Keanu Reeves reportedly expressed his desire to bid farewell to his iconic John Wick character in the last installment of the franchise.
Despite the tremendous success of the John Wick movies - with the four movies boasting a $493 million box office total - it appears that the relentless pace and intensity left Reeves yearning for a finite ending to his character's journey.
Producer Basil Iwanyk, the creative mind behind the action-packed movie series, recently spoke to Collider about Reeves' wish to have John Wick killed off once and for all.
The request was not out of the blue; it stemmed from the actor's post-filming fatigue, a side effect of the grueling schedule and physical demands that come with such a high-octane role.
"After the second, third, and fourth movies, the process is so draining for Keanu, both physically and emotionally," Iwanyk revealed. "By the end, he always says, 'I can't do this again,' and we empathize with him. He's a mere shadow of himself because he pours everything into it. He insisted, 'I want my character definitively killed off in this film.'"
For an actor known for his dedication and professionalism, Reeves' level of exhaustion showcases just how much he invests in his roles. The John Wick franchise is renowned for its intense action sequences, incredible stunt work, and compelling narrative that keeps fans on the edge of their seats.
Yet, despite Reeves' heartfelt plea, the producers chose not to commit fully to his request. "We were like, 'You know, we'll leave a 10% little opening,'" Iwanyk said. The door is left ajar, perhaps as a nod to the franchise's colossal success and its immense fan following, who would undoubtedly clamor for more of the gritty assassin.
Per FarOut Magazine, this was not the first we've heard of Reeves wanting a conclusive end for his beloved character.
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Following the premiere of the movie at the South By Southwest Film & TV Festival, Reeves explained: "We had the opportunity [to do another movie] because of the audience [response to] Chapter Three, and we were like, ‘What was the ‘why?’
"And when [director Chad Stahelski] and I were talking, the ‘why’ was death — and it was John Wick’s death. For him to get his peace, or freedom, in a way… that was the reason to make the movie. It can’t just be, ‘Let’s do another one.’ It was really about death or a way of dying. We were really inspired by the Hagakure."
Interestingly, Variety also reported that the movie creators did film a scene that showed Wick was conclusively dead at the end of the movie. However, test audiences were left unsatisfied and much preferred the more ambiguous ending we eventually got.