John Wick

Synopsis: An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that killed his dog and took everything from him.
Production: LionsGate Entertainment
  5 wins & 8 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.3
Metacritic:
68
Rotten Tomatoes:
86%
R
Year:
2014
101 min
Website
17,865 Views


FADE IN:

EXT. THE COUNTRYSIDE - ESTABLISHING - EARLY DAY

SUPER:
ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA

A verdant landscape of rolling hills, lush countryside, and

ambient peace.

EXT. THE WICK HOME - ESTABLISHING - EARLY DAY

A small, quaint, two-bedroom farmhouse: a classic. Nearby, a

small barn -its paint chipped, wood worn- sits nestled within

the setting. The homestead feels slightly abandoned, the

facade -especially the roof- in dire need of an overhaul.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE MASTER BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

The hour hand of an old, electric clock shifts slightly,

marking six a.m. A soft alarm sounds. Beneath the blankets,

a body shifts, a weathered hand reaching out to silence the

antique.

A beat... a sigh... a groan... and JOHN WICK -early sixties,

salt-and-pepper hair, three-day beard, former boxer, former

military, tired, beaten down, and at wit's end- sits up,

staring unblinkingly out at the day.

A beat... and he stands, donning a weathered robe and a pair

of slippers. John stuffs his hands into his pockets...

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

...and shuffles down the corridor, the walls overflowing with

family pictures, each badly in need of dusting. They

catalogue a long and healthy life with his wife, Norma; the

pictures presenting a time line of sorts. No children, yet

sheer, unadulterated happiness.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

As John makes his way through his home, we can see that it is

cluttered and unorganized. Dirty, in fact, as if it hasn't

been cleaned in months.

2.

EXT. THE WICK HOME - CONTINUOUS

John opens the door, retrieves the newspaper, closes, and

locks the door behind him, without giving the outside so much

as a glance.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

John unceremoniously tosses the newspaper onto the table,

opens a cupboard, and measures out a couple of tablespoons of

Folgers Coffee into an old percolator.

As it begins to bubble, John open the fridge, studies its

contents for a moment or two, and then closes it, abandoning

the thought of breakfast.

He pours himself a cup of coffee and sits at the table. The

newspaper is ignored. He drinks in silence for a long, dark,

brooding moment, the loneliness almost unsettling.

Suddenly, the phone on the wall RINGS.

John lowers his cup, staring at the device, his eyes tired.

A beat... and he stands, walking slowly to answer it.

JOHN:

This is John.

As he listens to the voice on the other end, John remains

still... stoic.

JOHN (CONT'D)

(WHISPERS)

Ok.

John hangs up the phone and returns to the table, sinking

slowly down into his chair.

A long beat...

...and John begins to weep, his hands trembling as he lowers

his face in excruciating, utter, and complete sorrow.

FADE TO:

EXT. THE BARN - ESTABLISHING - DAY

Having shaved and showered, wearing an old -but well-fitted-

gray suit, John pushes open the garage door...

...to reveal a legend in dire need of a total overhaul: a

black, 1969 FORD MUSTANG `BOSS 429'.

3.

A smile plays at his lips as John walks into the garage,

running a hand along the chassis, desperately in need of a

wash and wax. Behind him, the wall is lined with tools: a

mechanic's dream enclave.

JOHN ENTERS-

INT. JOHN'S CAR - CONTINUOUS

-and closes the door behind him.

John takes a moment to breath it in: he loves this car...

although he hasn't taken very good care of it as of late. A

beat... and he slips the key into the ignition, twisting it,

the motor coughing to life, the exhaust pipe belching black

smoke.

EXT. THE WICK HOME - CONTINUOUS

The vehicle pulls out of the garage, stalls briefly, come

back to life, puttering on down the road.

EXT. THE HOSPITAL - ESTABLISHING - DAY

A soft rain begins to fall.

INT. THE HOSPITAL - A HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Carrying a humble bouquet of yellow daisies, John slowly

makes his way down the eerily empty corridor. He pauses

before a picture on the wall, glancing at his reflection upon

the glass. He takes a deep breath, exhales, and enters a

room.

INT. THE HOSPITAL - A ROOM - CONTINUOUS

John slowly approaches the figure lying in bed: surrounded by

machinery, accompanied by the soft sounds of technology.

He removes the wilted daisies from the vase, tosses them in

the trash, and replaces them with fresh ones.

He pulls over a chair, reaches out, and takes Norma's hand:

she is comatose, her breathing synthetic... so many

machines... so many wires, tubes, and monitors.

We never see her face: just her silhouette.

He holds her hand for a long moment in heavy silence.

4.

Behind him, the DOCTOR -of a similar age to John- enters,

placing a hand on John's shoulder. John lowers his head, and

nods. With a bit of effort, he stands, staring down at her

for a long moment, never once releasing his grip, and leans

over to kiss her on the forehead.

JOHN:

...it had to be you...

(a long beat, then)

...be seein' ya'...

A beat... and John nods.

The doctor turns off the machine; lights dim, the room

settles into silence, and Norma's body grows still.

The Doctor leaves John to be alone with his wife.

JOHN (CONT'D)

(WHISPERS)

Be seein' you.

FADE TO:

EXT. THE BARN - DAY

John pulls into the building...

...and sits behind the wheel for a long moment...

...his eyes unblinking...

...so very alone...

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE HALLWAY - DAY

John stands before the wall of pictures, statuesque as he

studies them... unmoving...

And then, he snaps; his hands gnarled into first, roaring

with rage as he punches the pictures, ripping them from the

wall, tossing them aside, eventually collapsing into a heap,

out of breath, his knuckles bleeding.

A long beat... and he chuckles softly, pulling himself to his

feet.

5.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE BASEMENT - DAY

Unlike the rest of the house, this space is pristine and

organized:
one half designated as an impressive wood shop,

the other an office space with a lazy boy recliner and tube

television.

John sits at his desk with a pencil in hand, a pad of paper

before him, thinking.

A long beat... and he sighs with a smile, placing the pencil

upon the pad before sliding them both aside.

John unscrews the cap off the bottle of scotch and pours

himself a healthy dose.

He opens his desk drawer, reaches into the back, and finds an

old pack of cigarettes, half-empty. He taps one from, places

it between his lips, and lights it, taking a deep pull. He

holds it, and exhales, his body relaxing.

He finishes his drink along with the cigarette, pours himself

another...

...and then opens a BOTTLE OF PILLS (The label reading NORMA

WICK and OXYCONTIN), pouring them into a small mound upon the

desk. He stares at them for a long moment...

...before selecting one, studying it, sighing and-

A KNOCK AT THE FRONT DOOR.

John freezes, not sure as to how best to proceed.

A beat... and someone KNOCKS a second time.

John sighs, drops the pill back onto the mound, and walks

upstairs.

EXT. THE WICK HOME - DAY

A DELIVERY WOMAN waits for him on the doorstep. John opens

the door.

DELIVERY WOMAN:

John Wick?

JOHN:

Yes?

She hands him a clipboard and a pen.

6.

DELIVERY WOMAN:

Sign here, please.

In a daze, John signs the clipboard and hands it back to her.

DELIVERY WOMAN (CONT'D)

And the pen?

JOHN:

Oh. Sorry.

John hands her the pen.

DELIVERY WOMAN:

Here you go!

The Delivery Woman hands him a card and a PLASTIC CASE by the

handle which he takes without looking.

DELIVERY WOMAN (CONT'D)

Have a good day.

John nods, and -as she takes off- heads back inside.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

John closing the door behind him...

...and is startled by a small BARK.

A beat... and he looks down to find that he is actually

holding a small PET CARRIER. He lifts it to look inside:

the face of a young, tri-colored (black, white, and brown),

CHORGI (half-Corgi, half-Chihuahua) looks out at him, her

tail wagging fiercely.

She barks again, and John lowers it, confused.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE KITCHEN - DAY

Holding the envelope in his hands, John sits across from the

carrier which he has set upon the table. Inside, the Chorgi

lies with paws crossed, studying him, tilting her head from

side to side.

A beat... and John opens the letter. The card inside is

simple; white with a single DAISY drawn upon it. John smiles,

instantly knowing who it is from, running a thumb along the

face of the flower. He hesitates, but opens the card.

7.

NORMA (V.O.)

Dear, John. If you have received

this, then I have not survived the

surgery.

(a beat, then)

I am so, so sorry.

Tears begin to well in John's eyes.

NORMA (V.O.)

But you've still got a life ahead

of you, and I intend for you to

live it. You may think you've

hidden things from me, but you

haven't. I know you. And should

this reach you in time -which I

pray it has- I beg you, I implore

you, to stop. To think. To live.

(a beat, then)

I love you, John. With all my

heart. Our years were good. The

best, in fact. But I'd rather see

you later... than sooner... your

best friend... Norma.

John lowers the letter, wipes the tears from his cheeks, and

stares at the puppy... chuckling.

JOHN:

Well played, Norma.

John reaches across, and flicks open the pet carrier.

JOHN (CONT'D)

(MUTTERS)

Well played.

The Chorgi scrambles out of the cage and studies him;

sniffing, licking, and barking.

JOHN (CONT'D)

So... you gotta' name?

John checks the collar to find a DAISY-SHAPED medallion which

READS-

JOHN (CONT'D)

Moose.

(a beat, then)

Seriously?

As if in reply, Moose barks.

8.

JOHN (CONT'D)

All right, then...

(SMILES)

...Moose, it is.

FADE TO:

EXT. THE WICK HOME - ESTABLISHING - EARLY DAY

SUPER:
THREE YEARS LATER

The homestead has been completely overhauled with a new roof

on the house, the barn having been painted, the yard attended

to... a picturesque scene worthy of a postcard.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE MASTER BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

The alarm sounds, followed by silence when a heavy hand drops

down upon the snooze button.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

Silence.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

Silence.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

A beat... and John sighs, pulls back the covers, and kicks

out his legs, sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing his

eyes.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

John glances over at MOOSE who lies on the bed, her paws

crossed, held tilted, and tail excitedly wagging in notes of

three.

JOHN:

(GROWLS)

I'm up, I'm up.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

BEGIN MONTAGE:

- John fries up a couple of pieces of bacon and adds them to

his plate of scrambled eggs and toast.

9.

He kneels down next to Moose's bowl and pours some of the

bacon grease over the kibble. As John takes his seat at the

table to enjoy his coffee, breakfast, and newspaper, Moose

devours her meal.

- With his car tilted up by jack stands, John lays upon a

creeper cart beneath it, changing the oil as -nearby- Moose

lies in the sun, fast asleep. The vehicle is pristine: fully

restored and lovingly detailed. Finishing up, John slides

out from beneath the vehicle, and wipes the grease from his

hands with a shop towel.

JOHN (CONT'D)

That oughta' do it.

(TO MOOSE)

Wanna' try it out?

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

- At an abandoned airfield, the Mustang roars down the open

stretch of landing strip as Moose stands at the open window,

tongue wagging in the air. John is in his element: calm,

cool, and collected behind the wheel of his car... almost as

if it is a natural extension of himself. He deftly shifts

gears, reaching speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour before

hitting a long patch of gravel, shifting, spinning the wheel,

and skidding -while remaining in full control- as the wheels

skim over the earth. Moose barks. John smiles, reaching

over to scratch her on the back.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Good girl, Moose. Good girl.

- At a small park, John sits at a picnic table, eating a

sandwich as he works his way through a small book of

crossword puzzles. A cup of hot coffee rests nearby as

beneath the table, Moose gnaws on a tough piece of rawhide.

-At a gas station, Moose barks at passing bikers as John

fills the tank.

IOSEF TARASOV -mid-twenties, thin, oiled hair, sunglasses,

hipster, douche-bag- parks his vintage BMW next to the Ford

and as he gasses up, motions.

IOSEF:

Nice ride.

JOHN:

Thanks.

IOSEF:

How much?

10.

JOHN:

It ain't for sale, kid.

Iosef smirks with a shake of his head.

IOSEF:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Everything's got a f***ing price.

JOHN:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Maybe so... but I don't.

Taken aback by John's fluency, he watches as John enters the

vehicle, guns the engine, and drives off.

- John dozes on the couch as -between his legs- Moose snores

softly.

- As John washes his car, Moose chases after birds before -

exhausted- laying upon her back in the sun, stretching as she

gnaws upon her favorite stuffed animal.

- With a glass of scotch resting on the end table beside him,

John sits in his weathered La-z-boy recliner with his reading

glasses on, a book before him, and Moose curled up, asleep in

his lap. A beat... and John closes his book, finishes his

SCOTCH-

JOHN (CONT'D)

Come on, then.

-and stands, with Moose leaping to the floor, leading the way

back upstairs.

- Moose lays on the foot of the bed, tail wagging. John

smiles, scratching her belly.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Good night, Moose.

John climbs beneath the covers, sighs, and slips off to sleep

as does Moose.

END MONTAGE:

FADE TO BLACK:

FADE IN:

11.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE MASTER BEDROOM - LATER

John awakes to hear Moose growling with tail thumping,

sitting before the closed door.

JOHN:

Do you need to go out?

John groans as he rolls out of bed.

JOHN (CONT'D)

(MUTTERS)

So could I, it would seem...

John opens the door. Moose barks, and sprints off into the

darkness.

JOHN (CONT'D)

What's gotten into y-

We hear a THUMP and a YELP.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Moose!

John runs into-

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

-and freezes at the sight of two MASKED MEN...

...a half-second before a THIRD MAN steps into frame and

drives the butt of his shotgun against the side of John's

head. He drops to the floor, hard.

JOHN'S POV:

Across the room, the silhouette of Moose's body faces him,

her breathing labored.

VOICE #1 (O.C.)

(in Russian, subtitled)

You find the keys?

One of the masked men, LIMPS by, dragging his foot slightly,

an old injury or birth defect.

VOICE #2 (O.C.)

(in Russian, subtitled)

Yeah. He kept `em in a bowl like

my old man.

Voice #1 chuckles enjoying this as he sucks on a fresh mint.

12.

VOICE #1 (O.C.)

(in Russian, subtitled)

Then sh*t... let the f***in'

babushka fade away and let's get

the f*** outta' here.

One of the men kneels down next to John, pulling back his

mask to reveal his mouth which grins upon him with white

lacquered teeth:
it is IOSEF.

IOSEF:

I'm glad you didn't wanna' sell,

old man.

(CHUCKLES)

I enjoyed this.

Iosef cold c*cks John as we-

SMASHCUT TO:

DARKNESS.

Silence.

...a long beat, then...

...thump...

...long beat, then...

...thump...

...a long beat, then...

FADE TO:

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

A small tail rises slowly, and lands with a soft "thump".

John stirs with a groan, and opens his eyes...

...to find Moose's nose touching his cheek.

He suddenly sits up, remembering.

JOHN:

...Moose...

Moose takes a shallow breath...

...thump...

13.

John begins to unravel, hands trembling.

JOHN (CONT'D)

(SOFTLY)

Moose...

He touches Moose's side, and she whimpers.

John recoils...

...and sees the trail of blood from where she was first

injured...

...having pulled her broken body over to his side.

John lies down beside Moose, and softly... tenderly...

cradles her head in his hand, rubbing her cheek with his

thumb.

Moose relaxes, licks his thumb, sighs one last time...

...and grows still.

John pulls himself up into a sitting position, cradles

Moose's still body...

...and begins to cry...

...rocking back and forth.

FADE TO:

EXT. THE WICK HOME - ESTABLISHING - EARLY DAY

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

John remains sitting on the floor with Moose in his arms.

A long beat... and he stands; an old, weary, and defeated

soul.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

John flicks on the light and walks down the stairs, gently

placing Moose's body upon his work bench. He searches a

shelf and finds a large box which he unfolds...

...placing Moose's body within.

A beat...

14.

...and John reaches down to retrieve Moose's stuffed animal

from the floor, placing it down beside her.

With a tender -careful- touch, John removes Moose's collar,

placing it -almost with reverence- upon a nail in the wall.

John stares down at his dog for a long moment...

...before closing the box.

EXT. THE WICK HOME - THE BACK YARD - EARLY DAY

John digs a small grave...

...places the box, staring at it for a long moment...

...and then fills the hole.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - EARLY DAY

On his hands and knees, John brushes the blood from the

floor.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE BATHROOM - EARLY DAY

John takes a long, hot shower.

He sprays a bit of shaving foam into his hand, unfolds his

ceramic razor, stares at it for a long moment...

...and begins to shave.

As he does so, the stress leaves his shoulders, his eyes

unblinking, his movements precise.

With every flick of his wrist, John seems to change slightly:

his features hardening, relaxed, and yet wound tight

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE MASTER BEDROOM - EARLY DAY

John gets dressed, but the outfit is slightly different than

we are used to seeing: dark, tailored pants, crisp white

shirt, Italian shoes, and a black, leather jacket.

The look suits him although it is a tad bit unsettling,

making for an intimidating veneer.

15.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE KITCHEN - EARLY DAY

John sips coffee -no breakfast- alone at the table, staring

at the wall.

Like clockwork, he lifts his mug, sips, lowers it, waits

patiently, lifts, sips, lowers...

...there are no micro-emotions, but it is anyone's guess what

is taking place in his mind.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE HALLWAY - EARLY DAY

John leans heavy against the wall, staring at the pictures.

We now notice that among the images of John and Norma...

...are also pictures of John and Moose.

John lowers his head with a sigh, massaging his brow, lost in

thought.

When he raises his face...

...the change which has washed over him...

...is complete.

FADE TO:

EXT. A COUNTRY ROAD - ESTABLISHING - DAY

A bus roars on by.

INT. A BUS - CONTINUOUS

John sits alone in the middle of the bus...

...staring straight ahead...

...unblinking.

FADE TO:

EXT. A CITYSCAPE - ESTABLISHING - DAY

EXT. AURELIO'S AUTOMOTIVE - ESTABLISHING - DAY

16.

INT. AURELIO'S AUTOMOTIVE - CONTINUOUS

A 24/7 chop shop, this facility is populated by dozens of

hardened criminals, but has become the only family anyone

knows.

This is a tight knit, loyal, and talented crew.

A number of vehicles are being repaired, dismantled, painted,

and the like:
a non-stop flurry of activity.

Walking the floor, AURELIO -late sixties, hard eyes, soft

smile, the father figure of this little family- banters with

his crew before pausing to help lower a new engine into a

car.

EXT. THE STREET - DAY

John's Mustang roars down the street, tires clawing at the

earth as it rounds a tight corner.

INT. THE MUSTANG - CONTINUOUS

Perched behind the wheel, IOSEF smiles as, in the passenger's

seat...

...VIKTOR -mid-twenties, short, stout, a pronounced LIMP,

well-dressed, gawdy jewelry, terrible glasses- and, in the

back seat...

...KIRILL -early thirties, enormous, muscular, meathead-

cheers him on.

EXT. AURELIO'S AUTOMOTIVE - CONTINUOUS

The Mustang pulls into the lot, and enters-

INT. AURELIO'S AUTOMOTIVE - CONTINUOUS

-pulling into an empty space.

A pair of OLDER MECHANICS notice the car, share an

emotionless -yet knowing- look, set down their tools, and

calmly leave the building.

Iosef, Viktor, and Kirill pour out of the vehicle, laughing.

IOSEF:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Sh*t, dude!

(MORE)

17.

IOSEF (CONT'D)

I'ma gonna' keep this muthafucker!

(to a mechanic)

Hey, where's Aurelio at?

Iosef sees Aurelio walking towards him, his gaze locked onto

the Mustang, recognizing it.

AURELIO:

Where'd you get that?

IOSEF:

I gots my ways, yo! Now, it's hot

as sh*t, so I wanna paint job,

papers, f***in-

AURELIO:

(INTERRUPTING)

I said, where... did you get that?

IOSEF:

(SHRUGS)

Some old f***.

AURELIO:

(a beat, then)

I know this car.

IOSEF:

What the f*** are you sayin'?

Aurelio opens the driver's side door, reaches up behind the

visor, and pulls out the registration card which reads JOHN

WICK.

AURELIO:

(in Italian, subtitled)

F***... me.

Aurelio quickly replaces the card.

IOSEF:

What?

AURELIO:

Out. Now.

IOSEF:

What the f*** are you talking

about?

By now, everyone in the facility has stopped working,

watching the drama unfold.

18.

AURELIO:

I'm talkin' about you takin' this

f***in' car and gettin' the f***

outta' my shop.

IOSEF:

Did you lose your sh*t, Aurelio?

We own you. You do what we say.

AURELIO:

The f*** you do. Tell me...

Aurelio motions towards the car.

AURELIO (CONT'D)

...did you kill him?

IOSEF:

No.

(LAUGHS)

But I sure as hell f***ed up his

dog.

Aurelio's eyes grow wide... knowing.

Surprising even himself, Aurelio rears back and delivers a

powerful blow to the center of Iosef's face, shattering his

nose.

Stunned, Iosef reels and drops to a knee, cradling his face,

blood seeping between his fingers.

In a knee jerk reaction, Kirill pulls his gun.

The atmosphere immediately grows tense, the air still, as -

throughout the building- Aurelio's mechanics each reach for a

hidden weapon:
knives, machetes, guns, and the like.

Aurelio glares -unblinking- at Kirill as he walks towards

him.

AURELIO:

You pull a gun? On me? In my

house?

Aurelio presses his forehead against Kirill's outstretched

gun.

AURELIO (CONT'D)

Flick off the safety.

Kirill smirks, and flicks off the safety.

19.

AURELIO (CONT'D)

Pull back the hammer.

Kirill blinks, faltering in this game of brinkmanship.

AURELIO (CONT'D)

Now, either shoot me...

(shouts, angry)

...OR F*** OFF!

Silence...

...as Viktor lowers Kirill's arm and we can see he is

relieved that Viktor intervened.

VIKTOR:

The old man ain't gonna' like this.

AURELIO:

Maybe not. But he'll understand.

Viktor and Kirill help a still dazed Iosef to his feet.

IOSEF:

(MUTTERS)

...the f*** jus' happened...?

FADE TO:

EXT. A STREET - DAY

The bus pulls away from the curb...

...and John crosses the street, making a b-line for Aurelio's

automotive.

INT. AURELIO'S AUTOMOTIVE - CONTINUOUS

John enters the building which is silent: everyone is gone.

John carefully makes his way through the floor, rounding a

shelving array to find Aurelio -a cigarette dangling from

between his lips- sitting at a folding card table, his hands

folded in front of him, a bottle of Campari and two glasses

resting nearby.

AURELIO:

Hello, John.

JOHN:

Hello, Aurelio.

20.

Silence.

Aurelio flips over the glasses and pours two drinks.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Have you seen my car?

John takes a glass and slams back the drink, swallowed in a

single gulp.

AURELIO:

I have, but it's not here.

JOHN:

Where is it?

AURELIO:

If I turn down the work, the

Russians turn to Takeshi and his

crew. You'll find them down on

Third and Main.

JOHN:

Thank you.

John turns to leave, but hesitates.

JOHN (CONT'D)

(a long beat, then)

Aurelio...

AURELIO:

Yes, John?

JOHN:

...they killed my dog.

AURELIO:

I know, John. I know... but

"they"...

(hesitating, then)

..."they" are extremely dangerous

people.

John nods and walks from the room.

JOHN:

(MUTTERS)

Aren't "they" always...

A long beat, and Aurelio sighs, relaxing as he pours himself

another drink.

FADE TO:

21.

EXT. A CITYSCAPE - ESTABLISHING - DAY

EXT. TAKESHI'S AUTOMOTIVE - ESTABLISHING - DAY

An old, quiet, and clean building lost amongst dozens of

others in a dying industrial park.

EXT. TAKESHI'S AUTOMOTIVE - CONTINUOUS

A bus pulls up the curb, pauses for a beat, and then rolls

off...

...leaving behind John who walks across the street, his

expression blank.

His gait is steady, his shoulders relaxed, hands limp at his

sides, breath steady.

The two GUARDS at the door glance up as he approaches,

standing as they shift into character.

GUARD #1

What are you-

Without slowing, John reaches into the man's jacket, slips

free the pistol from the shoulder holster therein and-

THUMP! THUMP!

-fires -twice- into the man's heart, before turning-

THUMP!

- to fire once into the other guard's face, never slowing,

kicking open the door-

INT. TAKESHI'S AUTOMOTIVE - CONTINUOUS

-to enter the facility, shooting anything that moves. He is

the angel of death: each target receives two well-placed

bullets to ensure incapacitation. He never slows, never

misses, and will not stop.

The primarily Japanese crew is in a panic with most fleeing -

a number of whom are shot in the back- while those choosing

to shoot back are cut down in a blink.

Once emptied, John drops his pistol, kneels, sweeps up a

fallen gun up, levels, fires, always moving, and -as he

passes by a lift- slaps a button, slowly lowering his Mustang

down to the floor behind him.

22.

John is a force of nature as he clears out the building.

Unstoppable.

EXT. TAKESHI'S AUTOMOTIVE - THE REAR LOT - CONTINUOUS

A couple of mechanics escape the building, the last of which

is shot in the back; dropping to his knees as a bullet slams

into the back of his head.

Running with all of his might, MECHANIC #1 screams into his

phone.

MECHANIC #1

(in Japanese, subtitled)

I DON'T KNOW WHO THE F*** HE IS!

HE JUST SHOWED UP AND STARTED

SHOOTING!

Behind him, John appears in the doorway, aims...

...and decides otherwise, lowering the pistol.

INT. TAKESHI'S AUTOMOTIVE - CONTINUOUS

John opens the door to the Mustang, tosses the pistol onto

the passenger's seat-

INT. THE MUSTANG - CONTINUOUS

-and slips behind the wheel. A slight smile plays upon his

lips as he sighs; a part of him having been returned. He

turns the key, revs the engine, slams his foot down on the

GAS-

EXT. TAKESHI'S AUTOMOTIVE - CONTINUOUS

-and crashes through the garage door of the building, tires

squealing as the Mustang pulls a one-eighty, righting itself

BEFORE-

EXT. A SERVICE ROAD - CONTINUOUS

-leaping out onto the street, furiously gaining momentum, as

a trio of heavily-modified NISSAN SKYLINES appear and take

chase.

23.

INT. THE MUSTANG - CONTINUOUS

John glances into the rearview mirror, takes the pistol in

his left hand, shifts, and spins the wheel-

EXT. A SERVICE ROAD - CONTINUOUS

-turning to face the oncoming vehicles.

INT. THE MUSTANG - CONTINUOUS

John shifts again, and crushes the gas pedal underfoot-

EXT. A SERVICE ROAD - CONTINUOUS

-rear wheels smoking as they struggle to grip the road. Once

they do, however, the Mustang leaps forward, bearing down on

the Skylines.

As the distance between them grows smaller, the passengers of

two of the skylines emerge with semi-automatic weapons...

...but before either of them can fire...

...John fires off four shots, killing them each with a pair

of bullets...

...before firing until empty...

...killing two drivers, and one passenger...

...leaving one driver barrelling towards him, covered in his

passenger's blood, eyes wide with horror...

...as the two other cars crash behind him.

As the two vehicles barrel towards one another...

...John is stoic...

...while the remaining driver is screaming.

At the last moment, the driver violently twists the steering

WHEEL-

-barely avoiding the Mustang-

-but loses control of the vehicle, sending it toppling end

over end, cart-wheeling amidst a cloud of debris, before

landing upside down-

24.

-the gas tank having ruptured, fuel gurgling out of the tank

to pool around the crushed rooftop.

INT. A NISSAN SKYLINE - CONTINUOUS

The driver hangs from his seat, his belt keeping him in

place, stunned and bleeding from the forehead.

A beat...

...followed by the sound of footsteps.

As the driver shifts in his seat, a ZIPPO LIGHTER falls out

of his pocket, landing on the ceiling.

John kneels down beside him.

JOHN:

(in Japanese, subtitled)

Where can I find Iosef Tarasov?

DRIVER:

(in Japanese, subtitled)

I don't know.

A beat... and John reaches inside to retrieve the lighter.

He flips it open, and ignites a flame.

DRIVER (CONT'D)

(in Japanese, subtitled)

Don't! Please! Iosef! His

father! He owns a club in

Manhattan! The Red Circle! The

Red Circle!

A beat... and John closes the lighter and tosses it back into

the vehicle.

JOHN:

(in Japanese, subtitled)

Thanks.

A long beat... and the driver sighs.

DRIVER:

(in Japanese, subtitled)

F***.

EXT. A SERVICE ROAD - CONTINUOUS

As John walks back towards his vehicle, we can hear the sound

of cop cars approaching...

25.

...as a police chopper soars past overhead.

John doesn't look up as he quickly removes the front and rear

license plates -both affixed with quick release clasps-

tosses them into the back seat, and-

INT. THE MUSTANG - CONTINUOUS

-slips behind the wheel. He twists, the key, revs the

engine, and bolts forward as behind him-

EXT. A SERVICE ROAD - CONTINUOUS

-a pair of police cars round the corner-

-and overhead, the helicopter banks, its sights set on the

Mustang.

BEGIN INTERCUTS BETWEEN INTERIORS AND EXTERIORS OF THE

VEHICLES:

John leads the cops further and further into the city...

...with traffic growing heavier with every block...

...and yet John maintains his speed-

-driving down narrow service alleys with reckless abandon-

-and going against traffic, steering with an apt hand.

Eventually, John creates enough mayhem to tie up the police

on the ground-

-leaving the helicopter overhead.

On a long stretch of road, John reaches the vehicle's top

speed, reaches down, flips open a hidden compartment, and

presses a button for-

-his NITROUS OXIDE SYSTEM-

-which causes the engine to SCREAM, roaring down the road at

an incredible speed-

-distancing himself from the helicopter to eventually hide in

an abandoned warehouse.

He parks...

...and walks across the street to the local diner...

26.

...as overhead, the police chopper searches in vain.

END INTERCUTS:

FADE TO:

EXT. AURELIO'S AUTOMOTIVE - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

INT. AURELIO'S AUTOMOTIVE - CONTINUOUS

The floor is empty, the building quiet.

INT. AURELIO'S AUTOMOTIVE - THE MAIN OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Sitting at his desk, Aurelio -a cigarette dangling from

between his lips- works on a model car, carefully gluing

pieces together.

The bottle of Campari rests nearby. Music plays softly from

a radio nearby.

The phone rings. Aurelio takes a deep breath, exhales, and

answers it.

AURELIO:

This is Aurelio.

VIGGO (O.S.)

I hear you've struck my son.

AURELIO:

(deep breath, sighs)

Yes, sir. I did.

VIGGO (O.S.)

Might I ask why?

AURELIO:

Because he stole John Wick's car.

Silence.

VIGGO:

(a long beat, then)

Oh.

AURELIO:

And Viggo?

VIGGO:

Yes?

27.

AURELIO:

Your son killed his dog.

VIGGO:

(a long beat, then)

Good evening, Aurelio.

Click - the line goes dead.

Aurelio refills his drink... and chuckles with a shake of his

head.

FADE TO:

EXT. A TOWNHOUSE - ESTABLISHING - DAY

SUPER:
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK

A resplendent home in one of the city's wealthiest

neighborhoods.

A trio of military-grade SEDANS -heavily armored,

tinted/bulletproof glass, intimidating- pull up to the curb.

The first and third empty as the keen eyes of ten gunmen

scour the street, buildings, and rooftops.

A beat... and one of them slaps a hand on the middle Sedan's

roof.

Preceded -and proceeded- by a gunman, IOSEF emerges;

belligerently naive and yet... scared.

INT. A TOWNHOUSE - THE LIBRARY - CONTINUOUS

Lighting himself a cigarette, VIGGO TARASOV -60s, face

scarred by a hard life, one eye dead, hair perfectly coifed,

expensive suit, a slight limp, relying on a cane- fills a

tumbler with ice.

He selects a fresh bottle of JEWEL OF RUSSIAN CLASSIC VODKA

and twisting off the cap, hesitating. Deciding otherwise,

Viggo dumps out the ice, pours himself a double shot, and

slams it back...

...before refilling the glass with ice and pouring himself a

healthy dose.

IOSEF ENTERS-

VIGGO:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Close the door.

28.

-and closes the door behind him, tilting his chin towards his

father with a smirk.

IOSEF:

Poor me a double, aye?

VIGGO:

(SIGHS)

Aye.

In a surprising blur of motion, Viggo spins-

-and drives a fist into Iosef's stomach with enough force to

lift him -momentarily- from the ground.

With the wind knocked out of him, Iosef drops to his knees,

opens his mouth to say something, but instead vomits, gagging

as he gasps for breath.

Viggo casually returns to the bar, grabs a towel, and tosses

it down onto his son.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

(in Russian, subtitled)

Clean that up.

Again, Iosef opens his mouth to say something, but decides

otherwise. He grabs the towel and cleans up his mess.

Viggo takes his drink and walks to the window, his cigarette

smoldering from the corner of his lips.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

You should know by now that I live

by one simple rule...

(in Russian, subtitled)

Should a whelp snap at your

fingers, you crush it's f***ing

skull.

Iosef pulls himself to his feet, and stumbles to the bar,

pouring himself a drink.

IOSEF:

(hushed, pained)

What'd I do?

VIGGO:

(in Russian, subtitled)

You f***ed up.

IOSEF:

I don't know what y-

29.

Viggo backhands him, the sound more painful than the strike.

VIGGO:

Yes. You do.

IOSEF:

(hesitating, then)

So I stole a f***ing car! So

f***ing what?

Viggo smiles -amused- finishes his drink...

...and drives a fist into Iosef's stomach again, dropping him

once more to his knees, tears rolling down his cheeks as he

vomits up his own drink.

VIGGO:

Use that tone with me again...

Viggo kneels down next to Iosef, grabs his hair, pulls back

his head, produces a switchblade, flicking open the blade and

placing it to the flesh directly beneath his son's right eye.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

(in Russian, subtitled)

...and I'll serve your eye to you

in your martini.

Trembling, Iosef chokes back tears.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

(in Russian, subtitled)

Am I understood?

IOSEF:

(gulps, then)

Yes... father.

A beat... and Viggo removes the blade from Iosef's cheek and

stands, folding the switchblade closed as he stands to pour

himself another drink.

VIGGO:

It wasn't the "what you did",

Iosef, which draws my ire, but "who

you did it to".

IOSEF:

What?

(a beat, then)

The old man?

30.

VIGGO:

Careful, son... that old man

happens to be three years younger

than I.

Iosef lowers his eyes, his breath catching in the back of his

throat.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

His name is John Wick...

(smirks at the memory)

...and when he was fifteen, he lied

his way into the marines and headed

off to Vietnam. He specialized in

force-oriented reconnaissance,

meaning he often crossed over into

enemy territory to both collect

information and -should the

opportunity present itself- f***

with the enemy in whatever way that

he saw fit.

EXT. THE WICK HOME - ESTABLISHING - CONTINUOUS

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

Wearing an undershirt and pants, sweating profusely, John

wields a SLEDGEHAMMER which he swings down onto the floor

time and time again, cracking the concrete foundation.

VIGGO(V.O.)

John earned four hundred and

seventeen confirmed kills over the

course of his five tours. The

majority of those were done by

hand, by blade, and by small

caliber... which is unheard of.

INT. A TOWNHOUSE - THE LIBRARY - CONTINUOUS

Viggo takes a long pull off of his drink as the information

sinks into Iosef, the blood draining from his face.

VIGGO:

It got to him, though. Hell... How

could it not? Even though he won

every military distinction on

record, including the Medal of

HONOR-

31.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

John has revealed an OLD TRAP DOOR IN THE FLOOR-

VIGGO (V.O.)

-John was eventually discharged -

with high honors, of course- and

found himself in the city...

-which he swings open, revealing a ladder.

VIGGO (V.O.)

...lookin' for work.

John grabs a flashlight and heads down.

INT. A TOWNHOUSE - THE LIBRARY - CONTINUOUS

Viggo lowers his empty glass as Iosef refills his glass with

a trembling hand.

IOSEF:

(hesitating, then)

What kind of work?

VIGGO:

(GROWLS)

What kind do you think?

IOSEF:

(a beat, then)

Oh.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE SUB-BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

John shines the light down a thin corridor stacked high with

a variety of boxes, military containers, and briefcases.

VIGGO (V.O.)

John was the goddamned boogeyman;

give him a name, request a method,

and he'd get it done. Come hell or

high water, by God... he'd get it

done.

INT. A TOWNHOUSE - THE LIBRARY - CONTINUOUS

Viggo leans against the fireplace, suddenly tired.

32.

VIGGO:

Then one day, he fell in love and

left the game. The years scrolled

past, age set in, and he -like

myself- had to watch the love of

his life die. Suddenly alone, with

no family to speak of, John

deserved to live -and die- in

peace.

(GROWLS)

Instead...

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE SUB-BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

John selects a black case, unclasps it, and swings it open-

VIGGO (V.O.)

(GROWLS)

You went and killed his f***ing

dog.

-to reveal a number of PISTOLS, SILENCERS, and AMMUNITION.

INT. A TOWNHOUSE - THE LIBRARY - CONTINUOUS

Iosef drops down into a chair, the comprehension of his

actions clear.

VIGGO:

Until I say otherwise, you are

under house arrest. Am I

understood?

IOSEF:

(MUTTERS)

Yes, sir.

Viggo turns to leave, chuckling softly to himself.

VIGGO:

John Wick. Good God...

He pauses at the door, glancing back at his son with a

crooked smile.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

(in Russian, subtitled)

Sweet dreams.

EXT. THE WICK HOME - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

33.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

John sits at the kitchen table, having cleaned and assembled

one pistol, now oiling a second. His hands are steady, his

skill impressive.

We slowly move past him, over the counter, to the door whose

handle softly turns. We pull back as it opens-

-FOUR MEN in black masks, each armed with a silenced pistol

enter, fanning out-

-and yet John is nowhere to be seen...

...and two silenced pistols are missing from the table.

EXT. THE WICK HOME - CONTINUOUS

A COP CAR pulls up in front of the barn.

INT. A COP CAR - CONTINUOUS

Behind the wheel, CARLO -late twenties, a bit dim, but nice

enough- kills the engine.

CARLO:

Let's see here...

Carlo checks the dashboard computer.

CARLO (CONT'D)

...a black, 1969 Ford Mustang

registered to one John Wick.

Age...

(DEFLATES)

...61.

Chuckling EDWARDO -58, nearing retirement, large, heavy,

smarter than he looks- takes a sip of coffee from his paper

cup before unbuckling his belt.

EDWARDO:

Yeah, I'm thinkin' he's the one.

ROBERTO:

Should we even bother?

edwardo opens his door...

EDWARDO:

Protocol's protocol. Stay put.

I'll make this quick.

34.

...and exits.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The four masked men enter the living room, each wound tight,

their silenced weapons at the ready. The lead among them

enters the hallway-

-and is shot twice; once in the chest, and once in the head.

As he goes down, John moves past, killing two others, leaving

the remaining gunmen-

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

-cowering in the kitchen, leaning against the wall.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

JOHN AIMS-

-the kitchen light casting the gunman's shadow-

-and fires twice into the wall-

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

-hitting the gunman in the back and the head, dropping him to

the floor.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

John lowers the pistol, walks to the door, and peers through

the keyhole to see Edwardo standing on his porch. A beat...

and John slips the pistol in the back of his pants, unlocks,

and opens the door.

An awkward pause, then-

EDWARDO:

Evenin', John.

JOHN:

Evenin', Ed.

EDWARDO:

You workin' again?

35.

John follows his gaze...

...to see that a dead gunman is in Edwardo's direct line of

sight.

JOHN:

No...just sorting out a few things

with the Russian mob.

EDWARDO:

Ah. Well, then... sort that out

however you see fit. I'll cover

your ass on my side of the fence as

best I can.

JOHN:

Thanks, Ed... but you still owe me.

EDWARDO:

That, I do.

(a beat, then)

Good night, John.

JOHN:

Good night, Ed.

Edwardo turns, takes a few steps, hesitates, and turns back.

EDWARDO:

Earlier today, there was an

incident involving a `69 Mustang-

JOHN:

Yeah, that was me.

EDWARDO:

Oh. Well, then... I'd recommend

you find yourself a new ride for

the time being. The heat on that

make ain't gonna' die down for

quite some time.

Edwardo leaves. John closes and locks the door behind him.

INT. A COP CAR - NIGHT

Edwardo slips into his seat, closing the door behind him.

ROBERTO:

Well?

36.

EDWARDO:

(SIGHS)

He ain't our f***in' guy.

(MOTIONS)

Who's next on the list?

INT. THE BARN - NIGHT

John pulls a large roll of plastic sheeting down from the

rafters, balancing it on his shoulder with a grunt.

He grabs a roll of duct tape as he exits.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

John drops the plastic sheeting down upon the floor, and

rolls it out.

Standing over one of the gunmen, he reaches down, retrieves

the man's pistol, and slips it into the holster at the man's

side. John then kneels beside him and pushes the body onto

the plastic, rolling him up tight.

Using his ceramic straight razor, the plastic is cut off from

the roll. Wrapping the feet, arms, and head tight with duct

tape, John repeats this process with each body...

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE KITCHEN - LATER

...until they are neatly lined up near the back door.

John takes the phone off the wall, thinks for a long moment,

and dials a number.

A long beat, then...

JOHN:

This is Wick. John Wick, that's

right. Yeah, it has been awhile.

(a beat, then)

I'd like to make a reservation for

four.

John glances at the bodies.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Ten o'clock? Perfect. Thanks.

John hangs up.

37.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE SUB-BASEMENT - NIGHT

John casually opens one of a half-dozen, identical, silver

cases stacked among the others.

Inside are hundreds of AMERICAN LIBERTY GOLD BULLION COINS.

John counts out SIX of them, and closes the case.

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

John mops up the blood...

...and spackles the bullet holes in his wall.

We hear a KNOCK at the back door.

John wipes his hands against his pants, and-

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

-opens the door.

Removing his hat, CHARLIE -70s, small, creepy, thin, frail,

eyes gentle, a tattooed smirk upon his lips- extends his hand

with a smile.

CHARLIE:

Good to see you, John.

John shakes his hand.

JOHN:

You, too, Charlie.

Charlie enters, followed by two GOONS -forties, tall,

muscular, emotionless- who offer John little more than a nod

before they begin carrying the bodies out of the house.

CHARLIE:

I was sorry to hear about Norma.

JOHN:

Thanks.

CHARLIE:

She was always kind to me.

(a beat, then amused)

So, what have you been doing to

pass the time?

38.

JOHN:

I got me a hobby or two.

CHARLIE:

I can see that.

(HESITATING)

Tell me, John... are we back in the

game, now?

JOHN:

Sorry, Charlie, but no. I'm on my

own nowadays.

CHARLIE:

(SIGHS)

That is a pity. I find the new

breed of your ilk unstable, ill-

wrought, and tiresome. The

overused adage holds true: they

don't make `em like they used to,

John.

JOHN:

(SMILES)

No, they don't.

GOON #1

We're a go, boss.

CHARLIE:

Excellent.

John hands Charlie the six gold coins which he graciously

accepts with a slight tilt of the head.

JOHN:

Thanks.

CHARLIE:

My pleasure, John... and might I be

expecting more such visitations?

JOHN:

I make no promises on that.

CHARLIE:

(CHUCKLES)

Well said.

Charlie extends his hand. John shakes it.

CHARLIE (CONT'D)

Be seein' you, John.

39.

JOHN:

See ya', Charlie.

John closes the door.

FADE TO:

EXT. A TOWNHOUSE - ESTABLISHING - EARLY DAY

INT. A TOWNHOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

Cutting vegetables with a large knife, Viggo slides them onto

the face of an open omelette simmering in the pan. As he

folds the egg over onto itself, his phone rings. He answers

it.

VIGGO:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Yes?

Viggo rubs his brow with a frown, his head down.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

(in Russian, subtitled)

Of course he did.

(a beat, then)

Put the word out. Two million to

the man who kills John Wick. Three

million to the man who delivers him

intact.

Viggo hangs up, thinks for a moment, slips the omelette onto

a plate, hesitates, and then dials a number.

EXT. A CITYSCAPE - ESTABLISHING - CONTINUOUS

SUPER:
MAJORCA, SPAIN

A beautiful, rustic, Mediterranean setting.

EXT. A MANSION - ESTABLISHING - CONTINUOUS

Situated on a hundred acres populated by thousands of almond

trees, the building -complimented by the grounds- is

breathtaking.

40.

EXT. THE FIELD - CONTINUOUS

Accompanied by CESCA -a middle-aged, Majorcan Shepherd Dog,

similar in look to a Black Labrador- as he walks -cane in

hand- through his property, MARCUS -seventy, thin, balding,

round spectacles, clean shaven, always well-dressed,

expensive watch, and although he may look frail, he is

anything but- whistles softly to himself.

His cellphone vibrates. He answers it.

MARCUS:

Yes?

(a beat, then)

Why, hello, Viggo. What's it been?

Seven years? Seven years...

(a beat, then)

Life?

Marcus looks around with a smile, reaching down to scratch

Cesca behind the ears.

MARCUS (CONT'D)

Life is good.

INT. A TOWNHOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

Viggo nods, eating a mouthful of the omelette.

VIGGO:

Good, good.

(hesitating, then)

I've a favor to ask. One that pays

quite well.

INT. A MANSION - CONTINUOUS

Marcus chuckles with a shake of his head.

MARCUS:

As I keep telling those -like you-

who keep calling, Viggo... I'm

retired.

Marcus listens to Viggo talk...

...pausing in mid-step...

...his brow furrowed, eyes still.

41.

MARCUS (CONT'D)

Come again?

(a beat, then)

John Wick?

(a long beat, then)

Consider it done.

Marcus ends the call, slips the phone back into his pocket,

takes a deep breath, exhales, turns, and starts walking back

to his house.

MARCUS (CONT'D)

(in Catalan, subtitled)

Sorry, Cesca... but I've an old

friend to attend to.

FADE TO:

EXT. THE TRAIN STATION - ESTABLISHING - DAY

EXT. THE TRAIN STATION - CONTINUOUS

Pushing a cart of luggage before him, John enters, studying

the security checkpoint.

He spots EVAN -60s, African-American, weathered, large man

with a kind face- who works for the TSA, manning a security

checkpoint.

As John approaches the two share a knowing glance.

EVAN:

(MOTIONS)

Pockets.

John places his keys, phone, wallet, and TWO GOLD COINS into

the tray...

...as Evan casually flips off the x-ray machine, allowing

both John and his luggage through without incident.

John retrieves his keys, phone, and wallet from the tray-

EVAN (CONT'D)

Good day, sir.

-and walks on as Evan turns the x-ray machine back on,

slipping the gold coins into his pocket.

FADE TO:

42.

EXT. THE RAIL TRACKS - ESTABLISHING - DAY

A silver-nosed train roars past, its wheels melting snow from

the tracks beneath it.

INT. THE TRAIN - CONTINUOUS

John sits alone, the train half-empty, staring out at the

countryside passing him by.

FADE TO:

EXT. A CITYSCAPE - ESTABLISHING - DAY

The city is a roiling mass of activity.

FADE TO:

EXT. THE CONTINENTAL - A HOTEL - ESTABLISHING - DAY

Small, trendy, and posh: an upscale, boutique hotel.

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

Carrying a bulky briefcase in each hand -with the duffel bag

slung across his shoulders- John approaches the front desk

where the MANAGER smiles up at him.

MANAGER:

Hello, sir. How may I help you

today?

JOHN:

I called ahead. Reservation for

John Wick.

The Manager checks his computer.

MANAGER:

Ah, yes. I have you for two

nights.

JOHN:

Depending on business, it may be

more.

MANAGER:

That's not a problem, sir. We're

only at sixty percent capacity.

(MORE)

43.

MANAGER (CONT'D)

Just let me know should you choose

to extend your stay.

JOHN:

(LOOKING AROUND)

Y'know, I haven't been here in

years. When did the old girl get a

facelift?

MANAGER:

About twelve years ago.

JOHN:

Same owner?

MANAGER:

(NODS)

Same owner.

John slides across a GOLD COIN...

JOHN:

Is she still singin'?

...which the Manager -without so much as a blink- slides into

his pocket.

MANAGER:

She is. Daily, in fact. Round

about midnight.

JOHN:

That's good to hear.

The Manager hands him a key.

MANAGER:

Floor seven, room nine.

(MOTIONS)

Would you like help with your bags?

JOHN:

No, thanks.

MANAGER:

Will there be anything else then,

sir?

JOHN:

(glances at his watch)

Can you send me up a hamburger -

rare, mustard, onions, pickle- and

fries?

44.

MANAGER:

(writing it down)

Yes, sir. And to drink?

JOHN:

A nice Pinot. Mid-range. I'll

leave that to your discretion.

MANAGER:

Yes, sir. I have one in mind.

It'll be up in a half-hour.

JOHN:

Thank you.

FADE TO:

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - ESTABLISHING - DUSK

The sun has begun to set; the street lamps having begun to

ignite.

INT. JOHN'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

A half-eaten meal is scattered upon the table, the bottle of

wine half-empty.

Resting upon the bed, the briefcases lie open, revealing a

veritable armory of dismantled weapons, numerous clips, and

boxes of ammunition.

Sitting at the desk, John pauses from cleaning a pistol to

empty the wine into his glass. Once done, he pulls back the

slide, studies the pistol with a keen eye, releases it,

carefully loads a clip with bullets, and slides it into the

pistol:
locked and loaded.

From a small wooden case, John selects a SILENCER which he

screws onto the pistol. He sets it down next to a pump-

action sawed-off SHOTGUN, a SNIPER RIFLE, an old school UZI

SUBMACHINE GUN -silenced- with a polished mahogany stock, a K-

BAR DAGGER, and another pistol.

A beat... and John stands, slips the silenced pistol into the

back of his pants, dons his jacket, turns off the light, and

leaves.

45.

EXT. THE RED CIRCLE - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

An upscale night club, the line curled around the side of the

building, generously serviced by heat lamps to accommodate

the almost non-existent dresses of the many young women.

EXT. THE RED CIRCLE - CONTINUOUS

John approaches the BOUNCER -30s, Russian, massive, tattooed

neck, intimidating, his suit one size too small on purpose-

who controls entry, the guest list glowing upon his tablet

computer.

BOUNCER:

Name?

John hands him three, hundred dollar bills.

JOHN:

Guest.

The Bouncer takes the bills, pockets them, and unclips the

red velvet rope, allowing him entry.

BOUNCER:

Welcome.

JOHN:

Thanks.

As John enters, those in the front of the line complain but

are ignored as the rope is re-attached.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

Strangely enough, the lobby is laid back and pleasant.

A single bar is available to the dozen or so patrons who

lounge about smoking, laughing, and talking as servers wander

the floor, offering a variety of appetizers.

Beyond the lobby, however, is a security station -replete

with a METAL DETECTOR- in front of the elevators: the

"action" it would seem, is on the top floor.

John approaches the security station and pauses, dropping to

a knee to tie his shoe...

...and remove his silenced pistol, shoving it deep into the

soil of a potted plant.

46.

John stands, empties his pockets into a small plastic bin,

hands it to a guard, and walks through: he is clean.

JOHN:

Thanks.

John takes his things, enters the elevator, and presses the

red "P" for penthouse.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE PENTHOUSE LOBBY - LATER

The doors to the elevator open, the music deafening. John

exits, turns left, and enters-

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE PENTHOUSE DANCE FLOOR - CONTINUOUS

-a two-story structure with the VIPs assembled up top; each

having paid for their private tables. John enters, carefully

studying the room. He approaches the bar and waves down a

bartender.

BARTENDER:

What can I get you?

John motions upwards as he slides across five, hundred dollar

bills.

JOHN:

A table.

The Bartender studies him... and then takes his money.

BARTENDER:

This way.

John follows the Bartender...

...who slips a hundred dollar bill to each of the goons on

either side of the staircase, heads upstairs...

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE PENTHOUSE - 2ND LEVEL - CONTINUOUS

...and slips two bills to the Waitress-

BARTENDER:

(TO JOHN)

Enjoy.

-before returning to the bar.

47.

WAITRESS:

This way, sir.

John follows the Waitress...

...to a table with a perfect view of both levels.

WAITRESS (CONT'D)

Will this do?

JOHN:

Yes, thank you.

WAITRESS:

What would you like to drink?

JOHN:

Single Malt. Irish, if you've got

it.

John slides her two more hundred dollar bills.

JOHN (CONT'D)

And start me up a tab.

WAITRESS:

Yes, sir. I've got a ten-year

Michael Collins.

JOHN:

Perfect. Do you have a meat and

cheese plate?

WAITRESS:

I do. Anything else?

JOHN:

No. Thank you.

As the Waitress turns to fill his order, John studies the

floor...

...and the upper balcony... searching.

EXT. THE RED CIRCLE - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

A soft snow begins to fall.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE PENTHOUSE - 2ND LEVEL - CONTINUOUS

John nibbles on some cheese and bread as he pours himself a

generous helping of whiskey.

48.

Down below, Viktor -finishing off his drink- LIMPS past.

John's eyes narrow.

He finishes his drink, stands, and follows after Viktor,

almost breathing down his neck.

Book-ended by a pair of Estruscan bodyguards who follow every

move he makes, Viktor slaps a waitress on the ass as he walks

past.

VIKTOR:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Another bottle of the Goose, love!

SMASHCUT TO:

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - FLASHBACK

As John stares at Moose's silhouette...

...VIKTOR limps past.

VIKTOR (O.C.)

(in Russian, subtitled)

Yeah. He kept `em in a bowl like

my old man.

SMASHCUT TO:

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

Drunk, Viktor and his bodyguards enter the bathroom, pausing

to light a cigarette, before limping into-

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE BATHROOM - A STALL - CONTINUOUS

-where he leans against the wall in front of the toilet, eyes

at half-mast.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

John enters as a patron leaves, the bathroom now empty save

himself, Viktor, and the bodyguards.

As the door closes, John produces his CERAMIC STRAIGHT RAZOR,

drives it between the door and the jamb, and snaps it in two.

49.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE PENTHOUSE - 2ND LEVEL - CONTINUOUS

A patron approaches the door and attempts to enter, but it

won't budge. He shrugs and heads off in search of another

bathroom.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

One of the bodyguards turns as John approaches, his eyes

instantly wide -uncomprehending- as the broken tip of the

blade easily slices open his neck, splashing John with his

own hot blood.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE BATHROOM - A STALL - CONTINUOUS

Viktor glances towards the closed door with a smirk.

VIKTOR:

Hello?

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

As the bodyguard drops to his knees -bleeding out- the second

guard produces a pistol and -as John moves into him- manages

to fire off a round which punches through John's shoulder.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE BATHROOM - A STALL - CONTINUOUS

Viktor tenses -eyes wide- shakes off before zipping up his

pants, reaches into his jacket, and fumbles for his gun.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

With a cry derived far more from anger than pain, John head

butts the other bodyguard -shattering his nose, his face

instantly crimson with blood- before slashing the remnant of

the blade wide, severing the bodyguard's artery.

The door to the bathroom stall opens and as Viktor emerges

with pistol held out-

-John slaps it aside, breaks his arm and kicks in his leg-

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE BATHROOM - A STALL - CONTINUOUS

-sending him to his knees, screaming.

50.

John grabs the broken arm, twists it behind Viktor's back,

drags him towards the towel, grabs him by the hair, and

shoves his face into the toilet. He holds him there for a

good amount of time...

...before ripping him back out.

Gasping for breath, Viktor's eyes are wide, sobriety having

swiftly returned.

VIKTOR:

(CHOKING)

What the f*** d-

John answers by slamming his head against the rim of the

toilet -breaking Viktor's nose- before shoving his face back

beneath the water. A long beat...

...and John pulls Viktor back up for air.

JOHN:

(in Russian, subtitled)

My name is John Wick. You took my

car. You killed my dog. Where...

is Iosef?

VIKTOR:

F*** you, old m-

Behind his back, John snaps Viktor's wrist, and -as he drives

his face back beneath the water- John snaps one finger after

the next.

Underwater, Viktor screams, struggling.

John pulls him free.

VIKTOR (CONT'D)

(WAILING)

VIGGO! HIS FATHER! HE'S WITH

VIGGO!

JOHN:

And where is Viggo?

VIKTOR:

He moves about... from one place to

the next... he's put Iosef under

his thumb... wherever Viggo goes,

so does Iosef.

John twists Viktor's arm, breaking it with a dry SNAP.

Viktor screams...

51.

...but John keeps holding his arm painfully in place.

JOHN:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Where... is... Viggo?

VIKTOR:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Please... I don't know... please...

A beat...

...and John drives Viktor's head down upon the toilet rim at

an odd angle, his neck snapping.

Silence.

John removes Viktor's wallet and cellphone before exiting the

stall.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

He slides Viktor's wallet into one pocket and his cell phone

into another. At the sink, he turns on the cold water tap...

...splashes it up into his face, turns...

...and pauses, realizing that he is covered in blood.

John pulls off his shirt, wipes the blood from his face,

tosses the shirt aside, reaches down, removes Viktor's shirt,

and slips it on, carefully buttoning it up.

He wets his hair, slicks it back, turns, removes the piece of

ceramic blade wedged in the door frame, tosses it into the

trash, and leaves.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE PENTHOUSE - 2ND LEVEL - CONTINUOUS

John passes by the Waitress, pausing to hand her a couple of

hundred dollar bills.

JOHN:

Please close out my tab.

WAITRESS:

Yes, sir.

(NODS)

Thank you, sir.

The blood from his shoulder wound begins to seep into the

shirt, but only he notices it.

52.

JOHN:

Good evening.

WAITRESS:

Good evening, sir.

John heads down the staircase-

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE DANCE FLOOR - CONTINUOUS

-and calmly makes his way through the sea of dancers...

...as up top, chaos erupts but is silenced by the deafening

music.

INT. THE RED CIRCLE - THE STAIRWELL - CONTINUOUS

Using his one good shoulder, John opens the steel door, and -

his skin pale, cold sweat upon his brow- moves as fast as he

can downwards.

His shoulder hurts.

The blood loss nears critical.

EXT. THE RED CIRCLE - AN ALLEY - NIGHT

John exits the building as he scrolls through Viktor's phone,

searching.

He finds Iosef's number, and as he calls it, studies the

image of Iosef which appears on screen.

EXT. VIGGO'S TOWNHOUSE - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

INT. VIGGO'S TOWNHOUSE - A BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Iosef lays on his bed with an arm behind his head, smoking as

he stares up at the ceiling.

We hear the vibration of his cell phone. He lifts the phone,

smiles at the sight of Viktor's caller I.D., and answers.

IOSEF:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Hey, Vik.

53.

JOHN (O.S.)

(a long beat, then)

Viktor is dead.

Iosef bolts upright, his breath stuck in his throat, eyes

wide.

INT. AN ALLEY - CONTINUOUS

John trudges through the snow with Viktor's phone to his ear.

JOHN:

As for the car, I got that back,

but as for Moose, well... I'm

takin' a page from Exodus on that

one:
an eye for an eye.

(a beat, then)

No... no, better yet, Genesis.

INT. VIGGO'S TOWNHOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Iosef swallows hard.

JOHN (O.S.)

Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

Wives of Lamech, listen to my

speech. For I have killed a man

for wounding me, even a young man

for hurting me. If Cain shall be

avenged sevenfold, then Lamech

seventy-sevenfold.

INT. AN ALLEY - CONTINUOUS

John peers around the corner.

JOHN:

Make your peace with God, Iosef...

(in Russian, subtitled)

...for the Devil shall see you

soon.

INT. VIGGO'S TOWNHOUSE - A BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

A long beat... and Iosef hangs up his phone, staring at the

wall... a solitary tear rolling down his cheek.

54.

EXT. AN ALLEY - CONTINUOUS

John tosses the phone down into the snow, and jogs across the

street...

...as MARCUS -a cigarette smoldering between his lips-

watches him from the shadows.

FADE TO:

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

The lobby is empty -save the Manager- who glances up from his

computer...

...to find a wounded -and quite bloody- John walking towards

him.

MANAGER:

(WITHOUT BLINKING)

Good evenin', sir.

JOHN:

Evenin'. Is the doctor in?

MANAGER:

Yes, sir. Twenty-four/seven.

JOHN:

Send him up, please.

MANAGER:

Yes, sir. Anything else, sir?

JOHN:

Depends. How good's your laundry?

MANAGER:

The best, sir, however, I'm sorry

to say that...

(hesitating, then)

...no one's that good.

John chuckles, sliding a gold coin across to the Manager.

JOHN:

No, I thought not.

(NODS)

Send me up a beer, too, will you?

55.

MANAGER:

Yes, sir. What do you favor?

JOHN:

Anything cold.

EXT. THE CONTINENTAL - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

INT. JOHN'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Sitting in a chair with his shirt off and a beer in hand,

John grits his teeth as the DOCTOR -80s, steady hands,

glasses, thinning hair, frail, but strong- removes the bullet

from his shoulder, dropping it into a glass of water.

JOHN:

Did she chip off?

DOCTOR:

Lucky for you, no. It looks to be

a sub-sonic.

JOHN:

Good to hear.

The Doctor cleans the wound, dries it off, and begins to sew

shut the wound.

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE HALLWAY - LATER

The Doctor exits as John stands in the doorway, his shoulder

bound tight with gauze.

JOHN:

What sort of movement am I lookin'

at?

DOCTOR:

If you're lookin' to heal right

quick, then keep it marginal.

However, if you've still...

(searching, then)

...got a bit a' business to attend

to...

The Doctor hands him a pill container.

DOCTOR (CONT'D)

...take two of these beforehand.

You will rip open, you will bleed,

but you will have full function.

56.

JOHN:

And after?

DOCTOR:

It'll hurt like hell, son... but

come the long run, you'll be fine.

John hands the Doctor two gold coins.

JOHN:

Thanks, doc.

DOCTOR:

It's what I do.

(NODS)

Evenin', John.

JOHN:

Evenin'.

John closes the door behind him.

FADE TO:

EXT. THE CONTINENTAL - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

The snow now falls harder, although the pace seems lazy.

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

Dressed in a fresh suit and tie, John strides through the

kitchen, ignored by the bustling staff.

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE KITCHEN - DRY STORAGE - CONTINUOUS

John enters the room, and makes his way to the back where a

small staircase leads downward.

John walks down them and enters-

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE SUB-BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

-walking down the long, brick-enclosed corridor...

...stopping before a large, thick, imposing IRON DOOR.

John removes a gold coin from his pocket...

...and slips it into a slit -similar to that of a pay phone-

to the right of the door.

57.

A beat...

...and a section of the door slides open, revealing a pair of

judging eyes. This is EDDIE -30s, red beard, shaven head,

pierced, tattooed, three piece suit- intimidating as hell.

He studies John for a long moment.

EDDIE:

(a beat, then)

I don't know you.

JOHN:

Maybe not... but I know this place.

A beat... and Eddie slides the view piece shut.

A beat... and the door is unlocked, swinging open.

John enters, and the door is immediately swung shut behind,

sealed and locked tight.

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE SPEAK EASY - ENTRYWAY - CONTINUOUS

The room is small, but comfortable.

To the right are a number of coat/hat racks populated by a

dozen or so items.

To the left is a bank of modified cigar locker; dozens of

transparent, safety-deposit boxes framed in mahogany with a

plaque -etched with a name- upon each.

Eddie hands the coin back to John.

EDDIE:

You carryin'?

JOHN:

No. Wait...

John snaps back his wrist...

...and hands Eddie the ceramic straight blade.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Sorry.

EDDIE:

You gotta' name?

JOHN:

John Wick.

58.

Eddie recognizes this name, his demeanor changing

drastically.

EDDIE:

Oh.

Eddie turns, finds a locker with the name JOHN WICK carved

upon it, opens the small door, slides in the blade, and

closes it.

JOHN:

How about you?

EDDIE:

What about me?

JOHN:

You gotta' name?

A beat... and Eddie smiles, extending a hand, instantly warm.

EDDIE:

They call me Eddie.

JOHN:

(SMILES)

Pleased to meet you, Eddie.

EDDIE:

Same goes for me, Mr. Wick.

JOHN:

Please... call me, John.

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE SPEAK EASY - NIGHT

John enters the room through a pair of velvet drapes...

...and pauses, taking it all in with a smile.

A luxurious tavern crafted from a long forgotten speak-easy,

the room isn't too big, and isn't too small, but... just

right.

Booths line the outside walls while a number of tables are

scattered about.

Near the stage, a small dance floor has been cleared, the

wooden tiles worn, but lovingly cared for.

59.

On stage, JENNY -80s, African-American, petite, a commanding

presence- sways behind the microphone, singing an old

standard, her voice similar to that of Billie Holiday;

strong, tender, and sincere.

Her eyes grow wide at the sight of John, but she never wavers

from her tune.

As John makes his way through the room, everyone nodes,

offers a handshake, or a simple greeting: this is an old

family... of a sort.

In the corner, WINSTON -70s, English, tall, lean, well-

dressed, glasses, tailored, precise- sits with a worn,

paperback copy of THE TELL-TALE SHREW in one hand and a dry

sherry in the other.

JOHN:

Hello, Winston.

Winston lowers the book, and glances across at John with a

blank -yet warm- look.

WINSTON:

Hello, Jonathan.

(a beat, then)

It's been awhile.

JOHN:

That, it has.

(LOOKING AROUND)

I'm glad to see the old place still

up and runnin'.

WINSTON:

(HALF-SMILES)

I could say the same for you.

John approaches the bar...

...where JIMMY -40s, African-American, three-piece suit,

expensive watch, kind eyes, quick to smile- looks up with a

grin.

JIMMY:

Ho... lee... sh*t.

JOHN:

Hey, Jimmy.

The two shake hands like old friends.

JIMMY:

John, my God, it's been... what?

60.

JOHN:

I'm no good with time, but... it's

been awhile.

JIMMY:

That, it has.

(a beat, then)

We we're all broken up over Norma,

y'know.

JOHN:

She got the card, the flowers...

she knows you -all of you- loved

her.

(a beat, then)

And thanks, Jimmy. It meant a lot

to me as well.

JIMMY:

Well, sh*t, it's good to see you,

John. What can I get you?

JOHN:

I'd love a martini.

JIMMY:

Gin, dry, and onions?

JOHN:

Good man.

JIMMY:

Go on and take a seat. I'll be

with you in a moment.

JOHN:

Thanks, Jimmy.

JIMMY:

All good, John... and seriously...

it's good to see you.

As John leaves Jimmy to make his martini, John strays towards

the stage.

Jenny finishes her song, the audiences politely applauds, and

she steps down to give him a strong embrace.

JENNY:

John Wick in the flesh... my, oh,

my... will wonders never cease.

John smiles... almost sheepishly.

61.

JOHN:

Hey, Jenny.

JENNY:

Where've you been keepin' yourself?

JOHN:

I'm not quite sure, but with that

said... here I am.

JENNY:

Here you are, indeed. My, oh,

my...

Jenny hesitates, and then clasps a hand to his shoulder.

JENNY (CONT'D)

I miss her, too, y'know...

JOHN:

I know.

JENNY:

And I haven't... I mean, not since

the last time...

(hesitating, then)

Would you mind... if I sang it?

(SMILES)

You can say, "no".

JOHN:

(CHUCKLES)

No, no, Jenny... go right ahead.

In fact... please do. I'd like to

hear it, too.

JENNY:

Will do.

Jenny hugs him again, kissing him on the cheek.

JENNY (CONT'D)

This visit of yours ain't no

passin' fancy, is it?

JOHN:

No, ma'am.

JENNY:

Well, then... you be safe, you

hear?

62.

JOHN:

(nods, smiles)

I hear.

Jenny takes to the stage...

...as John sinks into his booth.

JIMMY NODS-

JIMMY:

Enjoy.

-as he slides a martini across to John.

On stage, Jenny whispers to the members of her small band

before taking to the microphone.

JENNY:

It's been awhile, but... here's to

the past... may it influence our

future.

The music begins...

...and Jenny sings IT HAD TO BE YOU.

Her rendition is powerful, sweet, endearing, passionate, and

sincere. As John watches her sing, a smile tugs at the corner

of his lips.

On the empty dance floor...

...John watches a younger version of himself with Norma...

...dancing slowly... twirling... her head on his shoulder...

...smiling...

...with a sigh...

...before disappearing.

John swallows -hard- as a trembling hand wipes away a tear.

Jenny smiles at him with a nod.

He returns the gesture.

She continues to sing.

John raises his glass as-

63.

-SNAP. SNAP. SNAP. SNAP. SNAP.

CUT TO:

A CELLPHONE:

Five pictures of John are inconspicuously taken...

...by DAVID PERKINS -late twenties, cocky, expensive tastes,

lean, cruel- at a table across the way.

David sends them with a text: "Is this him?"

A beat... and he receives a text in return: "Yes. Where are

you?"

David texts back: "The Continental."

A beat... and he receives a text: "We may not engage in

hostilities upon those premises."

David texts back: "I'm willing to take the risk."

A beat... and he receives a follow up text: "Take him alive.

Should you fail, we disavow. Should you succeed, we

reward... greatly."

David smiles...

CUT TO:

...as does John.

Once the song is done, Jenny is met with boisterous

applause...

...with John clapping the hardest among them.

FADE TO:

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE HALLWAY - NIGHT

Exhausted -and more than a bit tipsy- John runs a hand along

the wall to maintain his balance.

He sings under his breath... humming the tune to IT HAD TO BE

YOU.

At his door, he fumbles with his key card, but finally

manages to open it.

64.

INT. JOHN'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

John closes and locks the door behind him. He sheds his

jacket, his shoes, and his pants...

...flicks off the lights...

...and crawls beneath the blankets with a sigh.

FADE TO:

EXT. THE CONTINENTAL - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

The snowstorm ends, the city suddenly still.

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Empty.

A long beat... and two figures appear at one end of the hall

while three appear at the other end: suits, ties, gloves,

and masks.

One of them inserts a key card attached to his cell-phone and

hacks the lock; the light turning from red to green.

Another places a small, MAGNETIC GUN to the door, adjusts the

setting, and pulls the trigger-

INT. JOHN'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

-causing the latch to leap back from the door...

...which opens.

All five men enter, closing the door behind them.

Sound asleep, John lays upon his back beneath the covers,

snoring softly.

Well-rehearsed, two men focus upon his legs while two focus

upon his arms, their hands hovering above an appendage as

they wait for the fifth (DAVID)...

...who produces a plastic baggie, inside of which rests a

damp TOWEL.

David removes the towel...

...counts down with a nod from 3... 2... 1...

65.

Like a well-oiled machine, hands clasp down upon John's arms

and legs as David slaps the rag down upon John's mouth.

John's body tenses as his eyes snap open...

...but he does not inhale.

A beat... and John twists at an odd angle, causing one of the

men holding his arm to lose his grasp. With his one arm

free, John reaches up, grabs David's wrist, and snaps it.

As David stumbles backwards with a cry, the others pounce

upon John...

...who produces the K-BAR blade from beneath the blankets,

driving it into the side of one man's neck once... twice...

three times...

...before releasing the blade, arching his back, and wrapping

his legs around another man's neck, tensing until -SNAP- the

man's neck breaks.

The remaining three -horrified- are at a loss; far removed

from their element.

David and a gunman run for the door as a third steps back,

removes his silenced pistol from a shoulder holster, and

blindly fires.

The bullets etch up along the mattress and into the

headboard...

...as John rolls off the bed, reaches beneath it, and grabs

the shotgun.

BOOM!

The gunman's left leg disappears as -screaming- he sinks to

the ground.

BOOM!

John fires again, hitting the fallen gunman in the chest.

BOOM!

John fires at the fleeing gunman in the open doorway-

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

-sending him spinning out into the hallway.

BOOM!

66.

He is shot a second time in the back, dead in a blink.

David rips off his mask as he slides to a stop, hands up,

just as John emerges from his room, pumping the shotgun for

affect.

A beat... and he walks towards David, the weapon steady.

DAVID:

(TREMBLING)

...please...

John places the shotgun to the back of David's head.

John is terribly -to an unsettling degree- calm.

He produces a small pill container, taps out two, and

swallows them as he rolls his injured shoulder with a groan.

JOHN:

(TERRIBLY CALM)

Do you know where Iosef is?

DAVID:

No, sir.

JOHN:

Do you know where Viggo is?

DAVID:

N-no, sir.

JOHN:

(SIGHS)

Do you know anythin' worth knowin'?

Tears roll down David's cheeks as he wracks his brain,

thinking.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Just because I'm good at killin'...

doesn't mean I like it all that

much.

(a beat, then)

Give me something.

DAVID:

Wait, wait!

(swallowing hard, then)

Little Russia. There's a small

bank near Cannon Court...

JOHN:

What about it?

67.

DAVID:

Viggo owns it. It's where he keeps

his money. Every dollar of

business he does clears through

that building.

JOHN:

(a beat, then)

That'll do.

John swings the shotgun, knocking David out with the butt.

CLICK.

John freezes...

...as HARRY -60s, African-American, former NFL receiver,

tall, lean, and imposing, yet currently dressed in boxers, a

t-shirt, and dress shoes- aims a pistol at the back of John's

head from the open doorway of his hotel room.

Silence.

HARRY:

Do I know you?

JOHN:

I'm thinkin' so.

John turns...

...and Harry lowers his pistol.

HARRY:

Oh. Hey, John.

JOHN:

Hey, Harry.

Harry glances about at the bodies...

...and steps back inside his room.

HARRY:

Good night, John.

JOHN:

(NODS)

Night, Harry.

(a beat, then)

Hey, Harry.

Harry hesitates, but glances out from behind his door.

68.

HARRY:

Yeah, John?

JOHN:

You keen on earnin' a coin?

HARRY:

(hesitates, then sighs)

Times bein' as they are? Yeah,

John... I am.

JOHN:

Do you mind babysittin' the

breathin' one for, I dunno...

(checking his watch)

...the next six hours or so?

HARRY:

Catch and release?

John tosses Harry a gold coin.

JOHN:

(NODS)

Catch and release.

HARRY:

Can do.

We hear the sound of a phone ringing.

Harry grabs David by the feet as John heads back towards his

room.

JOHN:

Good night, Harry.

Harry drags David back towards his room.

HARRY:

Good night, John.

INT. JOHN'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

John enters his room, and answers the ringing phone.

MANAGER:

Good evening, Mr. Wick. I'm sorry

to be calling you at this hour, but

we've received a number of noise

complaints from your floor.

69.

JOHN:

You don't have to worry about that

anymore. I'll be going to bed

soon.

MANAGER:

Have you any need of -say- a dinner

reservation, perhaps?

JOHN:

Yes, in fact.

(COUNTING)

For four.

MANAGER:

Six o'clock?

JOHN:

Perfect. Oh, and...

(hesitating, then)

Do you cater?

(SMILES)

Excellent. I'll need a car, and...

well... something a bit less

trivial.

FADE TO:

EXT. A BRIDGE - ESTABLISHING - DAWN

Well-lit, but empty; a beautiful expanse of architectural

history.

EXT. A BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

John walks with his hands in his pockets, his head down, lost

in thought. He pauses to light himself a cigarette...

...a long beat...

...and he lowers his head, flicking ash.

JOHN:

You willin' to put a bullet in my

back, Marcus?

Emerging from the shadows behind him, Marcus holds a silenced-

pistol, his leather-gloved hand steady.

A beat...

70.

...and Marcus smiles, slipping the pistol back into his

jacket.

MARCUS:

I owe you, John.

Marcus joins him at the rail.

John offers him a cigarette-

JOHN:

Been awhile, Marcus.

-which Marcus accepts-

MARCUS:

Too long, I'd argue.

-leaning forward to ignite the tip from John's lighter. He

pulls back with a nod, squinting out into the night.

JOHN:

Why'd you take the job then?

MARCUS:

Because if not for me, it would

have been someone who'd have just

now pulled the trigger and simply

walked away, leaving you to gasp

your last.

JOHN:

(NODS)

Much appreciated, then.

MARCUS:

Besides, we're the last of our

kind; an endangered species of a

sort. And I find comfort in knowing

that there's someone like me still

out there.

JOHN:

(a long beat, then sighs)

What am I doing, Marcus? I mean...

it is just a... was a... dog,

but...

John runs a trembling hand through his hair.

MARCUS:

It's always "just" something, John.

"

(MORE)

71.

MARCUS (CONT'D)

Just" a wife, "just" a son, "just"

a friend, "just" a house, "just" a

car... "just" a dog... or "just" a

cat. Each of these I've lost in no

particular order, and each time the

pain I felt was quite real. And my

chosen reciprocity to each was no

more -and no less- brutal than any

other.

JOHN:

(a beat, then)

This isn't like me.

MARCUS:

(smiles, nods)

Maybe not, but for the rare man of

our ilk -those who survived an

arguably unsurvivable life- the few

things we find time to care for...

pass long before we do...

A long silence...

...and Marcus finishes his cigarette, tossing it out into the

darkness.

MARCUS (CONT'D)

Good night, John.

JOHN:

Good night, Marcus.

Marcus turns, and heads back into the train...

...as John continues to stare out into the night.

A long beat... and he produces his cell phone, dialing a

number.

FADE TO:

EXT. A DINER - ESTABLISHING - EARLY DAY

A corner dive, popular, but its population is sparse this

early in the morning.

A limousine pulls up to the curb.

72.

INT. A DINER - CONTINUOUS

Sipping coffee in a corner booth, John watches the front of

the building...

...lowering his mug as VIGGO -accompanied by two men- enter.

VIGGO:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Wait in the car.

The two men exit as Viggo walks towards the booth, shedding

his jacket as he does so.

Only one of John's hands is above the table, the other

hovering beneath it, a pistol held tight, unwavering.

Viggo slips into the seat.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

Is that really necessary?

John answers by taking a sip of his coffee. Viggo shrugs

with a frown, motioning towards the waitress as he flips over

his mug.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

So be it.

WAITRESS:

(filling the mug)

Cream or sugar?

VIGGO:

No, thank you.

As she walks away, Viggo takes a long pull off of his drink.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

It's been what? 30 years?

JOHN:

Yeah, that's about right.

VIGGO:

Left the game, got married, settled

down... I envy that.

(a beat, then)

Kids?

JOHN:

No.

73.

VIGGO:

Lucky bastard.

JOHN:

We tried, but... wasn't in the

cards.

VIGGO:

I f***ed a bartender and -ta dah!-

nine months later, I had me a piece

a' sh*t tossed on the old doorstep,

but... when it comes down to it...

(GLOWERS)

He's still my son.

JOHN:

(NODS)

I figured as much.

VIGGO:

Funny how one would both die and

kill for something they do not

love.

JOHN:

Imagine what one would do if they

did.

Viggo nods, takes a sip of his coffee, and stands.

VIGGO:

Goodbye, John.

JOHN:

Goodbye, Viggo.

Viggo leaves the diner, and slides into-

INT. A LIMOUSINE - CONTINUOUS

-where four of his men wait, each armed with a silenced,

submachine gun:
intimidating hardware.

Viggo closes the door, takes a deep breath, and sighs,

rubbing his brow.

VIGGO:

Kill him.

BOOM!

74.

A round slams into his window, barely missing him before

hitting the man seated next to him in the side of the head,

blood spattering against glass.

Viggo dives to the floor as his men prepare to return fire-

EXT. A DINER - CONTINUOUS

-but John is a crackshot, firing as he strides towards the

VEHICLE-

INT. A LIMOUSINE - CONTINUOUS

-killing two men and wounding a fourth who drops down next to

Viggo, screaming.

VIGGO:

DRIVE!

EXT. A DINER - CONTINUOUS

John ejects a spent clip, slaps in a fresh one in a blink,

and unloads into the limousine which jerks forward, tires

squealing as it drives off.

INT. A LIMOUSINE - CONTINUOUS

Viggo lies on his back, staring at the ceiling as he lights

himself a cigarette.

VIGGO:

People don't change. Do they,

John?

(to the screaming gunman)

SHUT... THE F***... UP!

EXT. A DINER - CONTINUOUS

John slips the gun into the back of his pants, turns, and

calmly walks away.

FADE TO:

INT. A SUBWAY STATION - ESTABLISHING - DAY

The train pulls up and begins to empty, crowding the

platform.

75.

INT. A SUBWAY STATION - CONTINUOUS

John exits the train, stuffs his hands into his pockets, and

seeks to disappear into the crowd...

...as KIRILL and TWO GUNMEN spot him.

They move towards him...

...following...

...hands reaching beneath their jackets, fingers curling

around triggers as silenced pistols are slipped free by

steady hands.

KIRILL:

Babushka.

John slows his stride, hands out to his side, mind racing.

SMASHCUT TO:

INT. THE WICK HOME - THE LIVING ROOM - FLASHBACK - NIGHT

With consciousness fading, John leans back upon the floor,

listening to the voices of his assailants.

With his face hidden within his mask, Kirill chuckles -

enjoying this- as he sucks on a fresh mint.

KIRILL (O.C.)

(in Russian, subtitled)

Then sh*t... let the f***in'

babushka fade away and let's get

the f*** outta' here.

SMASHCUT TO:

EXT. A SUBWAY STATION - CONTINUOUS

John tenses, his features hard.

Kirill grins, willing for John to give him reason to fire.

Suddenly, a frail commuter stumbles into their midst-

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

-killing each with a single, silenced round to the heart.

Kirill is dead before he hits the ground.

76.

Amidst a growing sense of chaos, MARCUS shares a parting

glance with John, slips the pistol in his pocket, smiles, and

tips his hat down low over his eyes.

John returns the nod and disappears in the opposite

direction.

FADE TO:

EXT. A PARKING LOT - ESTABLISHING - DAY

EXT. A PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS

John walks up to an old, FORD LTD sedan. He reaches up into

a rear wheel well, and rips free a set of keys which had been

duct-taped within.

He opens the trunk: we recognize the suitcases therein as

his own. However, there is also a LARGE DUFFEL BAG as well

which he opens, studies its contents, and -satisfied- zips

shut.

He closes the trunk, opens the front door-

INT. A SEDAN - CONTINUOUS

-slides inside, starts the engine-

EXT. A PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS

-and drives off.

FADE TO:

EXT. A STREET - ESTABLISHING - DAY

A number of the quaint old buildings share both English and

Russian signs.

EXT. A STREET - ESTABLISHING - DAY

With his hands stuffed deep into his pockets, John exits an

alleyway and ducks into-

INT. A CAFE - CONTINUOUS

-where he motions "one" to the waitress.

77.

She points towards a booth. He nods, sheds his jacket, takes

a seat, and glances down at the menu.

Through the window, John studies the front facade of A BANK

building.

HIS POV:

The BANK MANAGER -checking his watch- flips over the sign in

the door from CLOSED to OPEN.

WAITRESS:

What can I get you?

JOHN:

Americano, please. And a bear

claw.

WAITRESS:

On it.

JOHN:

Oh, and the bathroom?

WAITRESS:

Down the hall to the left.

JOHN:

Thanks.

INT. A CAFE - THE HALLWAY - DAY

Pulling on a pair of leather gloves, John walks down the

hallway, but instead of turning left, he turns right-

EXT. A CAFE - THE REAR - CONTINUOUS

-exiting the building.

He flips his jacket inside-out -from black to gray- and slips

on a face mask.

Reaching down behind a trash can, he removes a TWO GALLON

PLASTIC GAS TANK and a PISTOL before walking back down the

alley, and out into-

EXT. THE STREET - CONTINUOUS

-making a b-line for the Bank.

78.

As he walks across the street, traffic stops as onlookers

gawk in horror.

John opens the door, and enters-

INT. A BANK - CONTINUOUS

-firing two shots in the air.

JOHN:

EVERYBODY OUT!

(on their looks)

NOW!!!!

Customers flee, secretaries scramble after them, as does the

Bank Manager...

...who slides to a halt, John's pistol staring down at him.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Not you.

BANK MANAGER:

But... why not... me?

JOHN:

Take me to Viggo's stash.

BANK MANAGER:

Wha... what?

JOHN:

His stash. Personal Holdings.

(GROWLS)

Piggy "f***ing" Bank.

BANK MANAGER:

What?!? I can't just-

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

John fires four shots...

...killing the two gunmen who appeared behind the Bank

Manager.

BANK MANAGER (CONT'D)

(a beat, then hushed)

This way.

79.

INT. A BANK - THE VAULT - CONTINUOUS

The Bank Manager swings open the door, revealing two walls of

safety-deposit boxes on either side...

...with a large door in the rear of the vault leading into a

secondary vault. A keypad is attached to its face replete

with a fingerprint reader.

John presses the barrel of the gun to the back of the Bank

Manager's head and forces him into the vault.

JOHN:

Open it.

BANK MANAGER:

I can't.

JOHN:

Open it.

BANK MANAGER:

He'll kill me!

JOHN:

So will I.

The bank manager hesitates...

...and then presses a thumb to the reader and types in a

code.

A beat... and the door opens with a hiss.

BANK MANAGER:

Now, p-

John pistol-whips the Bank Manager, knocking him out.

Without really looking inside-

INT. A BANK- SECONDARY VAULT - CONTINUOUS

-John tosses the plastic gas can into the secondary vault,

and unloads the pistol...

...into the gas can which explodes into flame, illuminating

the space to reveal pallets of cash, smuggled artwork,

jewels, and the like stashed therein.

John tosses the pistol inside, and walks away.

80.

As the fire grows, devouring the millions of dollars in

liquid assets...

EXT. A BANK - THE STREET - CONTINUOUS

John casually walks across the street, ignoring the gawkers,

and enters the alleyway.

INT. A BANK - THE VAULT - CONTINUOUS

The Bank Manager comes to with a groan, pulling himself up to

his feet. His jaw draw drops -eyes wide- at the sight of the

fire.

BANK MANAGER:

...f***... me...

EXT. A DINER - THE REAR - CONTINUOUS

John tosses the gloves and mask into the trash, turns his

jacket back out, slips it back on, and enters-

INT. A DINER - THE HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

-walking down the hallway to enter-

INT. A DINER - CONTINUOUS

-slipping into his seat as the Waitress arrives with his

coffee and donut.

WAITRESS:

Anything else?

JOHN:

That'll do. Thank you.

John takes a deep breath, exhales...

...and relaxes as across the street, the Bank Manager emerges

from the building, and flees off down the street.

FADE TO:

EXT. A BANK - LATER

A beat... and the trio of intimidating sedans pull up to the

curb.

81.

The gunmen in the rear and front vehicles emerge, studying

their surroundings. A beat... and one of the gunman slaps a

hand to the roof of the center car.

Proceeded -and preceded- by a bodyguard, Viggo emerges,

stuffs his hands into his pockets, and marches into the bank

as across the street...

INT. A CAFE - CONTINUOUS

...John watches.

JOHN:

(MUTTERS)

No cops. That's new.

WAITRESS:

We good, hon?

JOHN:

Yeah. Yeah, we're good. Thanks.

The waitress rips the receipt off of her pad-

WAITRESS:

Anytime.

-and drops it on the table in front of him.

John stands, tosses a twenty down on top of it, turns, and

leaves, snagging a toothpick at the cashier's booth before

exiting.

INT. AN ALLEY - CONTINUOUS

As John walks, he reaches down behind a trash can...

...and retrieves a LARGE BRIEFCASE.

INT. A BANK - SECONDARY VAULT - LATER

Viggo stands in the center of the small room with his head

down, prodding a smoldering Picasso with the tip of his foot.

VIGGO:

(in Russian, subtitled)

Where's the manager?

The question is met by silence.

82.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

(in Russian, subtitled)

I'd run, too.

(a beat, then in English)

What a shame... what a f***ing...

(SIGHS)

...shame...

Viggo is trembling with rage, hands clenched at his sides,

eyes unblinking.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

(in Russian, subtitled)

Iosef... my son... is worth less

than this... far less... treasures

reduced to ash...

(in Russian, subtitled)

...ash...

EXT. A BANK - LATER

With his head down -hands stuffed deep into his pockets, a

cigarette smoldering between his lips- Viggo exits, slowly

making his way towards his car.

INT. A DIESEL TRUCK - CONTINUOUS

Perched behind the wheel -the driver's side window missing-

John shifts gears, slams his foot down onto the gas...

...and narrows his eyes, tensing, his knuckles creaking from

within leather gloves as his fingers constrict around the

wheel of the stolen vehicle.

EXT. A BANK - CONTINUOUS

The gunmen react to the sound of the engine's roar, the two

nearest it's approach dropping to a knee, aiming, and firing.

Bullets slam into the windshield -a round slashing into

John's cheek, clipping his ear- and engine block before the

front left tire blows.

John loses control of the truck which fishtails wildly,

slamming into a sedan, crushing two gunmen before it

cartwheels through their midst, killing three more before

coming to a stop on its side.

A gunmen pushes Viggo towards the center sedan-

83.

GUNMEN:

(in Russian, subtitled)

GET IN! NOW!

-shoving him inside.

Three gunmen approach the truck, firing repeatedly.

INT. A DIESEL TRUCK - CONTINUOUS

Dazed, John -his face cut by glass, fresh wounds seeping hot

blood- reaches over into the open briefcase, removing the

silenced-UZI therein.

John shoots out the sunroof, dragging himself free of the

vehicle as he ducks for cover.

EXT. A STREET - CONTINUOUS

As the Sedan peels out, John swiftly ejects the clip, selects

another -wrapped in blue tape, these ARMOR-PIERCING BULLETS

are dark gray, seemingly sharpened to a tip- from a clip

belt, slaps it into weapon, drops to a knee and-

-as the Sedan drives past-

-depresses the trigger.

INT. THE SEDAN - CONTINUOUS

Bullets easily punch through the doors and windows, riddling

the dash..

...the passenger, the driver...

...the seats...

...one gunmen, Viggo, another gunmen...

...and the seats.

EXT. THE STREET - CONTINUOUS

The Sedan veers off, plummeting into the store front of a

pharmacy.

84.

EXT. A BANK - CONTINUOUS

John ejects the spent clip, selects another wrapped in blue

tape, turns towards the fallen truck, and pulls the trigger.

The bullets punch through the roof, seats/floor, and

undercarriage of the vehicle...

...cutting the remaining gunmen to shreds on the sidewalk

behind it.

The clip empties.

Silence.

John tosses the Uzi into the truck, turns, and walks towards

the store front from which the rear half of a sedan

protrudes, pausing to slip free a silenced-pistol from a dead

man's hand.

INT. A PHARMACY - CONTINUOUS

John enters, glancing into the Sedan as he moves past: the

gunmen are all dead, but Viggo is missing, a rear door open.

John rounds the corner...

...to see a trail of blood. He follows it...

...to find Viggo dragging his broken body, his switchblade in

one hand, his cellphone in the other. The knife is

unceremoniously dropped as he struggles to dial 9... 1...

...before the phone slips through his fingers, slick with

blood.

VIGGO:

(in Russian, subtitled)

NO! NO!

(SIGHS)

...no...

John stands over him, the pistol level.

As if sensing him, Viggo rolls over with a groan.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

Tell me, John... and please... be

honest... am I dying here?

John hesitates, squats, and retrieves Viggo's cell phone.

85.

JOHN:

Unless I complete the call, then...

yes.

VIGGO:

For me to die like this...

(spitting, enraged)

...BECAUSE OF HIM...

(SIGHS)

...would be unfortunate.

Viggo is fading... fast.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

I was sending Iosef to a safe house

in Moscow. I arranged for

transport via... a grain ship...

out of Newark...

Viggo coughs, trembling.

VIGGO (CONT'D)

...please...

John stands, dials an additional "1", and the send button...

...but it is too late: Viggo is dead.

John tosses the phone down onto Viggo's chest, slips the gun

into the back of his pants, turns and as he walks towards the

store front...

...grabs a bottle of rubbing alcohol from the shelf,

unscrewing the cap.

EXT. A STREET - CONTINUOUS

John dumps the bottle onto his head, gritting his teeth, as

behind him...

...the sedan EXPLODES behind him.

John does not react.

He tosses aside the bottle, stuffs his hands into his

pockets, lowers his head, and walks on.

FADE TO:

EXT. THE CONTINENTAL - ESTABLISHING - DAY

86.

INT. HARRY'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

David sits in a chair with his head down: his ankles, wrists,

mouth, and eyes bound by duct tape. A weathered hand reaches

over and RIPS the tape off of his eyes.

David winces out of pain and the brutal sensation of light.

HARRY (O.C.)

Housekeepin'll find ya'.

Dressed in a three-piece suit, Harry places an old -but

gingerly cared for- hat upon his head, a ring upon his finger

glistening, his watch an enviable antique.

HARRY (CONT'D)

But son? You done a bit a'

business on the Continental

grounds...

Harry lifts his suitcase and turns heading for the door.

HARRY (CONT'D)

...and management, well...

Harry opens the door...

HARRY (CONT'D)

...they don't take kindly to that

sort a' thing.

...and exits, leaving the door ajar.

David slumps in his seat; exhausted, broken, and defeated.

FADE TO:

EXT. A CITYSCAPE - ESTABLISHING - DAY/NIGHT

SUPER:
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY

Day becomes night.

EXT. THE DOCKS - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

A bustling mecca of commerce, the port never sleeps; ships

of all shapes and sizes dock, empty their shipment, refilled

with return cargo, and slip out into the night.

A multi-hulled beast of a ship, THE CHAYKA (Seagull) rests

dock-side, its bridge guarded by a small army of security

guards.

87.

Overhead, scattered throughout the cranes, are a half-dozen

SNIPERS, searching/studying the dockyard.

INT. THE CHAYKA - THE HULL - CONTINUOUS

Cellophane-wrapped pallets of WEAPONS and bales of CASH are

carried by forklifts into the center of the hull and bolted

to the floor.

Meanwhile, two dozen high-end, luxury cars enter the hull,

each driven into its own reinforced, steel crate, the doors

sealed shut behind them.

As the last WORKER leaves, he shouts into his walkie-talkie.

WORKER:

FILL HER UP!

Overhead, a large chute appears-

EXT. THE CHAYKA - CONTINUOUS

-and the OPERATOR presses a button, sending a seemingly

endless stream of grain down into the hull, covering the

smuggled goods.

INT. THE CHAYKA - THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN - CONTINUOUS

Chewing on an unlit cigar, the CAPTAIN -60s, enormous,

grizzled, salt-and-pepper beard, long, unkempt hair, dressed

in denim and leather- studies paperwork at his desk while

Iosef paces; a cigarette in one hand, a drink in the other.

IOSEF:

How the f*** long do I have to stay

down here?

CAPTAIN:

Until we are at sea, and even then,

your access up top will be limited.

The Captain's phone rings. He answers it.

CAPTAIN (CONT'D)

Yes?

The Captain's face falls, his jaw clenched.

CAPTAIN (CONT'D)

I'll let him know. Proceed as

scheduled.

88.

The Captain hangs up, finds a match, sparks it to flame, and

ignites the tip of his cigar, puffing it like an old steam

engine.

CAPTAIN (CONT'D)

Your father...

IOSEF:

(SCOFFS)

What about him?

CAPTAIN:

He is dead.

Iosef is stunned.

IOSEF:

What?

CAPTAIN:

I'm sorry. He was k-

The Captain is cut off by the intercom which squawks to life,

a screaming voice reduced to panicked static. The Captain

slaps a hand down onto the call button.

CAPTAIN (CONT'D)

Come again?

OPERATOR (O.S.)

We're taking fire, sir!

EXT. THE CHAYKA - THE DECK - CONTINUOUS

A number of security guards lay dead upon the deck -bleeding

out from single gunshot wounds- as the others sprint for

cover. The Operator leans hard against the call button of

the intercom.

OPERATOR:

Someone's shooting at u-

A round slams into the side of the Operator's head, killing

him instantly, his body sinking to the deck.

INT. THE CHAYKA - THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN - CONTINUOUS

The Captain stands, checks the chamber of the LUGER PISTOL at

his side, and heads for the door.

CAPTAIN:

Until you hear otherwise... stay.

89.

The Captain exits the cabin and slams the door behind him.

Trembling, Iosef latches close the door...

...and pours himself a tall drink.

EXT. A CRANE - CONTINUOUS

A SNIPER searches the yard through his scope, his earpiece

overwhelmed by panicked chatter.

SNIPER:

This is Alpha. I don't-

TINK!

Across the way, another sniper tumbles off his perch...

TINK!

...as does another...

TINK!

...and another...

SNIPER (CONT'D)

Where the f*** is he?

TINK!

...and another...

The sniper searches, his skin wet with perspiration, hand

trembling upon the stock.

TINK!

...and another, screaming as he falls...

SNIPER (CONT'D)

WHERE THE F***...

(TRAILING OFF)

The Sniper has found John...

SNIPER (CONT'D)

The old cannery. Southeast of my

position.

...but it is too late.

WE ZOOM THROUGH HIS SCOPE...

90.

...ACROSS THE YARD...

...AND INTO THE CANNERY WHERE JOHN LIES ON THE FLOOR WITH A

SNIPER RIFLE TO HIS SHOULDER.

JOHN FIRES...

...AND WE FOLLOW THE BULLET BACK UP TOWARDS THE SNIPER'S

PERCH...

...WHERE IT ENTERS THE SNIPER'S SCOPE...

...AND PUNCHES THROUGH THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.

His body goes limp...

...and slides out of his perch, cart-wheeling down to the

earth below.

EXT. THE SHIPYARD - NIGHT

EIGHT HEAVILY-ARMORED SUV's bear down on the old cannery

building.

INT. THE CANNERY - THE TOP FLOOR - CONTINUOUS

John shifts position, aims, and fires-

EXT. THE SHIPYARD - CONTINUOUS

-but the round ricochets off the bulletproof window.

INT. THE CANNERY - THE TOP FLOOR - CONTINUOUS

John ejects the clip, ejects a round, leans the weapon

against the window, and sinks back into the darkness.

INT. THE CANNERY - THE MAIN FLOOR - CONTINUOUS

The parade of SUVs enter the cannery, their tires screeching

to a stop as a swarm of highly-trained gunmen emerge,

scattering throughout the building.

INT. THE CANNERY - THE TOP FLOOR - CONTINUOUS

John pries open the doors of an old, wooden, elevator shaft:

now an empty cavern disappearing down into darkness.

91.

INT. THE CANNERY - THE TOP FLOOR - A HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

A pair of gunmen swiftly close in on John...

INT. THE CANNERY - THE TOP FLOOR - ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS

...who takes a deep breath...

...and jumps-

-bullets riddling the doors behind him-

-disappearing down into the darkness-

INT. BENEATH THE CANNERY - CONTINUOUS

-his body SLAPPING against the water as he sinks like a

stone.

INT. THE CANNERY - THE MAIN FLOOR - CONTINUOUS

A gunmen rounds a corner...

...stepping over the empty duffel bag we last saw in John's

trunk...

...and freezes, his eyes wide.

HIS POV:
A brick of C-4 is attached to one of the main

support beams, the pale red light of the detonator glowing

with ominous disdain.

He takes a step back, lowering his weapon, and glances

about...

...noticing for the first time the RED LIGHTS of a DOZEN OR

MORE C-4 charges scattered throughout the interior.

GUNMEN:

RUN!

INT. BENEATH THE CANNERY - CONTINUOUS

Underwater, John lifts his hand...

...to reveal a REMOTE DETONATER...

...which he depresses with his thumb.

92.

INT. THE CANNERY - THE MAIN FLOOR - CONTINUOUS

The gunman goes pale at the sight of all of those red

lights... turning green.

EXT. THE SHIPYARD - CONTINUOUS

A series of powerful explosion tear through the building,

reducing it to splinters as it collapses in upon itself.

INT. BENEATH THE CANNERY - CONTINUOUS

As debris begins to sink down all around him, John swims as

hard as he can.

Surfacing when he is safe, gasping for breath.

Finding a ladder, John climbs upwards-

EXT. THE DOCK - CONTINUOUS

-emerging from behind an access panel.

John turns towards the ship and moves at a steady pace, eyes

roving.

EXT. THE CHAYKA - THE DECK - NIGHT

Surrounded by crewmen and security personnel, the Captain

watches the explosion, his eyes wide.

CAPTAIN:

My... God.

CREWMAN #1

What do we do?

CAPTAIN:

I-

POP! POP! POP! POP!

The sound of a pistol echoes up past them.

CREWMAN:

Captain... he's coming.

93.

EXT. THE DOCK - THE CHAYKA - CONTINUOUS

With his pistol held in both hands -soaked to the bone- John

strides towards the boat's entryway, dropping five guards

with two perfectly-placed shots apiece.

He ejects the spent clips, slaps in a replacement, drops to a

knee, and fires off six shots at the two gunmen as they round

the corner, dead before they hit the ground.

John drops his pistol, retrieves a submachine gun off a dead

guard, unfolds the stock, presses it to his shoulder, and

enters the ship.

INT. THE CHAYKA - THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN - NIGHT

With a trembling hand, Iosef pours himself a drink, staring

at the door...

...from behind which is heard the sound of sheer,

unadulterated chaos: gunfire, screams, and explosions.

Silence.

THUM! THUM! THUM!

CAPTAIN (O.S.)

Open the door, goddammit!

Iosef drops his glass, and unlatches the door.

The Captain stumbles into the room, leaning heavy against his

desk, pausing to take a swig of whisky, blood trickling down

from his forehead, his left arm limp at his side.

The Captain reloads, reaches into his drawer, finds a snub-

nosed .38, and tosses it to Iosef.

CAPTAIN (CONT'D)

Do you know how to use that?

IOSEF:

Yes, sir.

CAPTAIN:

Good. Follow me. And if you shoot

me in the back, I'll be the one to

f***in' kill you.

The Captain swings open the door, and -with his pistol in

both hands- enters-

94.

INT. THE CHAYKA - A CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

-bodies lay everywhere.

Gunshots ring out.

A number of panicking crewmen flee the ship.

Iosef stays close to the Captain, his sweaty hands clinging

to the pistol. As the Captain rounds the corner-

-COMMOTION-

-as he and John collide.

SLOW MOTION...

...as John looks past the Captain, his eyes locking onto

Iosef...

...who -panicking- raises his pistol, and FIRES-

BACK TO SCENE:

-hitting the Captain in the shoulder.

CAPTAIN:

You piece of sh*t, motherf***er!

Iosef turns and flees...

...as the Captain and John disarm one another.

The Captain roars -in pain and anger- driving a fist into

John's side, breaking ribs. He follows through with a wild

left, but John avoids it, slapping it aside, the Captain's

forward momentum sending his fist to SHATTER again the iron

wall of his ship.

The Captain howls, wrapping his arms around John, crushing

him...

...and as consciousness begins to fade...

...John's teeth close around the captain's nose, cleaving it

from his face.

Stunned, the Captain releases John who kicks out his knee,

moves behind him, wraps his arms around the wounded man's

head, and SNAPS his neck.

95.

EXT. THE CHAYKA - THE DECK - CONTINUOUS

Iosef emerges from the lower deck, firing back into the

darkness as tears roll down his face.

A beat...

...and John emerges, the very visage of death: his chest

etched with bullet wounds, blood trickling down his face,

wet, dirty, wounded, pale, and yet...

...unstoppable.

John moves at a steady pace, the gun in his hand at his side,

arm limp.

Iosef sprints towards the far end of the ship, and climbs up

the ladder towards the pilothouse.

John follows.

INT. THE CHAYKA - THE PILOTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Overlooking the entire ship's deck, the pilothouse offers

little in the way of escape.

Instead, Iosef now finds himself trapped.

He searches the desk and finds a LETTER OPENER which he

yields like a knife, turning...

...as John enters the room.

Silence.

IOSEF:

Well, come on, muthafucka! LET'S

DANCE! YOU AND ME!

A beat... and John raises the pistol, and fires off his last

round, punching a hole in the glass.

Iosef grins, laughing as John drops his weapon.

IOSEF (CONT'D)

You missed, b*tch!

JOHN:

No. I didn't.

John surges into Iosef...

96.

...whose hand comes down with the letter opener. John

catches his wrist, and snaps it as his right hand darts up,

constricts around Iosef's jaw, cracking it in two...

...lifting him from with the ground...

JOHN (CONT'D)

(GROWLS)

For Moose.

...and hurling him through the pane of glass which EXPLODES.

SCREAMING, Iosef tumbles end over end, his body slamming into

chute from which grain continues to pour, the hull close to

full.

Iosef cartwheels over it and lands half-in/half-out of the

hull, SNAPPING his back, as around him...

...grain piles higher...

...as he sinks.

IOSEF:

NO! HELP ME! NO! N...

(FADING)

While his legs remain on deck, his upper torso sinks

slightly, the grain covering his face, muting his screams...

...as he suffocates to death.

INT. THE CHAYKA - THE PILOTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS

John stares down at him for a long moment, turns...

...and leaves.

FADE TO:

EXT. A CITY STREET - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

Silence as a soft snow begins to fall.

A beat...

...and a sedan rounds the corner, takes it too wide, and

crashes.

97.

INT. A SEDAN - CONTINUOUS

Perched behind the wheel with his head down, John groans,

leaning back as snow wafts through the door's broken side

window.

EXT. A STREET - CONTINUOUS

John pulls himself out of the vehicle, stumbles a few feet,

ENTERS-

EXT. AN ALLEY - CONTINUOUS

-leans heavy against the wall, and slides into a sitting

position.

John Wick looks to be on death's very doorstep....

...however...

...death will not take him.

With an almost frustrated/irritated groan John pulls himself

to his feet, and staggers down the alley.

INT. A VETERINARIAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Small, simple, and clean.

A beat... and an elbow is driven through the door's window.

John reaches in, unlocks the door, opens it, enters, and

closes it behind him.

INT. A VETERINARIAN'S OFFICE - A SUPPLY CLOSET - NIGHT

John grabs an empty box and begins filling it with

instruments, medication, bandages, and the like.

INT. A VETERINARIAN'S OFFICE - THE BACK ROOM - NIGHT

John enters to find an empty room...

...save a single YOUNG DOG -a mutt of no distinguishable

breed, three years old- who sits staring at him, offering

little more than a tilt of its head.

98.

John strips and -using the hose attachment- rinses his body

clean:
the damage is extensive with cuts, bruises, and three

bullet holes (one in his shoulder, one his side, and one in

his chest).

John studies the bullet wounds.

JOHN:

(MUTTERS)

Through and through... through and

through...

However when he gets to the one in his chest-

JOHN (CONT'D)

Buried deep.

(SIGHS)

F***.

John swallows a handful of pills, clenches his teeth, and -

using a pair of needle nose pliers- reaches into the wound,

searching...

...until he finds the bullet which he pulls free.

John cleans the wounds with disinfectant, applies a number of

pads/bandages, and studies himself in the mirror: he is a

complete and total wreck... but alive.

INT. A VETERINARIAN'S OFFICE - THE SUPPLY CLOSET - NIGHT

Searching, John finds some surgical garb; thin pants and a

shirt which he slips into.

INT. A VETERINARIAN'S OFFICE - THE BACK ROOM - NIGHT

John takes a jacket off of the rack, tries it on -too small-

moves on to the second one, and it fits. John flicks off the

light, and leaves the room. A long beat...

...and John returns, turning the light back on. From across

the room, he stares at the young dog, studying it.

The dog makes no sound, tilting it's head from side to side.

A beat... and John walks to the cage, removing the clipboard

from its side, reading it: we can see that the dog is

scheduled to be put down tomorrow.

JOHN:

Miko, huh?

99.

Miko replies with a tilt of her head-

JOHN (CONT'D)

That's quite the name.

-and a paw pressed to the side of the cage.

John smiles, places the clipboard on top of the cage, and

opens its door.

Miko doesn't move.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Are you coming or not?

A beat... and Miko leaps down onto the floor, tail wagging.

JOHN (CONT'D)

That's what I thought.

John takes a leash off of the wall, and clips it to Miko's

collar.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Come on. Let's go home.

EXT. AN ALLEY - NIGHT

John and Miko emerge from the Veterinarian's Office and walk

out into the snow...

...disappearing into the night.

FADE TO:

EXT. THE CONTINENTAL - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

With his arm in a cast, DAVID makes his way through the

kitchen, his expensive suit freshly pressed.

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE KITCHEN - DRY STORAGE - NIGHT

David enters dry storage, makes his way to the back, and

walks down the staircase.

100.

INT. THE CONTINENTAL - THE SUB-BASEMENT - NIGHT

As he approaches the door, he searches his pocket for a gold

coin, finding one. He slips it into the slit in the door. A

long beat...

...and down below, it clatters out into a small receptacle.

WINSTON (O.S.)

Mr. Perkins...

...over his shoulder, we see Winston emerge from the shadows

behind him, a silenced-pistol held steady in his hand.

WINSTON (CONT'D)

...your membership to the

Continental has been -by thine own

hand- revoked.

THUMP! THUMP!

CUT TO:
BLACK

Silence.

The sound of a key slipped into an ignition.

It turns, the engine roaring to life, tires squealing.

FADE IN:

EXT. AN ABANDONED AIRFIELD - DAY

The sleek, clean, black as night, 1969 Ford Mustang `Boss

429' sprints down the tarmac as inside...

INT. THE MUSTANG - CONTINUOUS

...Miko holds her head out of the open window, her eyes

narrowed, mouth open, and tongue flapping in the wind.

John smiles, reaches over, and scratches her on the back.

JOHN:

Good girl, Miko... good girl.

EXT. AN ABANDONED AIRFIELD - CONTINUOUS

The Mustang charges off into the distance.

FADE OUT:

Rate this script:3.6 / 7 votes

Derek Kolstad

Derek Kolstad (born 1974) is an American screenwriter best known as the original creator of the John Wick film series. Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Kolstad attended Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart and later studied business administration at Taylor University in Indiana. He moved to California at age 24 to pursue screenwriting. He says he started writing films when he was a teenager, but he struggled for success in Hollywood at first.The first script he sold was called Acolyte, which was purchased by Voltage Pictures in June 2012. After that, he got some writing and re-writing work, including work on One in the Chamber, starring Dolph Lundgren and Cuba Gooding Jr. He then wrote another Dolph Lundgren film titled The Package. By the end of 2012, Kolstad sold his other script, titled Scorn, to Thunder Road Pictures, and in April 2013, Keanu Reeves agreed to star in the film. It was Reeves who suggested the name of the film change to John Wick after the title character who was named after Kolstad's grandfather. The film went on to be a major box office and critical success. It was followed by a sequel, John Wick: Chapter 2 in 2017, and a third film was announced soon after the release of the second.In addition to the movies, Kolstad also wrote the videogame John Wick: Chronicles and is participating in the John Wick comic book series.Kolstad lives in Pasadena, California with his wife Sonja and twin toddlers. In 2017, it was reported that Kolstad has three major upcoming projects: John Wick 3: Parabellum, along with a live-action television adaptation of the Hitman franchise, and an action-thriller titled The Steward. more…

All Derek Kolstad scripts | Derek Kolstad Scripts

0 fans

Submitted on August 05, 2018

Discuss this script with the community:

0 Comments

    Translation

    Translate and read this script in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this screenplay to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "John Wick" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 Dec. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/john_wick_11360>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest writers community and scripts collection on the web!

    Watch the movie trailer

    John Wick

    The Studio:

    ScreenWriting Tool

    Write your screenplay and focus on the story with many helpful features.


    Quiz

    Are you a screenwriting master?

    »
    What is a "treatment" in screenwriting?
    A The first draft of the screenplay
    B The final cut of the film
    C The character biographies
    D A detailed summary of the screenplay