What Does Real History Teach Us About John Wick 4?
"John Wick" fans have waited three long years for a sequel to "John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum," but the wait is almost over. Keanu Reeves will return as everyone's favorite one-man killing machine in 2023, and he'll be joined by some of the world's most talented action stars.
In the latest brutal trailer for "John Wick: Chapter 4," the titular dog-loving assassin is offered a chance to rectify his crimes against the Continental and finally move on to a life that doesn't involve wracking up body counts. All he has to do is challenge Marquis de Garmont (Bill Skarsgård), an upstart who wants to introduce "new ideas, new rules, [and] new management" to the hidden world of assassins. Win or lose, fighting Marquis will give John the freedom that he seeks.
The "John Wick" franchise is rooted in intricate and original lore, but some of it was inspired by real-life history. With that in mind, let's look at the potential aristocratic nobles who inspired the new movie.
The de Gramont family originates from French history
The "John Wick: Chapter 4" trailer makes it clear that Marquis de Gramont comes from noble stock. While the character was created for the upcoming action-packed sequel, he appears to be based on the actual de Gramont clan, whose members occupy a unique place in French history.
Per Cyrano de Bergerac, the de Gramont family supported Cardinal Richelieu, aka the villain in almost every "Three Musketeers" movie and real-life King Louis XIII influencer. One of the family patriarchs, Antoine III de Gramont, was a high-ranking member of the French military, having served as the Marshal of France from 1641. Most of the other family members served in the military or had royal titles, and they commanded a lot of power and influence during their respective time periods.
The de Gramont family is synonymous with nobility and warfare, so having one of them sit at the top of the criminal hierarchy in "John Wick: Chapter 4" makes sense. Let's not forget that this franchise connected the Vatican to the criminal underworld, so anything is possible.