‘John Wick’ Directors Fought Financiers Over Keanu Reeves’ Beard and ‘Caught S—‘ for Not Shaving It; They Were Told ‘He Needs to Be Clean-Shaven for International’

As a seasoned movie enthusiast with decades of film trivia tucked away in my mental vault, I can’t help but marvel at the tenacious spirit displayed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch during the inception of the “John Wick” franchise. The beard-gate debacle is a testament to their unwavering vision and determination to create something unique and memorable.

Directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, responsible for “John Wick,” discussed with Business Insider their journey battling obstacles to kickstart the Keanu Reeves-led franchise. One of these challenges arose due to the financiers’ preference for Reeves to have a clean-shaven look, as he typically sports in movies like “Point Break,” “Speed,” and “The Matrix.

Indeed, Stahelski shared that they aimed to create a contemporary Greek mythology fantasy film with a twist using Keanu Reeves. Since this genre isn’t common, they wanted to add an interesting element to it. However, the financial backers preferred to see the traditional Keanu Reeves, such as from ‘Point Break’ or ‘Speed’. At that time, we were informed by those in charge that a leading man’s face should not be concealed with a beard.

Ever since that incident, I’ve found myself embroiled in heated debates over actors sporting facial hair. The typical Hollywood stance is, ‘He should be clean-shaven for global projects!’ as Leitch pointed out.

Stahelski mentioned that the team faced criticism when they decided against having Reeves shave off his beard, a decision made by the filmmakers who wanted the audience to perceive the character differently than the action heroes audiences knew him from in his past films.

In simpler terms,

Reeves’ beard persisted and became a defining aspect of John Wick’s appearance. Moreover, the tragic demise of John’s pet dog, which initiates the whole action-packed series, remained consistent throughout the movie.

Leitch recalled being warned, “It’s unlucky.” “It’s bad energy.” “It’s like Old Yeller, you can’t do this!” “Nobody will want to watch this; you’ll lose your audience,” he said. But I responded, “We’re going to kill people up close. Killing the dog is one thing, but what about the cold-blooded massacre of so many humans? Will they be able to stomach that?”… They failed to grasp that we were making a genre film. We are diehard fans of genres, and we know that the gritty moments like these are what create memorable scenes.

As a fan, I’d like to share that Stahelski mentioned, “For a couple of weeks, there was an idea to film an alternate ending where the puppy wasn’t actually dead. But Keanu championed our cause, and eventually, they decided, ‘Why not? Let’s see what this team can come up with.’

Visit Business Insider’s site to catch up on insights from Stahelski and Leitch as they reflect on the 10th anniversary of “John Wick.

2024-10-22 00:16

‘John Wick’ Directors Fought Financiers Over Keanu Reeves’ Beard and ‘Caught S—‘ for Not Shaving It; They Were Told ‘He Needs to Be Clean-Shaven for International’

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