Defying Expectations: Unleashing the Untold Reactions of John Wick's Test Screening Audience

Summary

John Wick, initially doubted by industry executives, defied expectations as a sleeper hit due to its successful marketing campaign and critical acclaim.

After facing a rocky test screening, the initial John Wick movie, helmed by Chad Stahelski, garnered a triumphant response from audiences and achieved success on its opening night.

The immense triumph of John Wick unexpectedly paved the way for a flourishing franchise, comprising three follow-up films, a prequel series, and an upcoming spinoff movie.

John Wick director Chad Stahelski reminisces about the initial audience response to the film following a challenging test screening. In 2014, the first John Wick movie introduced Keanu Reeves as the lead character, a retired hitman seeking vengeance against the individuals who murdered his puppy and stole his vehicle. The film's unexpected triumph led to the creation of a franchise, including three sequels helmed by Stahelski, an upcoming prequel series titled The Continental, and a spinoff film called Ballerina.

During a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast hosted by Josh Horowitz, Stahelski shared his memories of the demanding first test screening for John Wick. Nevertheless, the director remained undeterred, and on the night of the official release, he, Reeves, and co-director David Leitch clandestinely attended a showing, finding solace in the significantly more positive reception from the audience. Refer to Stahelski's complete recollection or watch the accompanying video below.

After completing our initial test screening, which mainly consisted of friends and family, the response was fairly underwhelming. People showed minimal enthusiasm, offering simple compliments like "good job guys," and quickly left. At that point, we believed we were finished. However, we eventually had a realization; we decided to fully embrace our project. We had a transformative moment with Keanu and agreed that we wouldn't make any changes. We would embrace our unique vision, including our headshots and eccentric choreography. We vowed not to let nerves get the best of us and completed the project to the best of our abilities.

Subsequently, Keanu, myself, and Dave secretly attended a midnight showing of the film. It was after the first action-packed sequence, which occurred quite late in the movie. This film was peculiar; the first 40 minutes lacked any action. Suddenly, the audience went wild, and we were taken aback. We couldn't comprehend what was happening. It was the first time we experienced such an overwhelming reaction, and it was then that we realized our film had something truly remarkable. It was a moment that made us genuinely excited to see it ourselves. There's truly nothing like witnessing your creation with a genuine audience, rather than just the Hollywood crowd.

John Wick Was A Sleeper Hit

Despite the current success and recognition of the John Wick franchise as an established intellectual property, the initial film was not anticipated to achieve a favorable outcome upon its release. The directors, Stahelski and Leitch, were experienced in stunt coordination but lacked prior experience in directing a full-length feature film. As an independent production, John Wick encountered difficulties in securing theatrical distribution due to the industry executives' dismissive attitude towards an action film helmed by first-time directors. Furthermore, the declining trajectory of Reeves' career, following a series of underperforming films, further hindered the film's prospects.

Despite facing difficult challenges, John Wick implemented a creative marketing campaign that completely transformed its perception from being just another action movie to becoming a highly acclaimed film with a charismatic protagonist. The outcome was beyond expectations, as John Wick achieved modest success by generating $86 million in box office revenue. Critics also celebrated the film as a comeback for Reeves, with his character seamlessly complementing his acting skills. The subsequent success of John Wick led to the creation of a thriving franchise, which continues to flourish even today.