MOVIE NEWS – Fans of John Wick were stunned to learn that Eva Longoria, known for Desperate Housewives, saved the 2014 film at the very last minute. When production was on the verge of shutting down, Longoria invested $6 million to keep it alive. With this revelation going public, Longoria has now shared that she’s still receiving checks from the investment that helped launch the massively successful franchise.
In an interview with Business Insider, Longoria revealed that she’s been cashing checks from John Wick for the entire decade since its release. It was previously revealed that she invested $6 million to keep the film afloat when funds were running dangerously low, saving the project just 24 hours before it would have been scrapped. While her timely intervention saved the film, Longoria admits that investing was an entirely new realm for her. She stated, “My bankroll was very new, and it was a lot of money, and I was like, ‘So how does it work?’ I had no idea. I’d love to say I was an investment genius and that I knew and calculated the risk. No, none of that.”
Longoria confirmed she’s still cashing checks from the film, though she added that she wished her investment had included the sequels. As fans know, the John Wick series has since grossed $1 billion globally across four movies.
John Wick Was Never Expected to Be a Major Hit
Produced on a $30 million budget, 2014’s John Wick was not anticipated to be a box office juggernaut. The film achieved only modest success in theaters, grossing $86 million worldwide. In fact, securing theatrical distribution was an uphill battle for the filmmakers, as there was limited confidence in an action movie helmed by first-time directors, especially with Reeves’ box-office streak at a low. Reflecting on her decision, Longoria shared that her investment boiled down to faith in the people making the film.
“An agent – who wasn’t even my agent – called me and said, ‘You’ve got money, you should put it here.’ I didn’t even know how a movie was made. I was like, ‘What do you mean, gap financing?’ But what I’ve learned over the years is that I love investing in people. You could tell me you’re opening a chicken farm, but if you’re passionate, have done the work, and know the market, [directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch] put in their time. They did their 10,000 hours as stunt coordinators and second-unit directors; they’d seen the bad movies and knew how to make a good one. That’s what sold me. They were undeniably passionate, and I knew they were going to deliver something special.”
Although Longoria isn’t financially involved with the sequels, without her initial investment, audiences may not have had the chance to experience this groundbreaking action franchise. And no need to feel bad for Eva Longoria – she’s doing just fine with her earnings from the first John Wick movie alone. When asked how much she’s made, the actress stated, “You know, I’d have to check. Definitely more than double [$6 million], for sure.”
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