The $340 Million Comic Book Blockbuster That Paved the Way for John Wick Is Leaving Netflix

The $340 Million Comic Book Blockbuster That Paved the Way for John Wick Is Leaving Netflix Image via Lionsgate By  Rahul Malhotra Published 10 minutes ago Rahul Malhotra is a Weekend News Writer for Collider. From Francois Ozon to David Fincher, he'll watch anything once.

He has been writing for Collider for over two years, and has covered everything from Marvel to the Oscars, and Marvel at the Oscars. He also writes obsessively about the box office, charting the many hits and misses that are released weekly, and how their commercial performance shapes public perception. In his time at Collider, he has also helped drive diversity by writing stories about the multiple Indian film industries, with a goal to introduce audiences to a whole new world of cinema. 

Swing and a miss > measured victory. Also, #JusticeForHan. (He/Him). Sign in to your Collider account follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Years before the dense world-building, stylized gunfights, and secret assassin politics of the John Wick franchise gripped audiences across the globe, a comic book adaptation offering pretty much the same thrills grossed nearly $350 million worldwide, only to be promptly forgotten. The movie in question, Wanted, was released in a particularly pivotal year for mainstream Hollywood: 2008. In fact, it was released in the same summer as Kung Fu Panda, Iron Man, and The Dark Knight. The movie received positive reviews, and a sequel was announced shortly after its theatrical run. But the follow-up never got off the ground, nor was the property rebooted for streaming or anything of the sort. Wanted is currently streaming on Netflix, but not for too long; it'll leave the platform on December 16.

Based on a comic book by Mark Millar and directed by AI-aficionado Timur Bekmambetov in his Hollywood debut — he went on to direct Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Ben-Hur, and will make his comeback very soon — the movie was headlined by James McAvoy, who'd only recently broken out with Atonement and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. McAvoy played a mild-mannered nobody who discovers his rightful place in a secret society of assassins that operates on the command of a mystical weaving machine. Wanted also featured Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, and Common, with Danny Elfman's rock-infused score playing a major supporting character in its own right. The movie was produced on a reported budget of $75 million, and ended up grossing more than $340 million worldwide.

'Wanted' Features Some Truly Underrated Action

Wanted holds a 71% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics' consensus reads, "Wanted is stylish, energetic popcorn fare with witty performances from Angelina Jolie (playing an expert assassin), James McAvoy, and Morgan Freeman that help to distract from its absurdly over-the-top plot." The movie remains somewhat memorable for two things: for featuring the coolest gunfight sequences since The Matrix, and for being one of the earliest theatrical showcases for Chris Pratt. Incidentally, Bekmambetov is making his Hollywood comeback soon, with a movie starring Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson in the lead roles. You have until December 16 to watch Wanted. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Wanted

Like Follow Followed R Action Thriller Crime Release Date June 19, 2008 Runtime 110 minutes Director Timur Bekmambetov Writers Chris Morgan, Derek Haas, Michael Brandt, Mark Millar, J.G. Jones Producers Iain Smith, Jason Netter, Jim Lemley, Marc Platt

Cast

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• James McAvoy Wesley Gibson
• Angelina Jolie Fox

Genres Action, Thriller, Crime Powered by Expand Collapse

• Movie News
• Wanted
• James McAvoy

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