In 2016, I wrote in regards to the novelist and screenwriter William Goldman, and his pleasant ebook, “Adventures within the Display Commerce.” He’s the Academy award-winning scriptwriter who penned such classics as “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Child” (1969), “All of the President’s Males” (1976), “Marathon Man” (1974), and the cult-favorite “The Princess Bride (1973).

He additionally penned the immortal; phrase, “No one is aware of something.” Goldman references the numerous movies that studios handed on that may go on to be blockbusters. Each studio in Hollywood (however one) turned down “Raiders of the Misplaced Ark.” ¹ All the most important Hollywood studios handed on “Star Wars.” ²

Which brings us to “John Wick.”

The primary of the Keanu Reeves motion film was made for $20 million {dollars}. It was made as an impartial movie as a result of not one of the studios have been : No one wished to finance it; as soon as it was financed, nobody wished to distribute it; even after a distribution deal was inked, nobody wished to point out it or evaluate it.

However it virtually wasn’t made in any respect.

Watch Danny Boyd of CinemaStix’s video (above) in regards to the challenges of constructing a flick a couple of retired hitman. Regardless of being hooked up to a bankable star, regardless of being related to the stuntmen and combat choreographers of the enormously profitable Matrix movies, and regardless of a virtually insatiable demand for motion motion pictures, everybody handed on the movie.

With the advantage of hindsight, all of this stuff are apparent to us: How may John Wick’s fashion of Hong Kong GunFu not be a smash hit? Not one of the studio heads had the imaginative and prescient to see its potential. As a result of nobody in Hollywood is aware of something.

Kinda like Wall Road.

From CinemaStix’s dialogue above:

“We have been actually turned down by each studio that we went to. It’s Keanu Reeves being an murderer kills dozens of individuals over a pet and it’s directed by not one however two loopy stuff guys so yeah it wasn’t an excellent pitch.”

-Chad Stahelski & David Leitch, Co-Administrators

“However even after the film received made I imply that was removed from it. John Wick was nonetheless a few studio execs beguiled faces away from getting despatched straight to Blu-ray no person with any energy understood it no person with any cash wished to distribute it, and not one of the critics in early screenings for it may work out why they’ve by no means heard of it.”

-Danny Boyd, CinemaStix

No business potential?

Simply the field workplace for the primary movie, and its three sequels was billion {dollars}. John Wick 4, which got here out this summer season, did $432.2 million on the field workplace. Chapter 5 is confirmed, and heading to theaters in 2026, which I wouldn’t wish to guess in opposition to. To say nothing of video video games, comedian books, tv sequence, and a spin-off movie. By the point it’s all executed, the John Wick franchise might be price greater than about 2 billion {dollars}. And it virtually wasn’t made as a result of not one of the studio heads may see the business potential within the movie.

John Wick is one more reminder about simply how little any of us learn about what may occur sooner or later…

Beforehand:
No one Is aware of Nuthin’ (Could 5, 2016)

Can Anybody Catch Nokia? (October 26, 2022)

Why the Apple Retailer Will Fail (Could 20, 2021)

“Regardless of how you narrow it, you’ve received to personal Cisco” -2000 (Could 15, 2023)

No one Is aware of Something, 2023 First Half Version (June 30, 2023)

No one Is aware of Something (Assortment)

Supply:
While you rent stunt guys to direct the film
by Danny Boyd
CinemaStix, April 1, 2023

__________

1. One of many highest-grossing movies of all time, and nominated for 9 Academy Awards.

2. Star Wars grossed $1 billion, then spawned a franchise with 5 movies within the unique sequence, all within the all-time prime 100 in gross field workplace gross sales. Plus 6 extra movies. Ultimately, Walt Disney Co. bought the Star Wars manufacturing firm Lucasfilm, for greater than $4 billion.