A new documentary shows the blood, sweat, and tears that go into making the world’s coolest action franchise.
Keanu Reeves and his stuntman mates changed action cinema with John Wick. Back when it hit in 2014, the indie actioner wasn’t a sure bet. Today, it’s practically a subgenre. Now encompassing four films, a TV series, one big screen spin off in the form of the upcoming Ballerina, a few more already in the pipe, and a mooted prequel/sequel, it’s not slowing down anytime soon, either. If that makes you happy, you’ll be delighted to hear about Wick is Pain, a new behind the scenes documentary.
Directed by Jeffrey Doe, and produced by Josh Oreck, Gabriel Roth, and Matthew Sidle, with Tina Carter executive producing, Wick is Pain takes us back to the very beginning. As the official synopsis dramatically intones:
Wick is Pain is the incredible true story behind the John Wick franchise, starring Keanu Reeves. In never-before-seen footage captured over a decade on and off set, the film chronicles John Wick’s journey from independent film—facing a mountain of creative, financial, and personal challenges—into a global phenomenon that redefined the action genre and launched three megahit sequels. Join Keanu Reeves, director Chad Stahelski, and the extended Wick cast and crew as they go behind the scenes of this billion-dollar franchise that almost never happened.
You have to assume that will include the story about how Eva Longoria stumped up six million at the last minute, saving the production. If you’re not across that, it’s worth reading up on.
Wick is Pain is premiering at Beyond Fest at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles on May 8 before heading to digital on all the usual platforms. It also strikes me as something that’ll find its way onto a box set before too long, but good luck waiting.
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