Keanu Reeves plays the starring role in “John Wick: Chapter 4,” but he actually speaks less than 400 words throughout the entire movie.
Reeves’ character is centered around actions, not words, according to a recent tally conducted by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The outlet found nearly one-third of his lines consist of just a single word, and the closest he comes to uttering a catchphrase was his use of the word “Yeah.”
Reeves’ total word count in a movie that has a 169-minute run time is just 380 words, according to WSJ.
Going farther than ever before. Follow the behind-the-scenes journey in making #JohnWick4. pic.twitter.com/GpYMLXOUrE
— John Wick: Chapter 4 (@JohnWickMovie) February 21, 2023
By comparison, the famous actor uttered roughly 484 words in the first installment of the “John Wick” franchise, and that movie has a 101-minute run time.
The trailer for the latest installment of the movie delivers roughly 10% of the words used in the entire film, according to WSJ. That means John Wick speaks more in the 2.5-minute trailer than he does in the first 25 minutes of the actual movie.
“You and I left a good life behind a long time ago, my friend,” is a line John Wick says to Mr. Sanada, and that simple sentence comprises the longest uninterrupted speech in the entire movie.
Reeves averages four lines of dialogue while taking on his opponents, WSJ tallied.
Director Chad Stahelski said Reeves cut out approximately half the dialogue that was originally written for him, according to WSJ.
“[Wick] isn’t just stoic,” Stahelski told the outlet. “He’s mysterious, and the mystery lets the audience fill in the gaps.”
He went on to indicate Reeves wanted to use facial “microexpressions” and body language to convey his feelings in the film, rather than utilizing monologues. (RELATED: REPORT: Judge Grants Keanu Reeves Court Protection From Stalker That Claims To Be Related To Him)
Reeves was primarily action-based and non-verbal in the movie, which apparently proved to be a successful formula for the film. “John Wick: Chapter 4” was No. 1 at the box office during its opening weekend, taking in roughly $73.5 million at domestic theaters and $64 million overseas.