By “John Wick” franchise chief Chad Stahelski has revealed that the franchise would have died before it was born if it wasn’t for former “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria.
Speaking with Business Insider to celebrate the franchise’s tenth anniversary, Stahelski says that a funding shortfall on the first film meant the project was about to collapse just days before it was slated to begin filming.
He, co-director David Leitch, producer Basil Iwanyk, and star Keanu Reeves had all put their own money into the movie – but they still had a $6 million shortfall as one of the investors couldn’t raise the money in time.
CAA, which was putting the financing together, offered some of its actors the opportunity to invest and Longoria took the gamble and it became her first major producer credit. Stahelski explains:
“She came to the rescue, and she provided the gap financing, literally less than 24 hours before we had to lock the doors on the movie and walk away.”
The thing is, Stahelski didn’t know who provided that financing, only Basil Iwanyk did and he never disclosed who came through with the money until after the film became a hit:
“Basil took us out to dinner, and we were laughing about all the bulls— that happened, and he said: ‘By the way, funny story, you know who gap financed you? Eva Longoria.’ We were like, ‘What!’”
Leitch ran into Longoria last year at an event and says: “We were reminiscing. She was like, ‘Wow, that was the best money I’ve ever spent.’ It paid back significantly for her.”
The talk comes as the franchise has multiple efforts in the works – a fifth main entry is in early development, a spin-off film titled “Ballerina” arrives next year, a prequel anime film is coming, as is a TV series about the High Table and another spin-off film about Donnie Yen’s Caine character.
Longoria herself recently returned to TV with a leading role in the Apple TV+ series “Land of Women”.
The post How Eva Longoria Saved “John Wick” appeared first on Dark Horizons.
