The John Wick franchise quickly became one of the most interesting, dynamic action series in recent years, and much of its success comes from the involvement of lead actor Keanu Reeves. The franchise marked a noteworthy turning point in the actor’s career — while he’d obviously worked on projects like Point Break and The Matrix before, Reeves wasn’t quite the action star that he is today, which is exactly what made John Wick work so well. Since then, these blockbusters have become some of Keanu Reeves’ most rewatchable movies, and it’s impossible to imagine them without him.
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However, Reeves’ involvement in the John Wick franchise shouldn’t be taken for granted. There were other actors in the discussion to play John Wick, and the series could have been something totally different altogether. One of the most noteworthy names in the John Wick conversation was Bruce Willis, who was attached to the project long before it was brought in front of Reeves. His take on the retired hitman would surely have been entirely separate from the version that Reeves created, bringing his own strengths and weaknesses to this popular franchise.
10 Bruce Willis Would Have Been An Older John Wick
Willis’ Age Could Have Wholly Changed John Wick’s Character
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The most obvious difference between Reeves and Willis’ versions of this character would be their age: Reeves was 50 years old when the first film was released, while Willis would have been 59. Although it’s nothing major, an older version of John Wick could have still fundamentally changed the style of this franchise. As it exists today, Wick’s age is an important part of the story. He’s a retired hitman whose glory days are long behind him, but he’s still strong enough to fight against his enemies and strike fear just through the mention of his name.
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This aspect of the character may have been less believable with an older actor like Willis in front of the camera. His more recent action movies haven’t been as brutal and violent as those earlier in his career, such as Armageddon or Die Hard. Willis has played many strong characters, but Reeves was definitely the right choice in order to balance the tame, family-man side of John Wick with the dynamic action too.
9 Bruce Willis Was More Well-Known As An Action Star
Willis Had Many More Action Movies Under His Belt Than Reeves
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One of the most interesting aspects of the first John Wick movie was Reeves’ image at the time: he wasn’t seen as the legendary action star that he’s considered today, and most of his previous films had been dramas or thrillers. This metatextual information gives John Wick an extra layer of subversion, as the audience isn’t necessarily expecting the character to break out the relentless violence that happens in the first movie. It had been a long time since Reeves had been involved in such intricate stunt work, and this bleeds into the character’s story.
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However, this would have been totally different with Willis. The actor is most famous for his work on projects like Die Hard, where his physical combat and fondness for explosions are evident from the very beginning. His involvement in John Wick wouldn’t have allowed for this subtle element of surprise in the first movie, simply because his face is so intrinsically connected to the action genre. Willis’ action characters are all so recognizable, whereas Reeves didn’t have this problem, even considering his action roles from the 1990s.
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8 Bruce Willis’ Age Could Have Changed The Tone Of John Wick’s Backstory
John Wick’s Backstory Is Fixated On His Younger Years
The family component is such a crucial part of John Wick’s backstory; while there’s nothing wrong with the way Reeves tackles this aspect of the character, an older actor like Willis could have brought a fresh perspective to this subplot. The loss of his wife is an integral detail to Wick’s character: it’s what motivates him every day to fight against injustice and work alongside the Continental to protect New York from violence and corruption. Willis could have brought more wisdom and experience to John Wick, allowing director Stahelski to more clearly illustrate his life before retirement.
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Although Helen Wick plays a huge role in the franchise, she’s barely seen on-screen in any of the movies. This sometimes makes it difficult to connect with Reeves’ lost love and obscures the character’s true intentions. With Willis playing the character, John Wick might have included more flashbacks to justify making him a little older, constantly reminding the audience that he’s out of his prime and had a good life before he was dragged back into this world. It would help solidify the barrier between Wick’s two lives.
7 Bruce Willis May Not Have Committed To A Long-Running Franchise
It’s Unlikely Willis Would Have Stayed Around For 4 John Wick Movies
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The most obvious reason that John Wick has succeeded as a franchise, with four main-series movies and some spin-offs, is thanks to Reeves’ behind-the-scenes involvement. He clearly was very passionate about this franchise, motivating him to stick around for years, to the extent that it’s now hard to imagine how John Wick has a future without Reeves. This is only true because of Reeves’ dedication to this franchise, which may not have been the case with Willis.
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Willis’ recent career has been fairly sporadic, and it’s been a while since he’s tackled a long-running franchise. This is mostly due to the actor’s ongoing battle with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, which has severely restricted his ability to work in the industry. While there are definitely strengths that Willis could’ve brought to this franchise, it’s improbable that it could have run for so long without a more active, reliable face behind the character.
6 Bruce Willis May Not Have Been As Involved In His Own Stunts As Keanu Reeves
Reeves Famously Commits To Most Of His Own Stunt Work
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The key aspect that sets Reeves apart from many other action stars, particularly those who are older and more experienced, is his willingness to get involved in the stunt work of the John Wick franchise. Despite the high-octane action and dynamic choreography of this series, Reeves was constantly willing to do his own stunts as John Wick to make the combat look as believable as possible. This has been a huge contributor to John Wick‘s success over the years, giving the series a reputation for its lively action and extended fight sequences.
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With any other actor, there’s no guarantee they would have been so eager to get involved in the choreography themselves. It’s not particularly common once action stars reach a certain age, and Reeves is definitely the exception. Naturally, even if Willis had been inclined at the beginning of the franchise, his physical condition would have made it impossible for him after a certain point.
5 Bruce Willis’ Style Would Have Resulted In A More Stoic John Wick
Willis’ Acting Style Is Completely Different From Reeves
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Reeves’ career before John Wick was a uniquely interesting one: Projects like The Matrix and Bram Stoker’s Dracula were very well-received, but the actor certainly had some bad apples in his filmography too. However, until this point in his career, he’d never delivered the knock-out performance that audiences suspected he was capable of. Reeves’ style had always been fairly restrained and subtle, but much of this changed with John Wick. His take on the character was almost comically brave, filling the movies with dramatic line readings and exaggerated expressions.
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It was a bold take on the character that admittedly worked very well, but it’s very different from anything Willis has displayed over the years. He’s typically been a much more stoic and traditionally “cool” actor, which comes with his status as a ’90s action star and leading man. Therefore, Willis likely would have turned John Wick into a more traditional and binary character like the rest of his action heroes. This would have brought its own strengths and weaknesses, but it decidedly would have been different.
4 Bruce Willis’ Involvement Could Have Made John Wick A More High-Profile Movie
Willis Being A Bigger Name At The Time Would Have Changed John Wick’s Reception
Bruce Willis as Ian Swan in Paradise City
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Although Reeves is a huge action star today, Willis was certainly a bigger name within the genre at the time of the first movie’s production, having been an industry legend since Die Hard. It’s hard to undersell The Matrix and the impact it had on Reeves’ career, but it’s an effect he largely shared with the movie’s broader influence on the genre. The lackluster reception of the Matrix sequels also likely played into him still ranking below Willis in the 2000s.
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Willis’ involvement may have drawn a larger budget for the first John Wick, with studios perhaps viewing it as a “safer” release instead of the admitted risk that it ultimately was. But the risk paid off, of course, and Stahelski managed to craft one of the best action movies of the 2010s despite the relatively risky casting decisions. Reeves ultimately proved to be a solid choice, making the transition from drama to action with incredible ease and finding his niche straight away.
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3 John Wick Would Have Faced Countless Comparisons To Die Hard
Willis’ Classic Action Adventure Has Some Similarities To John Wick
Die Hard is Willis’ most well-known action movie, and it works because his character is an ordinary man who’s thrust into a dangerous situation in order to protect his wife. There are some similarities to Wick’s story, who is supposed to be retired, only pulled back into this world to get revenge and come to terms with his wife’s death. As a result, the two films often have been compared.
Thankfully, John Wick has been able to survive the comparisons to Die Hard, when most of the entries in this franchise are stronger than Die Hard and its sequels, and they’re much more stylish. There are similarities in the narrative, but when it comes to the tone and atmosphere, Reeves’ version of this character is very different. Had it been Willis in front of the camera, however, it could have drifted dangerously close to just being another Die Hard.
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2 John Wick & Winston’s Relationship Would Have Become Less Like A Father & Son
The Duo’s Dynamic Has Been Complicated Throughout The John Wick Series
The relationship between Wick and Winston is a crucial part of all four John Wick movies, particularly when the hitman becomes “excommunicado” and is forced underground. Winston is always there to help him — as long as it serves his own interests too. The pair have an almost paternal relationship, and Winston serves as a kind of mentor to Wick. This may have been harder to believe with Willis playing the character.
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Ian McShane is only 13 years older than Willis, so it would have been much harder to craft any kind of paternal bond between the two, which is crucial to their relationship as it is depicted in the final versions of the movies. Although Winston betrays John Wick and doesn’t always offer a helping hand, it needs to feel like Wick admires and respects Winston for their dynamic to hold the same weight.
1 John Wick’s Humor Would Have Been More Pronounced
Willis’ Characters Are Typically Funnier Than Reeves
One thing that’s always missing from Reeves’ portrayal of John Wick is a sense of humor — his version of the character is always serious, constantly assessing his surroundings and making sure he’s alert. The majority of Willis’ action heroes aren’t like that: the actor likes to play his protagonists with a twinkle in his eye, inserting some humor into the roles wherever possible.
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The comedy in John Wick is much more subtle and nuanced, rarely seen in Reeves’ performance but rather in the actions of those around him and the absurdity of the situations that he finds himself in. But even when he’s riding a horse down a motorway, John Wick always has a serious look on his face. Willis’ version of the character would have been completely different, and it could have given the John Wick franchise a more overt sense of humor.
John Wick
“John Wick” is a neo-noir action-thriller franchise centered around a retired hitman who returns to the criminal underworld to seek vengeance. Known for its intense and stylistic action sequences, the franchise has redefined modern action cinema with its choreographed gunfights, hand-to-hand combat, and intricate world-building. The series explores themes of loyalty, honor, and survival in a secret society of assassins.
Created by Derek Kolstad First Film John Wick Latest Film John Wick: Chapter 4 Upcoming Films Ballerina First TV Show The Continental Cast Keanu Reeves , Ian McShane , Lance Reddick , Willem Dafoe , Michael Nyqvist , Alfie Allen , Laurence Fishburne , Anjelica Huston , Bill Skarsgard , Mel Gibson , Donnie Yen Character(s) John Wick , Winston , Charon , The Bowery King , Sofia Al-Azwar , Caine , Marquis Vincent de Gramont , Ares Video Game(s) John Wick Hex Expand
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