John Wick typically wears a suit and tie in the John Wick franchise, due to both being a core part of his identity. Keanu Reeves first portrayed the legendary assassin in 2014's John Wick, in which the formerly retired assassin embarks on a revenge mission after his dog is killed and his car is stolen. The John Wick movies have since blossomed into a huge action movie franchise, with Reeves returning for John Wick: Chapter 4 and spin-off titles like The Continental series and Ballerina being produced (with Reeves also appearing in the latter).
While the stereotypical image of an assassin tends to be one of either incognito disguise or of a heavily armored figure bearing an arsenal of weapons, John Wick's attire is much more chic and formal with his suit and tie. While John is occasionally seen in more casual wear, he is in a suit and tie virtually any time he is on a mission in the John Wick movies. Throughout the franchise's story, the John Wick movies make the importance of his suit and tie clear on multiple levels.
John's Suit & Tie Are Part Of His Assassin Identity
In the first John Wick, John was already mourning the passing of his wife, having tried to build a new life for himself with her away from his past as an assassin. After Daisy, the dog she left behind for him, is killed, John Wick is not instantly the Baba Yaga again. Instead, John literally has to unearth his old self in order to return as an assassin, digging his arsenal and other assassin items from under his house's foundation.
John finally dons a suit and tie again while pursuing his enemies, and this completes his transition back to his old self. For John, seeking revenge is not a matter of simply picking up his guns again. He was trying to leave that life behind, and can only return to it by fully immersing himself in his Baba Yaga identity once more. John's suit and tie enable him to do that, while also serving a dual purpose.
John Sends A Signal To His Enemies In A Suit & Tie
Clad in his suit and tie, John Wick always means business, and this also sends a message to his enemies. When he is dressed in his casual street clothes, John Wick has laid down his arms. In that state, John Wick leaping into martial arts fights or gun battles are the furthest things from his mind.
Once he has put on his suit and tie, John is headed into battle, and he expressly intends for people to know it. To his enemies, John Wick's suit and tie are a signal that he is fully in assassin mode and are a "professional courtesy," as John might say, to prepare for his attack. To everyone else, John's suit and tie are a sign to stay out of his way, as he battles his adversaries in the John Wick franchise.
