# Derek Kolstad > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Derek_Kolstad > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Derek_Kolstad.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Kolstad > Source revision: 1354351867 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American screenwriter (born 1974) Derek Kolstad Kolstad in 2025 Born (1974-04-04) April 4, 1974 (age 52) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. Occupations Screenwriter film producer Known for Creator of the John Wick franchise Style Action thriller films **Derek Kolstad** (born April 4, 1974) is an American [screenwriter](/source/Screenwriter) and [film producer](/source/Film_producer). He is the creator of the [*John Wick* franchise](/source/John_Wick), which began in 2014. He continued to write for the first two sequels of the franchise and is mainly known as a screenwriter of action films and shows. ## Biography Originally from [Madison, Wisconsin](/source/Madison%2C_Wisconsin), Kolstad attended [Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart](/source/Edgewood_High_School_of_the_Sacred_Heart) and later studied business administration at [Taylor University](/source/Taylor_University) in [Indiana](/source/Indiana). He moved to [California](/source/California) at age 24 to pursue screenwriting. He says he started writing films when he was a teenager, but he struggled to find success in [Hollywood](/source/Cinema_of_the_United_States) at first.[1] ### Career The first script he sold was called *Acolyte*, which was purchased by [Voltage Pictures](/source/Voltage_Pictures) in June 2012. After that, he got some writing and re-writing work, including work on *[One in the Chamber](/source/One_in_the_Chamber)*, starring [Dolph Lundgren](/source/Dolph_Lundgren) and [Cuba Gooding Jr.](/source/Cuba_Gooding_Jr.) He then wrote *[The Package](/source/The_Package_(2013_film))*, which also starred Lundgren. Kolstad sold a script titled *Scorn* to [Thunder Road Pictures](/source/Thunder_Road_Pictures), which signed [Keanu Reeves](/source/Keanu_Reeves) for the lead role in April 2013. At Reeves' suggestion, the film was renamed *[John Wick](/source/John_Wick_(film))* after the [title character](/source/Title_character),[2] whom Kolstad had named after his maternal grandfather.[3] The film was released in 2014 and was followed by *[John Wick: Chapter 2](/source/John_Wick%3A_Chapter_2)* in 2017 and *[John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum](/source/John_Wick%3A_Chapter_3_%E2%80%93_Parabellum)* in 2019.[4] Kolstad wrote the video game *John Wick: Chronicles* and was involved with the creation of a comic book series.[5] However, he was not asked by the studio to continue writing for the [fourth](/source/John_Wick%3A_Chapter_4) or subsequent films.[6] In 2017, it was reported that Kolstad would write a live-action television adaptation of the [*Hitman* franchise](/source/Hitman_(franchise)) as well as an action-thriller titled *The Steward*.[7][8][9] In 2019, it was reported that Kolstad would write and produce a live-action film adaptation of the *[Just Cause](/source/Just_Cause_(video_game_series))* franchise.[10] In 2020, [Netflix](/source/Netflix) announced that Kolstad would be an executive producer and writer on a [*Splinter Cell*](/source/Tom_Clancy's_Splinter_Cell) [anime](/source/Anime) series.[11] In 2021, Kolstad was hired to write the screenplay for a live-action adaptation of *[Hellsing](/source/Hellsing)* for [Amazon Prime Video](/source/Amazon_Prime_Video).[12] Kolstad wrote the screenplay for the 2021 film *[Nobody](/source/Nobody_(2021_film))* starring [Bob Odenkirk](/source/Bob_Odenkirk), and two episodes of the 2021 [Marvel Studios](/source/Marvel_Studios) television series *[The Falcon and the Winter Soldier](/source/The_Falcon_and_the_Winter_Soldier)*. ## Personal life Kolstad lives in [Pasadena, California](/source/Pasadena%2C_California) with his wife Sonja and twin children.[3] ## Filmography Also credited as "characters created" in the [*John Wick* franchise](/source/John_Wick). **Film** Year Title Writer Producer Director 2012 One in the Chamber Yes No William Kaufman 2013 The Package Yes No Jesse V. Johnson 2014 John Wick Yes No Chad Stahelski David Leitch 2017 John Wick: Chapter 2 Yes No Chad Stahelski 2019 John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum Yes No 2021 Nobody Yes Executive Ilya Naishuller 2025 Nobody 2 Yes Executive Timo Tjahjanto 2026 Normal Yes No Ben Wheatley Painter Yes Yes Garrett Warren **Television** Year(s) Title Writer Executive producer Notes 2020 Die Hart Story No Also creator[11] 2021 The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Yes Co-executive Episodes "Power Broker" and "The Whole World Is Watching"[13] 2023 The Continental: From the World of John Wick No Yes 2025–present Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Yes Yes Also creator **Documentary appearance** - *[Wick Is Pain](/source/Wick_Is_Pain)* (2025) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Madison_1-0)** Doug Moe, [Doug Moe: John Wick, hit man](https://host.madison.com/print_only/columnist/doug-moe-john-wick-hit-man/article_f9b87a65-abeb-5baa-b5cd-2812c794d854.html?mobile_touch=true), Madison.com, January 6, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Slash_2-0)** Giroux, Jack (February 10, 2017). ["Interview: 'John Wick: Chapter 2' Screenwriter Derek Kolstad on Expanding the World and Paying Homage to 'Open Range'"](https://www.slashfilm.com/john-wick-chapter-2-screenwriter-derek-kolstad-interview/). *[/Film](/source/%2FFilm)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180615111139/http://www.slashfilm.com/john-wick-chapter-2-screenwriter-derek-kolstad-interview/) from the original on June 15, 2018. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-PasadenaMag_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-PasadenaMag_3-1) Carlson, Julie (April 21, 2020). ["How Pasadena Resident and John Wick Creator Derek Kolstad Achieved "Overnight" Success After 20 Years"](https://pasadenamag.com/feature/how-pasadena-resident-and-john-wick-creator-derek-kolstad-achieved-overnight-success-after-20-years/). *Pasadena Magazine*. No. March/April 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Flicker_4-0)** Gary Collinson, [An interview with Derek Kolstad, screenwriter of John Wick](https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2014/10/interview-derek-kolstad-screenwriter-john-wick/), Flickering Myth, October 24, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Hollywood_5-0)** Kit, Borys (June 1, 2017). ["'John Wick 3' Brings Back Writer Derek Kolstad (Exclusive)"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/john-wick-3-brings-back-writer-derek-kolstad-1009145/). *The Hollywood Reporter*. Retrieved March 27, 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Sharf, Zack (March 23, 2021). ["'John Wick' Creator says Studio Making Next Sequels Without Him: 'It Wasn't My Decision'"](https://www.indiewire.com/2021/03/john-wick-creator-not-involved-sequels-1234625400/). *IndieWire*. Retrieved January 12, 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Dave McNary, [‘John Wick’ Writer Derek Kolstad Sets up ‘The Steward’ With Cristal Pictures](https://variety.com/2017/film/news/derek-kolstad-the-steward-john-wick-1202470314/), Variety, June 19, 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** James White, [Hitman Targets A TV Relaunch With John Wick's Derek Kolstad](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/john-wick/hitman-targets-tv-relaunch-john-wick-derek-kolstad/), Empire, November 13, 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Borys Kit, ['John Wick 3' Brings Back Writer Derek Kolstad](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/john-wick-3-brings-back-writer-derek-kolstad-1009145), Hollywood Reporter, June 1, 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["'John Wick' Writer Derek Kolstad Tackling 'Just Cause' Video Game Adaptation"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/john-wick-writer-derek-kolstad-tackling-just-cause-video-game-adaptation-1212417). *The Hollywood Reporter*. May 21, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-splinter_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-splinter_11-1) ["'Splinter Cell' Anime Series From 'John Wick' Writer Derek Kolstad Set at Netflix (EXCLUSIVE)"](https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/splinter-cell-animated-series-netflix-1234612535/). *[Variety](/source/Variety_(magazine))*. July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Amazon Develops Live-Action Hellsing Film With John Wick Writer"](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-03-04/amazon-develops-live-action-hellsing-film-with-john-wick-writer/.170256). *Anime News Network*. Retrieved April 26, 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Production Brief"](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/the_falcon_and_the_winter_soldier_production_brief_fina_875edcc9.pdf) (PDF). [Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution](/source/Disney_Media_and_Entertainment_Distribution). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210315172004/https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/the_falcon_and_the_winter_soldier_production_brief_fina_875edcc9.pdf) (PDF) from the original on March 15, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021. ## External links - [Derek Kolstad](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4401003/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) v t e John Wick Title character Films John Wick (2014) Chapter 2 (2017) Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) Chapter 4 (2023) Ballerina (2025) Caine (TBA) Television series The Continental (2023) Music John Wick "Killing Strangers" Chapter 2 "A Job to Do" Chapter 3 – Parabellum Chapter 4 Ballerina Video games John Wick Hex (2019) Other media John Wick (comics; 2017–2019) Related "The Last Barfighter" Wick Is Pain (2025) Category Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States France BnF data Spain Poland People Deutsche Biographie Other IdRef Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Derek Kolstad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Kolstad) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Kolstad?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.