MOVIE NEWS – Producer Basil Iwanyk revealed that Keanu Reeves originally planned John Wick’s death to be much earlier and more violent than what happened in Chapter 4…

While audiences still haven’t gotten over the character’s death, John Wick: Chapter 4 producer Basil Iwanyk revealed that Keanu Reeves planned for the anti-hero’s death to be much earlier (and more violent). In the latest chapter of the action film franchise, Wick faced off against the power-hungry Marquis de Gramont. Their struggle culminates in a dramatic final duel between John and his Marquis candidate, Caine, played by Donnie Yen. In the end, although he is victorious, John apparently dies on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur. Winston buries her next to his wife afterwards.

Basil Iwanyk told in an interview given in connection with the film’s Oscar campaign that he was approached with the idea of John Wick: Chapter 4, which included the death of Reeves.

The producer humorously revealed that Reeves and director Chad Stahelski have been tossing it around since Chapter 2. In fact, the star even thought of a much more violent death for the iconic character. But Iwanyk quickly dismissed the idea. Check out what Iwanyk shared below:

“I mean, they came to us on two, three, and four. So these movies are, it beats the crap out of Keanu, right? Physically. In ways that I don’t think people can ever understand because it’s not just a shoot. He’s training three, four, five months before. And in every part of it, it’s a little bit of the Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon, like, “I’m getting too old for this s–t.” And on every movie he’s like, “This is when I die. I’m done.” We always shoot options. We shoot one that he’s completely alive, one that is a little vague, and one that he’s dead. You know what I mean? And I remember, I think it was on John Wick 2, he was like, “Here’s what happens. They cut my head off. They cut my head off.” And I’m just like, “There’s no chance you’re getting your head cut off.” [Laughs]”

Why was the death of Keanu Reeves’ iconic character in Chapter 4 a good decision?

After taking down plenty of adversaries in the first three chapters and the 4th instalment of the franchise, Reeves’ John Wick has endured almost as much physical ordeal as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminators. Meanwhile, he far surpassed Bruce Willis’ John McClane or Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne. As such, one may find oneself agreeing with Reeves: Wick needs to die a blatantly violent death in order to break away from the character.

It almost seemed necessary to kill him after he was shot and fell off a skyscraper in the John Wick: Act 3 – Parabellum cliffhanger ending.

Ultimately, however, Stahelski and writers Shay Hatten and Michael Finch made the right decision to kill off John Wick in Chapter 4. Rather than an anonymous thug who caught him ending his life or a villain successfully ending Wick’s rampage, it came in the form of an emotional battle between John and the Marquis. He knew that his friend Caine and his daughter would be in danger if he survived or escaped the duel. Wick subtly found a way to not only emerge victorious from killing the Marquis. But accordingly, he sacrifices himself to save those who are important to him.

Lionsgate might really want to push for a John Wick 5. However, Stahelski and Reeves were much more restrained in bringing the character back after the emotional ending of John Wick 4. It is not wholly impossible to implement without ruining their previous work. After all, everything from prequels to spinoffs keeps the door open for Reeves to return in some other capacity. But the director and star insisted that unless they could devise a meaningful path for the character without undoing the apparent ending, Chapter 4 would indeed be the end for John.

Source: Digital Spy