The John Wick franchise spans four movies, a prequel TV show, and an additional spinoff movie releasing this year. However, all five movies (spinoff included) take place relatively close together, making the John Wick timeline feel condensed. Additionally, John Wick’s age is never said, with his tombstone at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4 lacking a birth year. With all the movies set within a few months of each other, Wick wouldn’t have aged much on-screen, as evidenced by his appearance looking similar in each one.
In an interview with The Direct, producer Basil Iwanyk revealed that, behind the scenes, John Wick does have an official age. The producers like to think of Wick as a middle-aged man, giving him lots of years of experience and backstory to work with. Iwanyk also mentioned that the first three movies all take place within two months of each other, while the fourth pushes the narrative eight months into the future. In total, the four movies fill up about a year of Wick’s life, despite taking a decade to bring to the screen.
John Wick Is 52 At The Start Of John Wick 1
Keanu Reeves Was 49 When He Filmed John Wick 1
Iwanyk’s comments place John Wick as 52 during the events of the first film. His backstory remains shrouded in mystery, with no clear mention of when he became a hitman, but there are enough clues throughout the movies to show that he’s been in the game for a while. Excluding the majority of his backstory gives John a more menacing feel, and his nicknames add another layer to his reputation. John Wick goes by many names, showing how different missions have contributed to his legacy and how many enemies he has made along the way.
Keanu was 49 when the first movie was filmed in 2014, making him three years younger than the character he plays. The closeness in age makes the movie more accurate, as Reeves is allowed to play essentially his own age. However, Reeves also ages as the movies go along while John does not, creating potential timeline issues if the franchise continues. If a John Wick 5 were to happen, the John Wick franchise must have a time jump to allow Wick and Reeves to have similar ages again.
The John Wick Movies Take Place In Less Than A Year
John Is Still 52 In John Wick: Chapter 4
John barely gets a chance to breathe in his movies, let alone age. Iwanyk confirmed that the franchise timeline is very short, with the first quadrilogy spanning just under a year. The longest jump between movies is the eight months between John Wicked: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, moving the franchise farther than ever before. However, the lack of time jumps allows John’s story to be shown in as much detail as possible, giving his present more attention than his past.
If anything, John’s age makes his feats in these movies more impressive. For a man with that many miles on his body, he holds up surprisingly well, making him one of the strongest characters in the John Wick franchise. With his years finally revealed, any future for John Wick will hopefully account for his actor’s age as well, moving the franchise into the future.
Source: The Direct
John Wick
- Created by
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Derek Kolstad
- First Film
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John Wick
- Latest Film
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John Wick: Chapter 4
- Upcoming Films
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Ballerina
- First TV Show
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The Continental
Summary
“John Wick” is a neo-noir action-thriller franchise centered around a retired hitman who returns to the criminal underworld to seek vengeance. Known for its intense and stylistic action sequences, the franchise has redefined modern action cinema with its choreographed gunfights, hand-to-hand combat, and intricate world-building. The series explores themes of loyalty, honor, and survival in a secret society of ᴀssᴀssins.
