Its very hard for modern films to take the entire industry by surprise, but John Wick proved to be a rare hit sensation that seemingly came out of nowhere. There was little to no marketing, and Keanu Reeves couldnt even get the original title right, but John Wick was instantly hailed as the revitalization that his career needed. It was a film that ended up spawning three sequels, a prequel television show, and a highly anticipated spinoff project, but the influence of John Wick is much more significant than the impact that it had on its self-contained universe. John Wick inspired its own subgenre of gritty revenge thrillers with strong neo-noir capabilities and led to a greater level of respect granted to both action stars and the talented stunt teams who made their work possible.