John Wick Is the Ultimate Hit Man, but I Think These 9 Movie Assassins Could Take Him in a Fight
There’s absolutely no question that the greatest assassin in cinema is easily the one and only John Wick (Keanu Reeves). He’s so famous that he’s even spawned multiple rip-off franchises. It’s unanimously agreed that Wick is the best of the best, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other assassins in film that couldn’t give Baba Yaga a run for his money. They may not be able to beat him, but they could certainly still pose a challenge.
Whether they hail from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Assassin’s Creed franchise, or one all their own, there are plenty of super-skilled killers out there. Each with different types of techniques that make them unique and different from the titular protagonist of John Wick. This allows them all to challenge him in different ways than one another.
9
Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling)
‘The Gray Man’ (2022)
Despite the film’s less-than-positive reviews, the Russo Brothers’ 2022 flick, The Gray Man, featured a protagonist with exceptional skill and prowess. Described as the CIA’s “Merchant of Death”, one doesn’t get a nickname like that without some incredible feats under their belt. He’s not only skilled, but quite adaptable to the situations and things that surround him.
He’s also exceptional at stealth, a trait that isn’t typically showcased for an assassin like Wick in his films, which would give Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling) a unique way to take him on. The Gray Man isn’t a movie going for as much realism as the John Wick films, either. This makes a lot of the feats in the Russo Brothers film seem more grand in scale. So if Gentry was thrown into Wick’s world and put up against him, he wouldn’t stand much of a chance, still.
8
Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem)
‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)
Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) is one of the most feared villains in all cinema. He made more than his mark on movies when he appeared as the antagonist in No Country for Old Men in 2007. Anton Chigurh was able to track someone through the entire desert while enacting his violence against any who came across his path—not being caught.
This kind of ability is unlike anything Wick has faced before. The ruthlessness that Keanu’s character lets out is one of rage and revenge, but Bardem’s… it’s out of pure love for murder and destruction. A whole new type of mercilessness that Wick would have to face. Not to mention, with tracking skills like Chigurh’s, it feels like John would have a very hard time shaking this guy.
7
Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)
‘Black Widow’ (2021)
There’s no assassin in the MCU quite like Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), aka Natasha Romanoff. She was all over the Infinity Saga, being a total badass and getting the job done—best described by her in Avengers: Age of Ultron, “I’m always cleaning up after you boys.” After her training in the Red Room (shown in Black Widow), she became a force to be reckoned with and may very well be one of the greatest female assassins in cinema.
She’s faced off with the likes of Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Ultron (James Spader), Thanos (Josh Brolin), and more. Not every movie assassin can say they’ve stood up against such foes. While she had help with her team, The Avengers, she still had plenty of moments alone that proved her ability to stand alongside such titans of the MCU (as if she wasn’t already one herself).
6
Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas)
‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina’ (2025)
While she hasn’t technically debuted in cinema just yet, she has already managed to prove herself through trailers and clips of her new, highly anticipated movie, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. Fans already know she can go up against Wick herself by seeing this in the trailers for the movie already. The action depicted in them and her physically facing John Wick alone already prove this.
Being trained by the Director (Anjelica Huston) in the same fashion as Wick, it only makes sense that she would be able to stand alongside Wick in skill. So, while she hasn’t made her theatrical debut yet, her lore alone and the clips and trailers shared in promotion for the movie already show that she is more than applicable to be on a list of assassins who could give Wick a run for his money—because she will.
5
John & Jane (Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie)
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ (2005)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith was one of the most popular spy movies of the early 2000s when it was released. The chemistry between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie was wonderful and, on top of that, the skill depicted by their characters made them incredibly compelling. It also allows the conflict to be really entertaining, too, as they’re secretly out to kill each other.
The entire conflict, being the fact that two of the best assassins in the movie’s world are now tasked to kill each other, is exactly the proof that is needed to show why the two could stand up against Wick. Not only are they the best there is for within the Mr. & Mrs. Smith universe, but they’re ranked together because they work as a unit. So John would have to take not one but two highly skilled assassins on. Everyone knows, though, that he’d still find a way to come out on top.
4
Aguilar de Nerha (Michael Fassbender)
‘Assassin’s Creed’ (2016)
Anyone who knows even a little bit about the Assassin’s Creed game franchise knows that the assassins within the series are the greatest in all history. While the Assassin’s Creed 2016 film was not received well by pretty much everyone, Michael Fassbender‘s Aguilar se Nerha is still no different. Rough plot aside, he was a force to be reckoned with, unlike any other movie assassin.
What makes him such a threat to the likes of John Wick is the fact that his style is far different from anything Wick knows about in the modern day. It would be a whole new type of foe for him to face. Aguilar has skills that are far different from Wick’s. He’s unlike anything that Wick has faced yet, and it would be a whole new style for him to have to adapt to in the heat of battle.
3
The Bride (Uma Thurman)
‘Kill Bill: Volume 1’ (2003)
While John Wick may be one of the most popular modern-day “kill everyone for revenge” flicks, one of the founding ones for the genre is none other than Kill Bill by the legendary Quentin Tarantino. While she’s appeared in a plethora of Tarantino films, this is most definitely Uma Thurman‘s best Tarantino role (and maybe one of her best roles, period). The hellfire she rains down on her ex, Bill (David Carradine), is some of the best in Hollywood.
While John Wick’s signature weapon may be his arsenal of guns, The Bride (Uma Thurman) brandishes an iconic sword that has slashed through dozens upon dozens of men. Her rage and lust for vengeance are the likes of those only seen in Wick himself. These similar traits make them threats to each other unlike any other.
2
Jason Bourne (Matt Damon)
‘Jason Bourne’ (2016)
One of the only assassins in film that has the closest chance to genuinely beating Wick is Jason Bourne (Matt Damon). Known best for the franchise of the same name, Bourne is unlike any other action movie star out there. The iconic quote, “Jesus Christ, that’s Jason Bourne,” was written for a reason. Everything that Bourne has been through and faced is comparable to Wick in numerous ways.
While Wick is typically known for his known and established tactics and weapons, Bourne is phenomenal at improvisation and adapting when he needs to, which makes him a bit more adaptable than the likes of Keanu’s character. Wick also has a good amount of emotional damage and Bourne’s government-trained ability to destabilize someone mentally could bring the Baba Yaga down in a non-physical way, too.
1
Agent 47 (Rupert Friend)
‘Hitman: Agent 47’ (2015)
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Much like Assassin’s Creed, Hitman: Agent 47 is a film based on a popular game franchise featuring one of the greatest hit men of all time. Again, like Assassin’s Creed, while the movie wasn’t necessarily well-praised, it still kept the abundant skill that Agent 47 (David Bateson) holds in the video game. The film Agent 47 (Rupert Friend) is still almost just as skilled as the game iteration.
It’s not a great video game adaption, but it adapts the character of Agent 47 pretty well in regard to showing off everything he can do. He’s a master of disguise, which makes him an enemy of John Wick that would already be incredibly difficult for him to find. It’s very well possible that Agent 47 could get the jump on Wick and end it right then and there. Of all movie assassins, Agent 47 is probably the closest to beating Wick.
