The John Wick franchise, known for its stunning gun-fu action and brooding, lone-wolf protagonist played by Keanu Reeves, almost looked very different. Directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch faced a series of creative clashes with studio executives, battling for their vision of a gritty, stylish world with a bearded Keanu Reeves at its center.
In a recent interview with Business Insider, Stahelski revealed that the studio’s initial vision for the film was far removed from the dark, stylized world they were crafting. “We were trying to make a fantasy film, a modern-day Greek mythology, and we wanted to create a cool, stylized film with Keanu at the center. But what the financiers wanted was Keanu from ‘Speed,’ or ‘Something’s Gotta Give.’ They said a leading man shouldn’t have a beard.”
David Leitch echoed Stahelski’s sentiment, revealing that the fight for the beard was a recurring battle. “I don’t want to go into too much detail, but we had discussions about the leading man’s facial hair ever since. The studio mantra was, ‘If you want to play in the world, you have to be clean-shaven!'”
The directors, however, were adamant about preserving Keanu’s beard as an integral part of John Wick’s persona, a key element in differentiating him from Reeves’ previous roles and establishing a new visual identity for the character. This fight for creative freedom led to “serious pushback” from the studio, as Stahelski described.
In the end, the directors prevailed, demonstrating their commitment to their vision and the film’s aesthetic. They simply refused to compromise, beginning filming with Keanu’s beard intact. The gamble paid off. “We were confident enough to say, ‘We’re not getting fired. We’re gonna shoot this with Keanu’s beard,'” Stahelski stated. “And by the end of the week, we screened the rushes that had Jonathan Sela’s now-famous dimly lit shot, and everyone loved it.”
The battle wasn’t just about the beard. The film’s opening scene, which depicts the brutal killing of John Wick’s beloved dog, was another contentious point. The studio saw the scene as a bad omen, a potential source of controversy. They argued that it would “bring bad luck,” “curse the movie,” and even “turn people off.” Stahelski, however, stood firm, believing that the dog’s death was crucial to the character’s motivation, driving him into a world of brutal revenge. “You’re showing an execution, and a dog dying is a big deal, but you’re also showing the mass murder of human beings. How does this work? Will this be accepted?” Stahelski recalled thinking.
The studio, instead of embracing the scene’s gritty realism, proposed an alternative ending where the dog was still alive. It was only Keanu Reeves, the star of the film, who stood up for the scene, advocating for its inclusion and its power to set the tone for the film.
The studio’s initial doubts proved to be unfounded. The John Wick franchise has become a global sensation, known for its captivating action, stylish visuals, and the iconic presence of John Wick, a character whose dark and brooding demeanor is perfectly embodied by Keanu Reeves’ beard. These battles for creative control underscore the importance of filmmakers fighting for their artistic vision, even in the face of studio pressures, and ultimately, the impact of those decisions on the cinematic landscape.