Action fans can thank Eva Longoria for one of the highest-grossing movie franchises of the last decade.
In a recent interview for the movie’s 10th anniversary, the producers of John Wick revealed how the Golden Globe nominee came through when they lost nearly $6 million in financing for the first in the four-film franchise.
“We were less than a week out, and we lost almost $6 million on a gap financing,” explained Chad Stahelski to Business Insider. “We were financing independently to get the bond, but one of the investors couldn’t raise the money in time.”
As CAA was pulling together the funding, they offered some of their own actors the opportunity to invest. In return, they would be the first to get paid back. The deal ultimately resulted in Longoria’s first major producer credit.
“She came to the rescue, and she provided the gap financing, literally less than 24 hours before we had to lock the doors on the movie and walk away,” added Stahelski.
Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen and Scott Adkins in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). (Murray Close/Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett Collection)
Lionsgate / Courtesy Everett Collection
Producer Basil Iwanyk only told Stahelski and fellow producer David Leitch who their big investor was. “Basil took us out to dinner, and we were laughing about all the bullshit that happened, and he said: ‘By the way, funny story, you know who gap financed you? Eva Longoria.’ We were like, ‘What!’” recalled Stahelski. “She was laughing, going, ‘I didn’t think it was going to work.’”
Having never met the Desperate Housewives alum, Leitch and Stahelski then took Longoria to lunch at the Chateau Marmont. “We were reminiscing. She was like, ‘Wow, that was the best money I’ve ever spent.’ It paid back significantly for her,” said Leitch.
John Wick (2014) grossed more than $86 million worldwide, with the franchise crossing the $1 billion mark last year with John Wick: Chapter 4.
The franchise will continue with From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas and premiering June 6, 2025 in theaters. Meanwhile, Donnie Yen is set to reprise his role as the highly skilled, blind assassin Caine in an upcoming Lionsgate film. A prequel anime film is also in development.
In addition to last year’s Peacock prequel limited series The Continental, the sequel series John Wick: Under the High Table is in the works.