Did Keanu Reeves’ The Matrix affect John Wick? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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Keanu Reeves revealed how lessons from the Wachowskis’ sci-fi masterpiece spilled into the creation of everyone’s favorite assassin saga. According to Reeves, The Matrix’s DNA—from its intricate world-building to its deep philosophical roots—helped shape the high-stakes, morally coded world of John Wick.
Speaking to Wired alongside John Wick director Chad Stahelski, Reeves didn’t hold back. He credited the Wachowskis with teaching him the importance of “attention to detail, world-building, and having ideas as nourishment in your entertainment.” Those elements, he noted, are central to John Wick: Chapter 4. With a twist, the movie explores themes of freedom, choice, and consequences. “John Wick’s got a cool thing because everyone is bad,” Reeves explained. “But they’re also super moral… there’s a code. You root for John Wick.”
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Stahelski, who worked as a stunt double and coordinator on The Matrix, echoed the sentiment. “The John Wicks ely children of The Matrix,” he said, noting his decade-long collaboration with the Wachowskis on films like V for Vendetta and Speed Rawasd as a crash course in creating cinematic universes.
But here’s the thing—John Wick isn’t just cribbing notes from The Matrix. It’s flipping them, spinning them, and making them bleed (literally). That shadowy assassin society with its strict code of conduct? Total Matrix vibes, but Wick’s world cranks up the grit.
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Oh, and about theaters? Reeves and Stahelski were all in on the big screen. “Maybe it’s our generation,” Stahelski shrugged, “but there’s nothing like seeing a movie in the cinema.” Reeves doubled down, calling it a mix of scale and magic: “A face that, 20 feet tall? Yeah. You’re there.” Forget streaming for a second—Wick 4 is built for popcorn and surround sound.
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And the Wick-verse? Expanding like crazy. The spinoff Ballerina is already in the works, with Ana de Armas joining familiar faces like Reeves, Ian McShane, and Lance Reddick. Do you think the action can’t get cooler? Norman Reedus is also jumping into the chaos. Meanwhile, The Continental, a prequel series about a young Winston, is coming to Peacock. Get ready for even more assassin lore.
So, whether you’re dodging bullets with Neo or delivering headshots with Wick, it’s all connected. The Wachowskis handed the blueprint, and Stahelski and Reeves built an empire. The red pill didn’t just wake up Neo—it redefined John Wick’s deadly playground.
