John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, is the protagonist in a film series that began in 2014 in which he avenges the murder of his dog. Despite criticisms from viewers, Reeves defended the story by saying that the dog’s innocence was the driving force behind the character’s murderous rampage.

Director Chad Stahelski said that murdering the dog had been written out many times since it was such a major plot point. Killing the dog was essential to show how serious things were and how far John Wick was ready to get revenge for his pet.

John Wick and his Beagle Daisy

Keanu Reeves

The narrative’s driving force is the bond between John Wick and his dog. Wick’s wife has just died, and she leaves him with a puppy as a parting present in the movie’s opening scene. The hitman’s bloodlust is ignited after burglars murder his dog in his house.

John Wick’s puppy is more than a pet; it reminds him of his love for his late wife. Many fans questioned the appropriateness of John Wick’s response to the dog’s death. But Keanu Reeves thinks his character’s actions were reasonable because of the dog’s innocence. In an interview with Canadian TV personality Chris Van Vliet, Keanu Reeves explains just that.

“The dog is innocent, right? The animal is innocent, and humans sometimes aren’t so innocent. I mean, we might start that way.”

Keanu Reeves’ preparation for the role and the justifications he offered for his character’s actions indicate the effort and care he puts into his work.

Why Did the Filmmakers Choose to End Daisy’s Story?

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Producer Chad Stahelski stated that the decision to kill off Daisy was made so that viewers would feel for John Wick and care about his vendetta. The scene was intentionally fantastical and mythological, demonstrating the film’s willingness to go beyond realism.

Daisy’s death was pivotal in the franchise and remains a defining characteristic. The dramatic stakes of the moment aided in developing John Wick’s persona and gained additional support from the audience.

Mr. Nobody played by Canadian actor Shamier Anderson and his attack dog

As dreadful as the scene was, the beagle was not hurt during production. A few years later, Kim Krafsky, a dog trainer for Animal Actors International, updated fans to say that Daisy, aka Andy, was still alive and well, even renamed Wick.

In the latest movie John Wick: Chapter 4, Mr. Nobody’s attack dog took center stage. Unlike in the previous movies, John Wick 4 marks the first time a dog has taken on a direct role as an assassin, following previous appearances in the series as plot devices or menacing sidekicks to the heroes.

Mr. Nobody’s dog will likely return in one of the many upcoming John Wick spinoff movies, as he is one of the few characters to survive the bloodiest John Wick movie.