20 Things You Probably Didn't Know About John Wick
5. There Were A Number Of Hollywood Action Heavyweights Considered For The Lead Role
As mentioned earlier, Keanu Reeves was far from the first choice for John Wick due to his then-recent box office struggles. Because of this, there were other actors in contention for the role.
Action legends such as Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, Nicolas Cage and Jason Statham were top picks for the role early on in the film's development. The latter two were especially considered after the focus on age went from an elderly performer to one with considerable experience in the genre.
While some of these choices would have acquainted themselves well with the pulpy nature of the role and film, Reeves' combination of physicality and acting sensibilities ultimately made him the best fit for the project.