Hi Reddit!

I’m Chad Stahelski, the director of John Wick 3 coming to theaters this Friday May 17!

I’m here to answer questions the Reddit community has for me….so go ahead and ASK ME ANYTHING about the film, Keanu, movies in general, or anything in between!

If you haven’t seen it already, be sure to check out the latest John Wick 3 trailer here

And of course, here’s proof for everyone

Now let’s get these questions going!

  • Chad & the John Wick 3 team

Comments: 1142 • Responses: 33  • Date: 

pfelon1690 karma

Is this for sure the final film of this series, or will we get more John Wick?

JohnWickMovie3115 karma

Up to you guys.

prosna1251234 karma

Hello! Did you have anyone else in mind to play John before Keanu or was he your first choice from the start?

JohnWickMovie2485 karma

I was Keanu's choice, he was attached before I was. In fact, Keanu inspired us to pitch for John Wick.

ChestaWithAnA1124 karma

Which famous fictional character would you like to have in a cross over with John Wick if you got the chance?

JohnWickMovie1486 karma

Bond.

Jackattack_095911 karma

Hey Chad, did you direct the gun fight scenes in "SAFE" (2012)??? I was in highschool when I saw it and was totally blown away!

JohnWickMovie1060 karma

I did, I was the action director.

kmdub755 karma

Hi Chad! Do you keep up with the puppy from the first John Wick? If so, how is that good boy?

JohnWickMovie1090 karma

No, but we just saw Andy (Daisy) recently in NY. A good friend of our animal trainer is now Andy's owner, but still shows up to all our premieres.

supertimewaster123687 karma

Many have cited the John Wick franchise as the impetus for a renaissance in action films.

Beyond camera coverage, what do you think the Wick films' action sequences do differently from conventional hollywood films?

JohnWickMovie1254 karma

Prep correctly. Just means that if you don't prep properly (train the cast, rehearse with stuntmen, conceive choreography, find the correct locations, train cameramen, inform your cinematographer, and include your editor in the process) camera angles aren't everything. You need a united front from your entire crew to develop a great action sequence. Action is like pool - you gotta call your shots. You can't just hit the ball and see what happens.

THE_reverbdeluxe641 karma

What's Keanu's secret?

JohnWickMovie1318 karma

Passion, commitment, diligence and discipline.

Freedom__Ninja622 karma

Hi! What inspired you to film the action scenes the way you did: Without the shaky cam and excessive cuts? Did you expect to receive the amount of praise that you got for doing the scenes this way?

JohnWickMovie1021 karma

Part A: Based on live performance as if you're watching the sequence happen, which the human eye can see. We did that because my theory is if you believed Keanu was doing it, you'd be fully immersed that John Wick is a badass.

Part 2: No.

deadpool902619 karma

Hey Chad!

Which actor(s), living or dead, would you most like to place within the John Wickverse and why?

JohnWickMovie926 karma

Buster Keaton, obvious. Steve McQueen, way obvious. Charles Bronson, awesome. Toshiro Mifune = sensei. Bruce Lee, obvious. Peter Lori. Audrey Hepburn. Humphrey Bogart. These guys, for a start.

spcordy240 karma

Audrey is an interesting choice. Just looking for something to go against type or what did you see that she could work in this universe?

JohnWickMovie519 karma

She's always exuded so much charisma and gravitas. If I was going to have someone who was in charge of a large portion of the Wick universe, it would be her.

ChristianA009475 karma

What's it like working with a big diverse cast of actors? What would your role be if you were within the John Wick Universe? Any upcoming big projects your excited working on?

JohnWickMovie701 karma

1, awesome. Makes my job incredibly fun and interesting and easy.

2, cannon fodder :)

3, excited to walk my dogs. And hopefully The Continental.

No_Bodee454 karma

Is the sequence with ninjas driving motorcycles inspired by Miami Connection?

JohnWickMovie637 karma

No, it's inspired by the Villainess

merry722398 karma

First of all I just want to say thank you for these films. As someone who grew up with action movies being my bread and butter. The John Wick world has captured my attention. My and dad have seen John Wick 2 probably 15 times on HBO after the theater. It never gets old and we are seeing Parabellem in IMAX this weekend!

Was there any contemplation about casting or at least reaching out to Jackie Chan for a role in Chapter 2 or 3?

JohnWickMovie586 karma

I'm a huge Jackie Chan fan. I would have to say that much of how I choreograph was inspired by him and his stunt team. I have actually sat and discussed several projects with him, and we both share a deep desire to work together. We'll just have to wait and see what the future holds.

The_Iceman2288391 karma

Can you tell us anything about The Continental (the John Wick TV show)? It seems like a great opportunity to explore the world further.

JohnWickMovie599 karma

We're all very excited. Now that Parabellum is completed, Keanu and I are excited to dive into the creative process of creating The Continental with Lionsgate.

merry722368 karma

Is there another genre of film would you love to tackle as a director? The western vibes are great in both John Wick films.

JohnWickMovie936 karma

The next big thing I'd like to tackle is, and have always wanted to tackle, is Highlander.

mistuhvuvu346 karma

Hello! I'm a huge fan of your works as a stuntman, and as director. I was wondering how would you say that your experience as a stunt person has helped you direct films as a whole? Were there any unexpected hurdles you had to go through during the filmmaking process as well?

JohnWickMovie603 karma

Unexpected hurdles, other than all of them...ha. Not so much the specifics of being a stuntman or occupation, it's about the attributes of the profession, being a high end stunt performer accentuates attributes of professionalism. Discipline, perseverance. As a stunt performer, you work closely with other departments, meaning being a good performer forces you to work with wardrobe, electrics, etc. - it is one of the most interactive professions so you learn and see inside the filmmaker process in a deeper level as opposed to other occupations in the film. I think that level of involveness and inclusion in the process allows me to understand other departments and help me learn the most important lesson: communication. This is one of the most unique endeavors. A musician can play an instrument or two, a director has to play multiple instruments to make his vision come true with the ability to communicate. Without it, it becomes a fruitless endeavor. You learn how to take what you know and turn it into somebody else's visions and see other people's ideas. It helps you become a better director and help deliver what's inside your head.

greendevil32335 karma

What’s the homicide count in the movie?

JohnWickMovie656 karma

Our editor and I are aware of the count, but we're leaving it a mystery for you to find out. See it in theaters May 17. Leave your guesses in the comments.

notreal19312 karma

Which John Wick film was the most difficult to film stunt wise and or overall?

JohnWickMovie763 karma

All of them, each for their own individual reasons. 1 was difficult because we didn't understand what we wanted to do, quite. Number 2, we had to map up a whole world we didn't think of before. 3, how do we expand and get the audience something audience something creative, not just bigger and cooler. Number 4, I'm certain, will be more difficult.

SirPirateRoberts295 karma

How did u settle on the iconic black suit look for John Wick? Who made the suits?

JohnWickMovie420 karma

The costume designer Luca Mosca and I were inspired by early Steve McQueen movies!

tastybokchoy292 karma

Hi Chad!

As a huge fan of the Raid films, I was super excited when I learned that Yayan and Cecep are both in John Wick 3. How did you come across these two actors and what was it like for you and Keanu to work with them?

JohnWickMovie412 karma

I also am a fan of Raid and Raid 2, thats how I first saw them. I wanted to work with them really badly. Managed to get a hold of their agents and asked them if they wanted to join us on JW3. They were excited for the chance and happy to work with us, especially since they're big JW fans.

onephatkatt235 karma

Chad, what are your thoughts on the MCU and your take on EndGame?

It seems to be quite a different movie than any other MCU movie with a different feel, don't you think?

JohnWickMovie528 karma

I think what Marvel has achieved with the MCU is the next gen in films. Its the perfect example of a universe creation similar to GOT. To create a crossover series to invest us in so many characters and stories that it becomes operatic in the best of ways - that's through the creation of so many storylines and characters that they've found a unity across a diverse audience that we've found something we can all love and respect across the MCU. That's why there's so much love and why it's done so well. I believe it to be a culmination of the last decade's storytelling.

ThatsCyrilFiggis232 karma

What's the most difficult element of directing a movie like John Wick?

JohnWickMovie392 karma

Maintaining tone. Second, pacing, how to make an interesting film pace just right - always a directorial challenge for both things, and I'm still learning.

jchan321163 karma

Hey Chad! You are a fucking legend! Thank you for revolutionizing the action genre! Whats your favorite firearm that John Wick has ever used? BTW I am an 18 year old filmmaker going to USC and you have inspired me so much that I am currently working on a short film that is set in the John Wick Universe. Here is an action scene from it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YckKsM00hxM&feature=youtu.be

JohnWickMovie185 karma

Very cool, let me know the kill count.

merry722157 karma

Is there a stunt person who we don't hear about but should be thanked more for their contributions?

JohnWickMovie281 karma

All of them. Each and every one. I have an amazing stunt team and I'm very appreciative of them all.

jchan321139 karma

Chad! What’s ur favorite piece of John Wick dialogue from the films?

JohnWickMovie314 karma

John Wick 1, Viggo played by Michael Nyqvist - "Whoa"

Cory-James107 karma

Question from /u/darthdog876:

'Hey Chad, what's it like working with Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richards, and how important do u think the music is to the franchise?'

JohnWickMovie134 karma

Working with them is incredibly collaborative. I've learned so much from them from the last 3 films. Music is every bit important as set design and lighting when you're trying to create a world. It gives the visual aesthetic of the film an added dimension which helps immerse the audience in the world we're trying to create.

amissingcheetoh98 karma

What can reddit do to make John wick stop killing people? Should we get him another dog?

JohnWickMovie151 karma

Will never happen.

Actionfan56992 karma

Hey Chad! Huge fan of the first two films, I have 2 questions, 1. How did you get Mark Dacascos in this film? 2. I heard Tiger Chen is in the film, is that true?

JohnWickMovie146 karma

1, I met Mark many years ago when he was doing "Drive", been a huge fan since "Brotherhood of the Wolf" which, little hint, Dan Laustsen was also the cinematographer

2, Tiger Chen is in the movie. He's a friend of ours from the first Matrix and did us a good favor and doing one of our fight scenes.

merry72277 karma

Is there any person in front or behind the camera you'd love to work with in the future? (DP, Editor,Actors, etc)?

JohnWickMovie92 karma

Heaps, too many to talk about.

gerryduggan70 karma

Your films are all wonderfully photographed.

Did you ever have an interest in photography when you were younger? Or you have great taste in DP's?

I've been following Dan Laustsen on Instagram - and his b&w work is great -- any shot at a B&W version of Wick? Logan & Fury Road look so good in B&W.

JohnWickMovie121 karma

Yes, I've always been interested. I took up photography at 14. I also love art, renaissance art specifically. Caravaggio is one of my favorite artists.

Probably not a B&W film of JW, but I'll do a B&W film with Dan Laustsen - Dan's a jedi master.

DefConWhammy45 karma

What films have inspired you the most when making the John Wick films?

JohnWickMovie105 karma

Not so much films as filmmakers - but here are a few: all of Sergio Leone's "Man with No Name Series", especially "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". Steve McQueen's "Bullet". Loved the car chase in the "French Connection". Akira Kurosawa in the "Seven Samurai" & "Yojimbo" and obviously anything by Buster Keaton.

sabs19902 karma

I have never seen any John wick movies. Why should I?

JohnWickMovie14 karma

These were made for people who'v never seen a JW movie ever. We've tried to make these movies to see something new and fresh. People who like seeing interesting action, different characters, and different processes of storytelling. Fi this sounds interesting to you, you should see John Wick 1, 2 and 3.

Jackattack_0951 karma

Do you ever let people visit 87eleven?

JohnWickMovie1 karma

If you choose to climb the mountain a thousand steps to the hidden shrine, choose to answer the calling.