Sometimes, a single film or franchise makes such a tremendous impact with such a simple concept that the rest of the medium can't help but play copycat. The action movie genre has always been a game of following the leader, but is it time for the most recent trend to start dying off?
In 2014, John Wick hit the big screen with a lethal cocktail of extremely efficient storytelling, perfect world-building, and fast-paced action. It was an instant hit, and it managed to take elements from a ton of other examples while feeling entirely unique. Since then, there have been a lot of works trying to recapture the magic with vastly different results.
Chad Stahelski and Derek Kolstad's original John Wick has since been followed by two sequels with a third on the way. A fifth is also in development with some questions hanging over the release date. The franchise will be even further bolstered by the addition of a spin-off called Ballerina starring Ana de Armas. A prequel TV series is also set to premiere on Peacock next year, depicting the earlier life of Winston before he attained his consecrated hotel. There have also been murmurings about a spin-off for Halle Berry's character Sofia, though that one seems less likely. That's a sprawling franchise to develop over just a decade, focused almost entirely on the single concept of Keanu Reeves seeking vengeance. Not to be reductive, but it's somewhat impressive that a concept that sounds perfect for a million 80s shoot-em-ups could spawn one of the most powerful action franchises ever. However, the official sequels and spin-offs barely cover the impact that the 2014 hit had on the genre.
Films that are "like John Wick, but..." are effectively their own genre at this point. Some comparisons are fairer than others, but there are a ton of movies that are a slight deviation away from joining the franchise. The central writer and director of the franchise have brought their talents elsewhere. Kolstad went on to write Nobody last year, which was like John Wick, but the central assassin's family was still alive, leading him to become a suburban dad before returning to the fold. Uncredited co-director David Leitch directed Atomic Blonde, which brought a Cold War espionage twist to the go-to action structure. Leitch then doubled down with this year's Bullet Train, which is a more comedic take on the concept. Even beyond former John Wick alumni, countless other features earn the comparison. From Gunpowder Milkshake to Kate, The Gray Man to Day Shift, the idea has spread far beyond its franchise.
The good films that borrow Wick's signature style add something to the equation. Something more than just a new big-name performer in the starring role. The key way in which these films are inspired by Wick is in the action. The stories have a bit more variety to them, but the combat engagements could be made into a colorful compilation and a new viewer could believe they're watching a single film. The spaghetti western bloody shootout scene of the 60s and 70s gave way to the comical piles of faceless goons in the 80s. That gave way to the more martial arts-inspired Matrix-style shootouts of the 90s. The fast-paced gun fu shootout is the go-to modern action scene, taking notes from everything that came before it and recombining it into a new form. A 90s blockbuster was more likely to feature a single punch or gunshot. Now, even superhero blockbusters like Deadpool or Birds of Prey choose the John Wick method.
Hype for the Wick franchise hasn't gone away, but it isn't where it used to be. Oversaturation from so many sequels and potential spin-offs makes each release feel a bit less special. In addition, one of the great things about the franchise was its efficient world-building. It didn't need to say much to establish the bigger things going on behind the scenes. Prequels threaten the simplicity of the franchise and run the risk of overcomplicating things. It's hard for the original model to be special in a world of other works doing a very similar thing. This is an issue often faced by genre cinema. If something executes an idea first, then a ton of other projects do the same, and the original starts to feel somehow less unique.
Like the eponymous assassin, it's very possible that the John Wick model can't die. It's a new default state for action cinema, and that won't change until a new one comes along. The question is whether the examples outside the franchise can continue to succeed. Many of the films that heavily tied themselves to Wick failed to capture the public consciousness. Most recently, David Leitch's Bullet Train was a mild disappointment at the box office and with the critics. It's time for the innovators to do what they do best, and find the next evolution in action cinema, before diminishing returns suck the fun from John Wick.