There is little doubt that the John Wick movies are known for the epic action sequences that incorporates martial arts with gun fighting. However, there is another reason why the Keanu Reeves films are a huge hit. This is because John was somehow taking revenge for his puppy being killed by a group of Russian gangsters. However, there was a point during development when the dog was almost cut out from the first movie but the directors fought to ensure that it would be an important part of the project.
In the first John Wick movie, Keanu Reeves' character is dealing with the loss of his wife who had passed away due to a terminal illness. However, she had actually arranged for him to be given a beagle puppy named Daisy as a way to cope with his grief. At first, John isn't sure about how he would take care of the dog. Nevertheless, he soon learns to love the puppy, which he sees as a final gift from his late wife.
Sadly, Daisy doesn't last too long in the first John Wick film. When the leader of a Russian gang decides to attack John in his home, the panicked puppy wouldn't stop crying and was killed to "shut her up." The death of Daisy and the theft of his car ended up being the last straw that forced John out of retirement as he decides to go after the gangsters. Needless to say, the movie franchise wouldn't exist if Daisy didn't exist.
Interestingly, Warner Bros. had actually wanted John Wick directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch to leave the dog out of the story. Screenwriter Derek Kolstad told Comicbook that there were plans to "cut the dog out" so that the story would simply be "an assassin coming out of retirement." However, Stahelski and Leitch argued that Daisy was an important part of John's story.
"But without that dog connection and without that underlying soul and the heartbeat of that character, and also the levity it brings the character and the levity it brings the humor, it was key," Kolstad said. "At certain points, Chad and Dave, they fought for it, they got it and they were right. They continued to fight for the way they see certain stories playing out elsewhere. They've done quite well with that. They're talented cats, man."
It's a good thing that the directors did everything they could to make sure the dog stayed in the first John Wick film. As a result, Keanu Reeves' character became more endearing to audiences and everyone was rooting for John to avenge Daisy.
The still-untitled John Wick 4 is expected to premiere in May 2021.
