Keanu Reeves' Social Media 'Keanaissance' May Have Boosted John Wick 4's Box Office Haul
Everyone loves a celebrity comeback story, and few celebrities are as beloved as Keanu Reeves. The actor was a massive action star in the 1990s and early 2000s but had about a decade in his career where he tried a bit of everything, starring in films ranging from the time-traveling romance "The Lake House" to the cult comic favorite "Constantine." While some of these films are more appreciated in retrospect, none of them were major blockbusters or critical darlings. Reeves sort of fell off the radar as far as a lot of mainstream America was concerned. Then along came the first "John Wick" back in 2014, sparking what fans now call the "Keanaissance," rocketing the performer to near-iconic action hero status. "John Wick" was released right around the time social media and meme culture were really blowing up, and Keanu Reeves memes are plentiful.
"John Wick: Chapter 4" is now the highest-grossing R-rated movie since "Bad Boys for Life," and The Sydney Morning Herald writer Nell Geraets posed an interesting theory: did Keanu's memeability have a direct impact on the box office increases for each subsequent "Wick" flick? While there are certainly other factors involved, it's almost impossible to deny that the Keanaissance and the "John Wick" movies are deeply entwined.
The Keanu revival
Reeves didn't really go away during the years between "The Matrix Revolutions" and the first "John Wick," but he wasn't exactly blowing up the box office with big action flicks as he had earlier in his career. Unlike many living memes like say, Gary Busey or Steven Seagal, Keanu didn't become a meme because of over-the-top antics or bad behavior. Instead, he was regarded by pretty much all of social media as a nice guy, and his laid-back persona in interviews fueled that public identity. When "John Wick" hit theaters and he went on a revenge spree in the name of a dead puppy, the world was primed to accept the actor as an action god with a heart of gold.
Geraets points to an article by media professors Renee Middlemost and Sarah Thomas in the journal "Celebrity Studies," which explains that the first "John Wick" arrived right when social media and film marketing were really starting to mesh into one giant meme machine. Middlemost and Thomas argue that the "John Wick" films took Reeves from stardom to a mythological status:
"The character of John Wick further mythicizes the always 'extraordinary' Reeves as a modern folkloric entity, whilst his 'ordinariness' has been embraced by transmedia digital cultures. The 'Sad Keanu' meme draws on the perception that Reeves' tragic personal life has never been fully resolved, and viral fan encounters of 'Keanu doing things', recounted on Twitter emphasizes an authenticity to his unstarry behavior."
They go on to explain that Keanu is beloved because he's viewed as relatable, in large part because he's a "reluctant celebrity." Fans don't feel pandered to and want to know more about him, and that enigma only makes him more enticing.
Cause and effect
Each "John Wick" movie had done better at the box office than the one that came before it, which is not always a given in blockbuster sequels. While some of that popularity is absolutely a result of the actor's memeability and the internet's love for him, that's also doing a disservice to everyone else involved in making these action showcases come to life. For example, director Chad Stahelski, who created the series, has made sure that stunt work stayed at the forefront and avoided cheesy action tropes. The cast members are all incredible, with great performances from folks like Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Halle Berry, Anjelica Huston, Donnie Yen, and more. Add the killer soundtracks, cinematography, stunt work, and worldbuilding, and the "John Wick" movies are well-made action blockbusters that deserve a lot of love.
"John Wick: Chapter 4" is a fantastic film (read our review here) that takes the franchise to new heights, and Reeves may be responsible for a little of the box office return, but the success of these movies is truly a team effort.