Free Web NovelChapter 425: [John Wick] Release (1)
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Following the proceedings of the Golden Globes and the Oscar campaign, the atmosphere at LIE Studios felt like a rollercoaster, not in the sense of thrilling excitement, but because of the sheer, dizzying speed and the abrupt, upside-down bumps of corporate exhaustion.
Somewhere in the midst of that corporate blur, 2016 bled quietly into 2017.
Instead of hosting a grand, high-profile gala, the team decided to keep things quiet this time around, opting for an intimate party reserved only for the core staff and a few key guests.
On the day before New Year’s Eve, Regal officially gave the entire workforce a well-deserved break, personally handing out year-end bonuses to reward their relentless dedication. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Simon, watching the cheering crowd from the sidelines, couldn’t help but offer his usual cynical commentary.
"Let’s be honest. That bonus isn’t actually a reward for working hard this year." he muttered dryly. "It’s a down payment to ensure they work twice as hard next year."
Regardless of the executive cynicism, the employees were genuinely thrilled, which was a massive win in itself.
With that brief respite, New Year’s Eve slipped past like a daze.
Before anyone could even blink, the holidays were over, and the team was already right back at their desks, diving straight into the production machine.
The next three weeks accelerated into an even faster blur of final color grading, sound mixing, and marketing blitzes.
And just like that, the countdown was over. It was now only a single week away from [John Wick] hitting theaters worldwide.
Meanwhile, Keanu remained locked in his dedicated John Wick zone, the same cool, calm, and collected persona he always carried, though his fans now jokingly believed he couldn’t even bring himself to harm a bug in real life.
Lately, his days were consumed by a relentless back-and-forth schedule of promotional interviews.
Sitting right beside him for most of them was his co-star, a fresh-faced newcomer making her industry debut as the film’s female lead.
The audience had no idea that her character would be tragically killed off just fifteen minutes into the movie, so the marketing team was playing up her role to keep the twist under wraps.
Being entirely new to the Hollywood spotlight, she was understandably nervous and a bit awkward under the glaring studio lights.
Recognizing her discomfort, Keanu stepped up to take the lead during the Q&A sessions.
It wasn’t his usual style as he typically preferred to remain passive, letting others command the room, but he deliberately upped his game to make her feel protected.
It was during one of these joint press junkets that Keanu accidentally dropped what would become the tour’s most famous line.
The interviewer had directed a question toward his co-star Clara, about her approach to the film’s intense world, to which she smiled nervously and replied:
"Oh, I am not really a fighter. I am a lover."
Before she could even finish her thought, Keanu leaned. "No, no, no... you gotta be a fighter if you want to be a lover."
Amused by the sudden philosophical turn, Marcus immediately pressed further. "Why is that, Keanu?"
"Because..." Keanu began, his voice dropping into that earnest, thoughtful cadence of his. "If you don’t fight for your love, what kind of love do you really have?"
Halfway through the sentence, the weight of his own profound words seemed to hit him.
Catching himself, a wave of sudden embarrassment washed over his face. He abruptly stood up from his chair, holding his hands up with a self-deprecating laugh. "No, wait, I am kidding! Sit back down, Keanu."
But it was already far too late. The live studio audience erupted into cheers and applause, completely charmed by the unscripted moment.
When the clip inevitably made its way online, the internet mirrored the studio’s reaction, turning the quote into an overnight viral sensation.
It wasn’t an isolated incident, either; every single interview Keanu attended throughout the press tour seemed to overflow with his natural charm and quiet charisma.
He kept effortlessly dropping memorable gems and heartwarming interactions wherever he went.
With opening night rapidly approaching, the marketing department couldn’t have asked for a better buildup, Keanu was winning over the public one interview at a time, and absolutely no one was complaining.
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The viral momentum from the press tour refused to slow down.
As the snippets of Keanu’s earnest philosophy and his protective chemistry with his co-star continued to flood social media feeds, the anticipation for [John Wick] reached a fever pitch.
The narrative had shifted entirely.
The public was no longer just curious about a new action movie, they were fiercely invested in the people who had bled, sweated, and run high fevers to make it.
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And then, the day finally arrived.
On January 27, 2017, the global premiere of [John Wick] took over the iconic Regal Union Square Theater in New York City.
The winter air was biting, but the atmosphere outside the venue was electric, choked with hundreds of fans packed behind metal barricades and a massive wall of paparazzi lenses.
"Move left! Clear the sightline for the marquee!" a production coordinator shouted into a crackling walkie-talkie, waving a glowing orange baton.
The event, hosted in a high-profile partnership with the luxury Swiss watchmaker Carl F. Bucherer, was a masterclass in sleek, modern showmanship.
Neon blue and deep violet lights bathed the theater’s facade, mirroring the distinct visual palette Regal had painstakingly crafted for the film.
Slick corporate executives and Hollywood elite mingled on the carpet, their wrists sporting high-end timepieces that glinted under the flashing cameras.
"Is that the director? The guy from the lockscreen photo?" a young film student whispered to his friend, leaning over the barricade.
"Yeah, that’s Regal. Look at him." the friend replied, snapping a quick blurry photo on his phone.
But all the corporate polish completely evaporated the moment the main black town car pulled up to the curb.
When the door opened and Keanu Reeves stepped out, the crowd erupted into a deafening roar.
He looked sharp, effortlessly carrying his signature cool in a tailored dark suit. But it wasn’t his style that caused the collective meltdown of the entire press line, it was his date for the night.
Cradled securely in Keanu’s arms was Andy, the adorable beagle puppy who portrayed Daisy, his character’s dog in the film.
"Oh my god, look at the puppy!" a girl in the front row screamed, clutching her friend’s arm. "He brought the dog!"
"Keanu! Over here! Give us a smile with Andy!" a photographer shouted from the media pit, the rapid-fire clack-clack-clack of a dozen camera shutters filling the air.
The contrast was instant and utterly overwhelming for the internet. Here was the man portraying a lethal, unstoppable assassin, walking the carpet while gently scratching a tiny puppy behind the ears.
Andy, entirely unfazed by the roaring crowd, wagged his tail and licked Keanu’s chin, prompting a brilliant, genuine smile from the actor that the cameras captured from a hundred different angles.
Standing just a few paces back near the theater entrance, watching the spectacle unfold, were Regal and Simon.
"I told you the dog was a goldmine." Simon murmured, checking his own Bucherer watch with a satisfied smirk. "The social media metrics are spiking in real-time. We haven’t even rolled the film yet, and the internet has already decided they will burn down cities if anything happens to that puppy."
Regal let out a soft chuckle, his hands tucked into his coat pockets as he watched Keanu patiently pose for a group photo with Andy and his nervous co-star, who was absolutely glowing in her premiere gown.
"It’s not about the metrics, Simon." Regal said, his eyes scanning the grand theater marquee. "It’s about the soul. People can tell when a crew actually gives a damn about what they’re making."
"Doors closing in five! All ticket holders, please make your way inside." a theater usher called out, her voice echoing through the grand lobby as the crowd began to filter out of the cold.
With the final interviews wrapped and the red carpet cleared, the crowd ushered its way into the grand auditorium of the Regal Union Square.
The heavy velvet doors closed, shutting out the freezing New York night. Inside, the chatter dimmed to a tense, eager whisper as the lights began to fade to black.
"Man, I hope the action lives up to the hype." a guy in the row behind them whispered to his girlfriend, rustling a bag of popcorn.
"Shh, it’s starting." she hissed back.
Regal took his seat in the center row, a quiet calm settling over him as the studio logo illuminated the massive silver screen.
The rollercoaster of the past year, the late nights, the grueling fevers, and the endless grind had all led to this exact moment.
The projector hummed to life, and the world was about to find out exactly what happens when you push a calm man too far.
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[To be continued...]
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