FILM · 2014 · USA

John Wick

Directed by

Chad Stahelski

Runtime

101 min

Studio

87Eleven, DefyNite Films, MJW Films

188 archived facts · 7 topics · 2 sources · Last reviewed Sep 2026

Ex-hitman John Wick comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him.

Summary: TMDB

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9 Facts From Behind the Scenes of John Wick

1. #003

   Director Chad Stahelski was Keanu Reeves's stunt double on the Matrix films.

   BEHIND THE SCENES · SOURCED

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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2. #008

   While shooting a scene with a stuntman, Michael Nyqvist cut his head so badly that his ear was pressed against his right shoulder. As a result, he received eighty stitches. Some of the final scenes had to be reshot to hide Nyqvist's scar.

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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3. #026

   According to an interview with the directors, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch reused many stunt performers several times throughout the film. They would change their hair to look like different people. For this reason, scenes with long-haired and bearded guards and valets were shot first, and scenes with bald men were most likely shot last.

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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4. #040

   Chad Stahelski met Keanu Reeves on the set of The Matrix (1999), where Stahelski worked as a stuntman, and the two became close friends. It was Reeves who lobbied for Stahelski to get the directing job, because he thought Stahelski would succeed in his first directing role.

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5. #113

   Daniel Bernhardt plays the head bodyguard protecting Iosef, and the film serves as a reunion with Keanu Reeves; the two had previously worked together fighting in The Matrix Reloaded (2003), where Bernhardt worked as a stuntman.

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6. #172

   John Wick's dialogue was cut back to sharpen his slick, tough persona, reducing a five-page exchange between John and the priest to John answering "Uh-huh".

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   Sources (1)

   1. Wikipedia — John Wick (film) — Wikipedia

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7. #182

   For John Wick, Keanu Reeves grew out his hair and beard and wore stylish suits, choices made to give the character recognizable visual elements.

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   1. Wikipedia — John Wick (film) — Wikipedia

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8. #183

   Keanu Reeves trained for four months for John Wick, spending several hours a day in the gym on a strict diet and stretches while learning choreography.

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   1. Wikipedia — John Wick (film) — Wikipedia

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9. #184

   Although Keanu Reeves already had martial arts experience, the directors wanted a distinct style for John Wick and had him train in judo, Japanese jujutsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and arnis, plus tactical-gun training with the Los Angeles SWAT and Navy SEALs and stunt driving that included drifting a car while aiming a gun.

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   Sources (1)

   1. Wikipedia — John Wick (film) — Wikipedia

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