John Wick (2014)

Directed by Chad Stahelski, John Wick was produced for $20 million and grossed $88 million worldwide before spawning a franchise totalling over $1 billion (4 films through 2024). Keanu Reeves's performance as a retired assassin seeking revenge created a new benchmark for "gun fu" action choreography — precise, kinetic, and technically demanding. The Continental hotel world-building and assassin mythology the film introduced became one of cinema's most influential action-universe templates, inspiring numerous imitators worldwide.