum, were released on February 2017
and May 2019 respectively, both to a comparable critical and commercial success. It
is also the only film in the series to be distributed by Summit Entertainment, as
the other films are distributed by Lionsgate Films.

Contents
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
3.1 Development
3.2 Filming
3.3 CinematographyAlfie Allen as Iosef Tarasov
The arrogant, self-entitled and foolish son of Viggo.[17][33] Allen found it
"invigorating" to play a Russian villain and shoot outside of Game of Thrones's
Belfast set.[34] He was attracted to the role for the New York accent and to work
with Stahelski and Leitch.[35] While in New York City, Allen visited Russian public
baths to develop and hone the Russian accent which he developed for the film[35]
and faced challenges with the Russian dialog.[35] Kolstad described Iosef as a pale
imitation of his father, a wealthy heir who believes he is battle-hardened but is
just a spoiled punk.[30] Allen praised Reeves, who helped him relax on set when
nervous.[36] Allen said the film's theme was "all men can change."[35]
Adrianne Palicki as Ms. Perkins
A distinguished female contract killer and a former acquaintance of John.[17][37]
The character was originally envisioned as a man but was changed by Stahelski,
Leitch and Iwanyk who offered the role to Palicki.[30] Palicki described the
character as a "cold, heartless, conniving, badass" who enjoys her work.[38]
Palicki spent months training at judo and jujutsu.[39] Of the character's
backstory, Palicki suggested that Perkins knew Wick before his marriage and had a
vendetta or rivalry with him.[38]
Bridget Moynahan as Helen Wick
The beautiful wife of John Wick.[17] Leitch stated that Helen was the heart of the
movie and needed an actress with Moynahan's talents. Moynahan decided not to read
the entire screenplay, believing it would serve her performance to only know the
loving side of John.[29][30][40] Iwanyk said that Helen was not concerned with
John's past life.[17]
Dean Winters as Avi
Viggo's right hand man who has been his lawyer for many years.[17] Stahelski stated
that Winters brought humor and tension to the role and that the scenes with Winters
and Nyqvist were among his favorites.[29][30] Winters praised Stahelski and
Leitch's usage of practical sets and action sequences which did not rely on green
screen and special effects, which was a considerable education for him.[41]
Ian McShane as Winston
The enigmatic owner of The Continental Hotel.[17][42] McShane described the
character as "mysterious" and was attracted to the project due to his fondness for
modern noir films.[30] Kolstad noted that Winston speaks little but "the earth
moves" when he makes his voice heard.[17]
John Leguizamo as Aurelio
3.4 Design
3.4.1 Costume
3.4.2 Set
3.4.3 SoundJohn travels to the Little Russia church which serves as Viggo's front
and destroys Viggo's cache of money and blackmail material. When Viggo and his team
arrive, John ambushes them, but he is subdued and captured. Viggo taunts John for
thinking he could leave his old life behind. Before John can be killed, Marcus
intervenes again, allowing John to free himself, kill Kirill, and accost Viggo, who
reveals Iosef's location. John then travels to the safe house and kills Iosef and
his bodyguards.

Perkins learns that John and Marcus have been in contact and tells Viggo, who has
Marcus beaten and tortured before executing him in his home. Viggo calls John to
report this, planning to have Perkins ambush him. While waiting for John, Perkins
is called to a meeting with Winston, who has her executed for killing Harry on
Continental grounds.

Winston calls John to inform him that Viggo is planning to escape by helicopter.
John races to the harbor helipad, where he kills Viggo's remaining henchmen before
engaging Viggo in a brutal brawl on the dock. Viggo pulls a knife, but John allows
himself to be stabbed, surprising Viggo. John then disarms Viggo and fatally wounds
him. John breaks into a waterfront animal clinic to treat his wound and releases a
pit bull puppy scheduled to be euthanized. John and the dog walk home along the
boardwalk where he had his last date with Helen.

Cast
Keanu Reeves as Jonathan "John" Wick
A former hitman who returns to the criminal underworld when a Russian gangster
steals his car and kills his dog.[6][16][17] Reeves viewed the character as one who
tried to change for love but without his wife he became lost, and returned to the
world of assassins in an "Old Testament revenge story" that possesses him.[17][18]
The character was written with Paul Newman in mind,[19] originally calling for "a
man in his mid-sixties" to play the role, given the title character's fabled
reputation. However, head of Thunder Road Pictures Basil Iwanyk decided against
casting an older actor, opting to instead use the stature of a seasoned actor to
achieve this effect.[17][20] Both Stahelski and Leitch were adamant that Reeves
would not learn any martial arts which he had learnt before; for the role, Reeves
spent four months learning judo, jujutsu, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu from "some of the
toughest guys" Stahelski and Leitch had encountered, which included their "LA SWAT
and Navy SEAL friends".[21][22][23][24] Stahelski spoke of developing a close-
quarter combat style that utilised practical grappling forms combined with guns.
[25] Writer Derek Kolstad chose the character's name as a tribute to his
grandfather, the founder of Wick Building Systems. Wick stated, "I was tickled by
Derek using my name for a movie, and the hit man character was frosting on the
cake." Reeves was paid a reported $1�2 million salary for his role.[26][27]
Michael Nyqvist as Viggo Tarasov
The head of the Tarasov crime family and an enterprising businessman with
questionable roots.[17][28] Nyqvist was interested in the relationship between
characters, Viggo having a father-son respect for John which is ruined by Iosef.
[29] Stahelski stated that the role of Viggo had been decided after a great many
meetings due to the importance and complexity of the character,[30] noting that
Nyqvist's quirkiness contrasted well with Reeves's stoicism. The filmmakers were
determined to avoid the stereotypical Russian mobster,[30] with someone who was
very charming while a believable bad guy. Iwanyk stated that Nyqvist brought
humanity to the character. Nyqvist trained in the Russian martial art of Sambo
while also studying his Russian instructors for the role.[25][31] Kolstad said that
Viggo had been a street brawler in Kiev who ascended in organized crime and is
shifting toward legitimacy.[30] David Leitch stated that, with input from Nyqvist,
they found humorous moments in the script which were carefully paced with the
action.[32]
Alfie Allen as Iosef Tarasov
3.5 Visual effects
4 Music
5 Influences
6 Marketing
7 Release
7.1 Pre-release screenings
7.2 Theatrical run
7.3 Box office
8 Critical response
9 Video gamethe contract to John's mentor, Marcus. John seeks refuge at the
Continental Hotel, which caters exclusively to the criminal underworld and permits
no "business" on its premises. Viggo doubles the bounty for those willing to break
the rules to kill John at the Continental.

John learns from Winston, the Continental's owner, that Viggo has Iosef protected
at his nightclub, the Red Circle. John enters the Red Circle and kills his way to
Iosef, but Viggo's henchman Kirill waylays John, allowing Iosef to escape. John
retreats to the Continental to patch up his injuries. Ms. Perkins, an assassin and
former acquaintance, sneaks into John's room to kill him, but Marcus alerts John,
allowing him to subdue Perkins. He forces Perkins to reveal the location of Viggo's
front, knocks her unconscious and leaves her with fellow assassin Harry to await
punishment. However, Perkins frees herself and kills Harry.

John travels to the Little Russia church which serves as Viggo's front and destroys
Viggo's cache of money and blackmail material. When Viggo and his team arrive, John
ambushes them, but he is subdued and captured. Viggo taunts John for thinking he
could leave his old life behind. Before John can be killed, Marcus intervenes
again, allowing John to free himself, kill Kirill, and accost Viggo, who reveals
Iosef's location. John then travels to the safe house and kills Iosef and his
bodyguards.

Perkins learns that John and Marcus have been in contact and tells Viggo, who has
Marcus beaten and tortured before executing him in his home. Viggo calls John to
report this, planning to have Perkins ambush him. While waiting for John, Perkins
is called to a meeting with Winston, who has her executed for killing Harry on
Continental grounds.

Winston calls John to inform him that Viggo is planning to escape by helicopter.
John races to the harbor helipad, where he kills Viggo's remaining henchmen before
engaging Viggo in a brutal brawl on the dock. Viggo pulls a knife, but John allows
himself to be stabbed, surprising Viggo. John then disarms Viggo and fatally wounds
him. John breaks into a waterfront animal clinic to treat his wound and releases a
pit bull puppy scheduled to be euthanized. John and the dog walk home along the
boardwalk where he had his last date with Helen.

Cast
Keanu Reeves as Jonathan "John" Wick
A former hitman who returns to the criminal underworld when a Russian gangster
steals his car and kills his dog.[6][16][17] Reeves viewed the character as one who
tried to change for love but without his wife he became lost, and returned to the
world of assassins in an "Old Testament revenge story" that possesses him.[17][18]
The character was written with Paul Newman in mind,[19] originally calling for "a
man in his mid-sixties" to play the role, given the title character's fabled
reputation. However, head of Thunder Road Pictures Basil Iwanyk decided against
casting an older actor, opting to instead use the stature of a seasoned actor to
achieve this effect.[17][20] Both Stahelski and Leitch were adamant that Reeves
would not learn any martial arts which he had learnt before; for the role, Reeves
spent four months learning judo, jujutsu, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu from "some of the
toughest guys" Stahelski and Leitc
10 Sequels
11 TV series
12 See also
13 Notes
14 References
15 External links
Plot
After John Wick loses his wife, Helen, to a terminal illness, he receives a beagle
puppy named Daisy from his late wife to help him cope with his grief. Despite
John�s stoic demeanor, he bonds with the puppy and they spend their day driving
around in his vintage 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. At a gas station, he encounters a
trio of Russian gangsters whose leader, Iosef Tarasov, insists on buying his car,
but John repeatedly states that it is not for sale. Angered, Iosef and his mobsters
follow John to his home that night, knock him unconscious, steal his car, and kill
Daisy.

Iosef takes the Mustang to a chop shop run by Aurelio to have the VIN changed.
Aurelio recognizes the car and, upon learning that Iosef stole it from John,
punches him before throwing him out of his shop. John visits Aurelio, who tells him
Iosef is the son of Viggo Tarasov, the head of the Russian crime syndicate in New
York City. Viggo, informed by Aurelio of Iosef's activity with John, beats and
berates Iosef before explaining to him who John Wick is: an assassin, formerly in
Viggo's employ, nicknamed "Baba Yaga" (translated in the film as Russian for
"Boogeyman") due to his lethal works. When John wanted to retire and marry Helen,
Viggo gave him an "impossible task," implied to involve multiple assassinations in
a short period of time. John succeeded, and his efforts were key in establishing
the Tarasov syndicate.

Viggo tries to talk John out of seeking retribution, but John silently refuses.
Viggo then sends a twelve-man hit squad to John's house, but John kills them all
and has the bodies professionally removed. An unsurprised Viggo places a $2 million
bounty on John's head and personally offer
Written by Derek Kolstad
Starring
Keanu Reeves
Michael Nyqvist
Alfie Allen
Adrianne Palicki
Bridget Moynahan
Dean Winters
Ian McShane
John Leguizamo
Willem Dafoe
Music by
Tyler Bates
Joel J. Richard
Cinematography Jonathan Sela
Edited by El�sabet Ronalds
Production
companies
Thunder Road Pictures
87Eleven Productions
MJW Films
DefyNite Films
Distributed by Summit Entertainment
Release date
September 19, 2014 (Fantastic Fest)
October 24, 2014 (United States)
Running time
101 minutes[2]
Country United States
Language English
Russian
Budget $20�30 million[3][4][5]
Box office $88.8 million[3]
John Wick is a 2014 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Chad
Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. It stars Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist,
Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John
Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe. It is the first installment in the John Wick film
series.

The story focuses on John Wick (Reeves), searching for the men who broke into his
home, stole his vintage car and killed his puppy, which was a last gift to him from
his recently deceased wife (Moynahan).[6] Stahelski and David Leitch directed the
film together, though only Stahelski was credited.[1]

Kolstad had completed the screenplay in 2012 and further developed it for Thunder
Road Pictures.[7] The film was produced by Basil Iwanyk of Thunder Road Pictures,
Leitch, Eva Longoria, and Michael Witherill. It marks Stahelski and Leitch's
directorial debut as a team after multiple separate credits as second-unit
directors and stunt coordinators. They previously worked with Reeves as stunt
doubles on The Matrix trilogy.[8]

Stahelski and Leitch's approach to action scenes drew upon their admiration for
anime[9] and martial arts films.[10] The film used fight choreographers[11] and gun
fu techniques[12] from Hong Kong action cinema.[13] The film also pays homage to
works such as John Woo's The Killer, Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Cercle Rouge and Le
Samoura�,[14] John Boorman's Point Blank, and the spaghetti western films.[15]

The film was met with positive reviews, with critics calling it one of Reeves' best
performances and one of the best action films of 2014. It grossed $88 million
worldwide against a production budget of $20 million. Two sequels, John Wick:
Chapter 2, and John Wick: Chapter 3 � Parabellum, were released on February 2017
and May 2019 respectively, both to a comparable critical and commercial success. It
is also the only film in the series to be distributed by Summit Entertainment, as
the other films are distributed by Lionsgate Films.

Contents
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
3.1 Development
3.2 Filming
3.3 CinematographyAlfie Allen as Iosef Tarasov
The arrogant, self-entitled and foolish son of Viggo.[17][33] Allen found it
"invigorating" to play a Russian villain and shoot outside of Game of Thrones's
Belfast set.[34] He was attracted to the role for the New York accent and to work
with Stahelski and Leitch.[35] While in New York City, Allen visited Russian public
baths to develop and hone the Russian accent which he developed for the film[35]
and faced challenges with the Russian dialog.[35] Kolstad described Iosef as a pale
imitation of his father, a wealthy heir who believes he is battle-hardened but is
just a spoiled punk.[30] Allen praised Reeves, who helped him relax on set when
nervous.[36] Allen said the film's theme was "all men can change."[35]
Adrianne Palicki as Ms. Perkins
A distinguished female contract killer and a former acquaintance of John.[17][37]
The character was originally envisioned as a man but was changed by Stahelski,
Leitch and Iwanyk who offered the role to Palicki.[30] Palicki described the
character as a "cold, heartless, conniving, badass" who enjoys her work.[38]
Palicki spent months training at judo and jujutsu.[39] Of the character's
backstory, Palicki suggested that Perkins knew Wick before his marriage and had a
vendetta or rivalry with him.[38]
Bridget Moynahan as Helen Wick
The beautiful wife of John Wick.[17] Leitch stated that Helen was the heart of the
movie and needed an actress with Moynahan's talents. Moynahan decided not to read
the entire screenplay, believing it would serve her performance to only know the
loving side of John.[29][30][40] Iwanyk said that Helen was not concerned with
John's past life.[17]
Dean Winters as Avi
Viggo's right hand man who has been his lawyer for many years.[17] Stahelski stated
that Winters brought humor and tension to the role and that the scenes with Winters
and Nyqvist were among his favorites.[29][30] Winters praised Stahelski and
Leitch's usage of practical sets and action sequences which did not rely on green
screen and special effects, which was a considerable education for him.[41]
Ian McShane as Winston
The enigmatic owner of The Continental Hotel.[17][42] McShane described the
character as "mysterious" and was attracted to the project due to his fondness for
modern noir films.[30] Kolstad noted that Winston speaks little but "the earth
moves" when he makes his voice heard.[17]
John Leguizamo as Aurelio
3.4 Design
3.4.1 Costume
3.4.2 Set
3.4.3 SoundJohn travels to the Little Russia church which serves as Viggo's front
and destroys Viggo's cache of money and blackmail material. When Viggo and his team
arrive, John ambushes them, but he is subdued and captured. Viggo taunts John for
thinking he could leave his old life behind. Before John can be killed, Marcus
intervenes again, allowing John to free himself, kill Kirill, and accost Viggo, who
reveals Iosef's location. John then travels to the safe house and kills Iosef and
his bodyguards.

Perkins learns that John and Marcus have been in contact and tells Viggo, who has
Marcus beaten and tortured before executing him in his home. Viggo calls John to
report this, planning to have Perkins ambush him. While waiting for John, Perkins
is called to a meeting with Winston, who has her executed for killing Harry on
Continental grounds.

Winston calls John to inform him that Viggo is planning to escape by helicopter.
John races to the harbor helipad, where he kills Viggo's remaining henchmen before
engaging Viggo in a brutal brawl on the dock. Viggo pulls a knife, but John allows
himself to be stabbed, surprising Viggo. John then disarms Viggo and fatally wounds
him. John breaks into a waterfront animal clinic to treat his wound and releases a
pit bull puppy scheduled to be euthanized. John and the dog walk home along the
boardwalk where he had his last date with Helen.
Cast
Keanu Reeves as Jonathan "John" Wick
A former hitman who returns to the criminal underworld when a Russian gangster
steals his car and kills his dog.[6][16][17] Reeves viewed the character as one who
tried to change for love but without his wife he became lost, and returned to the
world of assassins in an "Old Testament revenge story" that possesses him.[17][18]
The character was written with Paul Newman in mind,[19] originally calling for "a
man in his mid-sixties" to play the role, given the title character's fabled
reputation. However, head of Thunder Road Pictures Basil Iwanyk decided against
casting an older actor, opting to instead use the stature of a seasoned actor to
achieve this effect.[17][20] Both Stahelski and Leitch were adamant that Reeves
would not learn any martial arts which he had learnt before; for the role, Reeves
spent four months learning judo, jujutsu, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu from "some of the
toughest guys" Stahelski and Leitch had encountered, which included their "LA SWAT
and Navy SEAL friends".[21][22][23][24] Stahelski spoke of developing a close-
quarter combat style that utilised practical grappling forms combined with guns.
[25] Writer Derek Kolstad chose the character's name as a tribute to his
grandfather, the founder of Wick Building Systems. Wick stated, "I was tickled by
Derek using my name for a movie, and the hit man character was frosting on the
cake." Reeves was paid a reported $1�2 million salary for his role.[26][27]
Michael Nyqvist as Viggo Tarasov
The head of the Tarasov crime family and an enterprising businessman with
questionable roots.[17][28] Nyqvist was interested in the relationship between
characters, Viggo having a father-son respect for John which is ruined by Iosef.
[29] Stahelski stated that the role of Viggo had been decided after a great many
meetings due to the importance and complexity of the character,[30] noting that
Nyqvist's quirkiness contrasted well with Reeves's stoicism. The filmmakers were
determined to avoid the stereotypical Russian mobster,[30] with someone who was
very charming while a believable bad guy. Iwanyk stated that Nyqvist brought
humanity to the character. Nyqvist trained in the Russian martial art of Sambo
while also studying his Russian instructors for the role.[25][31] Kolstad said that
Viggo had been a street brawler in Kiev who ascended in organized crime and is
shifting toward legitimacy.[30] David Leitch stated that, with input from Nyqvist,
they found humorous moments in the script which were carefully paced with the
action.[32]
Alfie Allen as Iosef Tarasov
3.5 Visual effects
4 Music
5 Influences
6 Marketing
7 Release
7.1 Pre-release screenings
7.2 Theatrical run
7.3 Box office
8 Critical response
9 Video gamethe contract to John's mentor, Marcus. John seeks refuge at the
Continental Hotel, which caters exclusively to the criminal underworld and permits
no "business" on its premises. Viggo doubles the bounty for those willing to break
the rules to kill John at the Continental.

John learns from Winston, the Continental's owner, that Viggo has Iosef protected
at his nightclub, the Red Circle. John enters the Red Circle and kills his way to
Iosef, but Viggo's henchman Kirill waylays John, allowing Iosef to escape. John
retreats to the Continental to patch up his injuries. Ms. Perkins, an assassin and
former acquaintance, sneaks into John's room to kill him, but Marcus alerts John,
allowing him to subdue Perkins. He forces Perkins to reveal the location of Viggo's
front, knocks her unconscious and leaves her with fellow assassin Harry to await
punishment. However, Perkins frees herself and kills Harry.
John travels to the Little Russia church which serves as Viggo's front and destroys
Viggo's cache of money and blackmail material. When Viggo and his team arrive, John
ambushes them, but he is subdued and captured. Viggo taunts John for thinking he
could leave his old life behind. Before John can be killed, Marcus intervenes
again, allowing John to free himself, kill Kirill, and accost Viggo, who reveals
Iosef's location. John then travels to the safe house and kills Iosef and his
bodyguards.

Perkins learns that John and Marcus have been in contact and tells Viggo, who has
Marcus beaten and tortured before executing him in his home. Viggo calls John to
report this, planning to have Perkins ambush him. While waiting for John, Perkins
is called to a meeting with Winston, who has her executed for killing Harry on
Continental grounds.

Winston calls John to inform him that Viggo is planning to escape by helicopter.
John races to the harbor helipad, where he kills Viggo's remaining henchmen before
engaging Viggo in a brutal brawl on the dock. Viggo pulls a knife, but John allows
himself to be stabbed, surprising Viggo. John then disarms Viggo and fatally wounds
him. John breaks into a waterfront animal clinic to treat his wound and releases a
pit bull puppy scheduled to be euthanized. John and the dog walk home along the
boardwalk where he had his last date with Helen.

Cast
Keanu Reeves as Jonathan "John" Wick
A former hitman who returns to the criminal underworld when a Russian gangster
steals his car and kills his dog.[6][16][17] Reeves viewed the character as one who
tried to change for love but without his wife he became lost, and returned to the
world of assassins in an "Old Testament revenge story" that possesses him.[17][18]
The character was written with Paul Newman in mind,[19] originally calling for "a
man in his mid-sixties" to play the role, given the title character's fabled
reputation. However, head of Thunder Road Pictures Basil Iwanyk decided against
casting an older actor, opting to instead use the stature of a seasoned actor to
achieve this effect.[17][20] Both Stahelski and Leitch were adamant that Reeves
would not learn any martial arts which he had learnt before; for the role, Reeves
spent four months learning judo, jujutsu, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu from "some of the
toughest guys" Stahelski and Leitc
10 Sequels
11 TV series
12 See also
13 Notes
14 References
15 External links
Plot
After John Wick loses his wife, Helen, to a terminal illness, he receives a beagle
puppy named Daisy from his late wife to help him cope with his grief. Despite
John�s stoic demeanor, he bonds with the puppy and they spend their day driving
around in his vintage 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. At a gas station, he encounters a
trio of Russian gangsters whose leader, Iosef Tarasov, insists on buying his car,
but John repeatedly states that it is not for sale. Angered, Iosef and his mobsters
follow John to his home that night, knock him unconscious, steal his car, and kill
Daisy.

Iosef takes the Mustang to a chop shop run by Aurelio to have the VIN changed.
Aurelio recognizes the car and, upon learning that Iosef stole it from John,
punches him before throwing him out of his shop. John visits Aurelio, who tells him
Iosef is the son of Viggo Tarasov, the head of the Russian crime syndicate in New
York City. Viggo, informed by Aurelio of Iosef's activity with John, beats and
berates Iosef before explaining to him who John Wick is: an assassin, formerly in
Viggo's employ, nicknamed "Baba Yaga" (translated in the film as Russian for
"Boogeyman") due to his lethal works. When John wanted to retire and marry Helen,
Viggo gave him an "impossible task," implied to involve multiple assassinations in
a short period of time. John succeeded, and his efforts were key in establishing
the Tarasov syndicate.

Viggo tries to talk John out of seeking retribution, but John silently refuses.
Viggo then sends a twelve-man hit squad to John's house, but John kills them all
and has the bodies professionally removed. An unsurprised Viggo places a $2 million
bounty on John's head and personally offer