John Wick almost had an alternate ending where the puppy lived, but Keanu Reeves "stood up" for the original vision

Keanu Reeves as John Wick
(Image credit: Lionsgate)

If there's one thing everyone knows about John Wick, it's that he was really upset when the bad guys killed his dog. 

As it turns out, that almost didn't happen. An alternate ending of the film could've showed the innocent pup survivedꦉ, but Keanu Reeves himself was opposed to the idea. 

of the decision to kill the dog. "And I'm like, 'We're going to execute people at close range; killing the dog is one thing, but what about the brutal massacre of all these human beings? Are they going to be able to accept that?'" 

After shooting the home invasion scene, where the puppy is killed off-screen, the idea to reveal the dog survived came into play. "For the next couple of weeks it was suggested that we shoot an alternative ending revealing that the puppy actually isn't dead," added co-director Chad Stahelski. "But Keanu stood up for us. And Basil [Iwanyk, producer] stood up to the investors, and eventually, they just felt, 'Fuck it, let'𓄧s see what these guys can do.'"

As sad as it is to see an innocent pup go so cruelly, the movie really would've lacked its punch without the moment. After all, the dog is a gift from John Wick's late wife, and the pet's death is what tr🍨iggers hi🔜s revenge rampage. 

Next up in the John Wick franchise is Ballerina, which arrives June 6, 2025, 澳洲幸运5开奖🌳号码历史查询:and features a camꦓeo from Wick himself. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming major 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:movie release dates for everything else that's in store. 

Molly Edwards
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in Eng꧟lish.