There are two franchises that you think of when you hear the name Keanu Reeves: one is The Matrix (released in 1999), and the other is John Wick (released in 2014). Wick is Pain is the new, fascinating documentary covering the incredible development of the John Wick series, starting with the original film and the seemingly insurmountable problems it faced to get the finished product out to the public.
Wick is Pain will be released on 9th May 2025 on digital. Fraught with truly hairy moments, the documentary chronicles how the creators were able to overcome every obstacle to kickstart this multi-million dollar franchise and give the world the excitement of the John Wick experience.
Reeves’s Comeback Franchise
At the time the original John Wick was made, Reeves’s film career was in a bit of a rut. During this time, the script for John Wick caught his eye, and Reeves teamed up with director Chad Stahelski to begin production on the neo-noir series that would later be cited as his comeback franchise. The story follows Reeves’s character, notorious retired hitman John Wick, as he seeks revenge against those who murdered his dog, which was a gift from his late wife.
The film draws heavily on Greek and Roman mythology as well as Dante’s Inferno, a feat possible because the simple, yet effective, storytelling gives room to more artistic expression and the action John Wick is so well known for. The film was a surprising box office success, grossing $86 million, and Wick is Pain delves into the process to show avid fans the dedication and tenacity that went into producing the cult-hit and its sequels.
They Bleed Wick, They Die Wick
The trailer for Wick is Pain dropped today (1st May 2025) on YouTube via the IGN channel and, understandably, it’s just as action-packed and cinematically stylish as the franchise itself with fast cuts, swelling music, and a plethora of quotes designed to get the blood pumping. At one point during development, it seems the film was having some pretty severe financial problems, as producer Basil Iwanyk mentioned taking money out of his house to continue filming. In the trailer, he says: ‘We are doomed. We are completely f***ed.’
The crew apparently had to scrounge up $6 million to continue production, and how they managed this incredible feat is surely something that’s covered in this documentary, though the trailer conveniently switches to dropping hints about some inter-house fighting between team members. Erica Lee, one of the producers for the franchise, states in the trailer that: ‘It was pure mayhem.’
The documentary features previously unseen footage detailing the careful consideration that went into each shot and action sequence. In the trailer, you can see Reeves hooked up to wires as he rides a horse into modern-day battle and an overhead shot that gives a video-game-like quality to the way Wick guns down bad guys. Reeves’s dedication to the role and all the pain that came with it is noted by Jack Spidell, Reeves’s stunt double, in the trailer, who says: ‘When you see Keanu in pain on screen, it’s probably for real.’
A Lot of Pain
The John Wick franchise is clearly a labour of love. Despite setbacks and stressors, the crew’s clear propensity for not giving up and the investment that each team member put forward to make this happen were able to push the first movie to release in 2014 to deservedly roaring success. Wick is Pain is looking to be just as action-packed and interesting as the story it is documenting the creation of, with tantalizing Easter eggs, wonderful quotes, and a brilliant exploration of the cinematic development of the films on a technical level.
John Wick is far from finished as a franchise,e and Wick is Pain is set to up the hype for the coming John Wick 5 and the teased anime prequel. Watch this space for more info on upcoming John Wick material, and in the meantime, enjoy the exploration of Wick is Pain when it comes out on digital on the 9th of May 2025.
