Netflix’s Trending Action Flop From 5 Years Ago Is The Closest We’ll Get A Cillian Murphy John Wick Movie

A Cillian Murphy-starring action movie from five years ago is currently working its way up the Netflix charts, and it’s the closest the actor has come to starring in a John Wick film. Murphy’s Oppenheimer Oscar success has given the Irish star new levels of fame following an already impressive career. Murphy enjoyed a long and successful career long before he became an Academy Award winner. Now, one of Murphy’s lesser-known movies from 2019 has found itself trending on Netflix, and the comparisons to the John Wick franchise are inescapable.

Many movies and TV shows like John Wick have popped up ever since the first installment in the series was released in 2014. While a handful of John Wick copycats have proven to be hits, most have failed to make an impact. One such movie, which was initially dismissed when it first came out, has found renewed interest on Netflix.

Cillian Murphy’s Anna Movie Is A John Wick-Style Action Thriller

The Film Is Heavy On Action And Fight Sequences

Directed by Luc Besson, 2019’s Anna tells the story of a young woman who, after being hired by the KGB, begins working as a double agent for the CIA. Sasha Luss plays the title role, while Cillian Murphy, Luke Evans, and Helen Mirren round out the movie’s main cast. Like the John Wick films, Anna is jam-packed with over-stylized action sequences and elaborately choreographed fight scenes. It’s also violent, over-the-top, and leans into a neo-noir style, much like John Wick. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to win over either reviewers or audiences when Anna was first released in theaters.

Anna garnered largely negative reviews from critics, many of whom highlighted the movie’s lack of originality as its biggest weakness. With a score of just 33%, Anna ruined Cillian Murphy’s Rotten Tomatoes streak. Additionally, the film was a box office bomb, earning just over $32 million on a $30 million budget (via The Numbers). By all metrics, the movie was a flop. And yet Anna is enjoying a surge of popularity on Netflix, where it’s currently sitting at the top of the charts.

John Wick’s Director Wanted Cillian Murphy To Join The $1 Billion Action Franchise

He Was One Of Several Big Names On The Casting Wishlist

There’s been no shortage of big-name stars who have appeared in the John Wick franchise. As well as the leading man himself, Keanu Reeves, famous faces such as Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Willem Dafoe, Halle Berry, Ana de Armas, and Mel Gibson, to name but a few, have all joined the John Wick universe. However, John Wick director Chad Stahelski told Screen Rant that he wanted several other high-profile actors to join the franchise, including Cillian Murphy.

When asked about dream castings, Stahelski said, “If you told me Cillian Murphy was going to be in a John Wick movie, I’d be like, “Oh my God!”.” The director listed several other names, including Jason Mamoa, Hugh Jackman, and Jackie Chan. Many Cillian Murphy movies, such as Batman Begins, have employed a degree of action. Meanwhile, his most notable TV project, Peaky Blinders, involved Murphy’s character, Tommy Shelby, routinely getting into fights. Add to that the fact that Murphy is an in-demand actor, and it makes sense that Stahelski would want him in the John Wick universe.

Cillian Murphy Would Have Been A Great Villain Against Keanu Reeves’ John Wick

The Actor Is The Ideal Fit For The Franchise

Cillian Murphy definitely feels like a good fit for the John Wick franchise. And while it’s certainly still possible that the actor could appear in some form of spin-off, Murphy wouldn’t get to take on John Wick himself, owing to the character’s death at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4. This is disappointing because Murphy would have made an excellent antagonist against Keanu Reeves’ John Wick. Murphy has played villains numerous times before and, in each instance, has demonstrated a quietly sinister presence. That said, John Wick may be alive after all if John Wick 5 happens.

Regardless, it’s good to know that Cillian Murphy is on Stahelski’s radar, and, given the consistent popularity of the John Wick franchise, multiple film and TV spin-offs are almost guaranteed. In other words, there will certainly be many opportunities for Murphy to enter the John Wick universe and revel in its over-the-top action. Naturally, Murphy’s Oscar win means he will have plenty of choices regarding his next projects. Joining a major franchise like John Wick would be an interesting career move, especially after Murphy’s most recent action film failed to match the actor’s talents.

Sources: The Numbers

Stream Anna on Netflix