Summary
- Chad Stahelski's chaotic working process upends studio norms, but creates profitable films.
- The John Wick franchise's success stems from Stahelski's unique style and varied influences.
- Despite nontraditional methods, Stahelski's ability to showcase expert action choreography wins audiences over.
Seemingly out of thin air, the John Wick franchise appeared one day and launched the most successful original film series of the past decade. The man most directly responsible for its success (outside of Keanu Reeves himself) has been doing the rounds with Ballerina's release this weekend, and he's had quite a bit to say.
On a scant budget of around $20-30 million, 2014's John Wick became a moderate hit at the box office, bringing in $86 million worldwide. One of the co-directors on that film, David Leitch, went on to direct Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and Hobbs & Shaw, among others. The other co-director, Chad Stahelski, stuck around in the director's chair for the second, third, and fourth John Wick films, with each subsequent sequel earning more and more money. Stahelski also helped helm the lengthy reshoots for the upcoming Ballerina and was granted "creative oversight" of the entire John Wick franchise by rights holder Lionsgate Films. Stahelski has been doing plenty of interviews lately, and the man knows how to give a quotable line.
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Stahelski recently sat down for an entry in The Hollywood Reporter‘s Titan interview series and, to be frank, the man just seems like a great interviewee. The conversation included plenty of interesting tidbits about working with (and sometimes against) studio higher-ups and figuring out how to use his chaotic process to the best of his ability. "So many movies look the same because their process is the same," Stahelski explained. "You have to ask, 'Why?' 'Because they do X, Y, X.' 'Well, then f**k X, Y, Z.' And we have done that in every department for five films now. It does frustrate people." Whatever Stahelski and the people he trusts do to ruffle feathers clearly works because John Wick has become a profitable and beloved action franchise over the past eleven years.
“It used to come down to me being a big enough a**hole but, sometimes, the a**hole route doesn’t work. So now I’m a lot more patient. I go: 'Listen, this idea could go south, it’s super weird, just give me two weeks with my stunt team and then watch a video.' Later they’re like, 'Oh, that looks cool.' Then everybody takes credit for everything. But nobody thinks half our ideas are going to work.”
Chad Stahelski Has Spent More Than A Decade Upending The Studio System For John Wick, And It's Worked So Far
Stahelski's working style may not be the norm, but it's working for him and Lionsgate... Even if it causes headaches from time to time. "My process is f**ked. It’s so not linear. I still get told how to write scripts. 'You can’t do it that way.' Says who? The guys who suck? I had an argument today with somebody saying, 'That’s not how you put a set-piece together.'" What it all comes down to is that Stahelski and his trusted team have a way of working on films that does not jibe with the traditional way of doing things.
The frenetic, "gun-fu" style of the John Wick films bucks traditional action conventions anyway. Bulletproof suits? A blind assassin who can block bullets with a sword? These kinds of ideas would be laughed off the screen in other, lesser movies. Alas, Stahelski's John Wick films have enough expert choreography and grounded fight scenes that give their unique world an air of realism despite being over-the-top and ridiculous.
In combining bombastic action set pieces with the likes of classic kung-fu films, anime stylings, and spaghetti western flare, Stahelski has created a look all his own. Who cares if the process is a bit wild? If the John Wick films continue to be as good as they've been, nothing else matters.
Ballerina releases in theatres worldwide on June 6th.
- Created by
- Derek Kolstad
- Cast
- Keanu Reeves
- TV Show(s)
- The Continental
- Movie(s)
- John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, John Wick: Chapter 4
Source: The Hollywood Reporter