It has been exactly a decade since the firstJohn Wickfilm made its debut. The film introduced itself to the world at Fantastic Fest in September 2014, followed by a premiere in New York City in October 2014. Since then,John Wickhas gone on to become one of the biggest, and most famous, action franchises across the globe. In 2023, the franchise, which comprises a total of four films, crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office.
While the franchise’s adrenaline-inducing storyline cemented the film’s success among viewers,John Wick’s titular character is also part and parcel of the franchise’s success, making much of the film’s action a reality. The narrative revolves around protagonist John Wick,portrayed by Keanu Reeves since the inceptionof the franchise. He embarks on a revenge mission against a band of Russian gangsters for killing the dog gifted to him by his late wife.
In a true you messed with the wrong person trope, Reeves' Wick methodicallyexecutes his revenge, returning to the criminal underworld which he once fought hard to leave. The cool, calm and removed nature that Reeves brings to the role of John Wick, even as he engages in some of the most gruesome acts one could imagine, makes the film truly addictive. However, the success of the film is not the only thing Reeves takes credit for; the actor also gave the franchise its name.
‘John Wick’s Original Title Was ‘Scorn’
Although it may now be jarring to hear it referred to as such,the firstJohn Wickfilm was originally titledScorn.In creator Derek Kolstad’s initial script, it was only the titular character who carried the name Wick, in a tribute to Kolstad’s maternal grandfather. The film’s title was never meant to reflect the identity of its protagonist. Instead, it was supposed to allude to the premise of the film.
Scornwas thought to be a fitting title given that it effectively echoed the vengeful narrative of the film. In fact,were the film to carry its original name, it would have acted as an early indicator of the emotional state of its protagonist and his need for revenge. The word ‘scorn’ itself refers to a sense of contempt or disdain. Thus, it would have been an accurate reflection of the resentment and anger that is characteristic of John Wick’s backstory and personality.
However, whileScornmay have reflected John Wick’s emotional state and need for vengeance, the final title of the film has allowed for a shift of the narrative’s focus, releasing the film from the constraint of being a mere one-time revenge story.
Keanu Reeves’ Role in Naming the ‘John Wick’ Films
Scornwas never given the chance to become the title for what is now one of the most famous action movie franchises thanks to the first film’s lead actor, Keanu Reeves.The franchise star reportedly kept referring to the film by the name of his character, John Wick,instead of using the given title ofScorn.
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Speaking to Comicbook.com in 2020, Derek Kolstad explained Reeves' role in renaming the film and how he now cannot imagine the film being referred to as anything other thanJohn Wick.
“The only reason it’s calledJohn Wickis that Keanu kept referring to it asJohn Wick.Marketing was like, ‘Dude, that’s four to five million dollars in free advertising so far, so it’sJohn Wickinstead ofScorn.’I can’t imagine it beingScornnow.”
‘John Wick’ May Not Have Become a Franchise Without Keanu Reeves
Were the firstJohn Wickfilm to carry the titleScorn,it is unlikely that the film would have evolved to become the franchise that it is today.WhileScornis a fitting title for a revenge flick, it would not have afforded the film the unique identity thatJohn Wickprovides. The action-film genre is already saturated with plenty of movies that carry one-word titles.Scornwould likely have joined ranks with films such asTaken, Extraction, Crank,andWanted. While many action films with one-word titles are unarguably great, and carry names characteristic of the action genre, the titles themselves do not reflect the uniqueness of the films.
However, Reeves' decision to keep referring toScornasJohn Wickeffectively gave the movie the uniqueness it needed.With a sense of personalization attached to its title, the film could go beyond sticking to the established formula of a revenge movie. The titleJohn Wickmeant that viewers were curious to discover who John Wick was, and not merely the emotions and feelings that motivated the character. This offered the film a chance to set itself on the path to exploring the character throughout several movies.
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With Keanu Reeves himself already being an icon thanks to his performance as Neo inThe Matrixfilms,John Wickbeing titled after Reeves' character carried with it the promise of yet another iconic action flick. WhileScornwould have attracted audiences who wanted to see Reeves' exact his revenge,John Wickhad viewers questioning the premise and future of the storyline in a manner thatScornwould likely have failed to do.
The titleJohn Wickhas given the Reeves-headed film infinite potential, as evidenced not only by the evolution of theJohn Wickfilms into a franchise, but also by thenumerous spin-offsthat have been created based on the original film. A noteworthy point is that many of the spin-off works pay tribute to the original film’s title, simultaneously availing itself of the marketing boost provided by the original franchise’s success.
For example,Ana de Armas' ballerina-assassin-based film, set for release in June 2025, is titledFrom the World of John Wick: Ballerina,connecting to theJohn Wickuniverse through its title itself and charting its course to becoming an undoubted hit. Similarly, the prequel TV seriesThe Continental(2023) is also officially titledThe Continental: From the World of John Wick,alluding to the lasting impact of the original film’s title.Rent theJohn Wickmovies on Apple TV or Prime Video.
