John Wick is a pretty niche movie with a revenge story considering the revenge plot over a dead dog, but Aaron Eckhart's action thriller, Muzzle, has a lot in common. John Wick became a huge sensation after the first movie, starring Keanu Reeves, was released in 2014. Since then, it has been a huge part in reviving Reeves' career as a prominent action star, as well as launching a successful franchise. It now includes four central films following the titular hero, a spin-off TV show about The Continental, and planned spin-offs set within the same world.

But, with Wick now laid to rest, potentially for the last time, it's worth looking at other movies that have similar themes. Most action thrillers don't focus on dogs, or a revenge picture that is incited by a dog's death, but Aaron Eckhart starred in just such a film that had its initial release in 2023, around the same time as John Wick's potential final appearance in John Wick: Chapter 4. For those missing the Wick franchise, Muzzle could be the perfect follow-up.

Aaron Eckhart's Muzzle Movie Has A Lot In Common With John Wick

The Relationship Between A Dog And Their Owner

John Wick stars a middle-aged hero who is an extraordinarily skilled assassin in a world full of assassins. However, after a lengthy career, Wick decides to withdraw from his old job, and chooses to make a new life, living peacefully with his new dog. However, he is unable to escape his past for long, when a group of naive thugs break into his home and kill his dog. This singular incident causes Wick to return to his former life, at least in order to get revenge on the killers.

Muzzle has a lot of similar elements in the story. A middle-aged man who has spent years working in law enforcement as a K-9 officer ends up losing his canine companion in a shootout with some violent criminals. This causes him great distress, and he is desperate to find the killers, but his department puts him on the bench. However, Jake Rosser (Eckhart) is unwilling to sit on the sidelines, and he opts to adopt another, more aggressive canine companion to set out on a mission to find the killers and uncover a seedy criminal underworld in the process.

Muzzle Is Continuing An Interesting Career Trend For Aaron Eckhart

Aaron Eckhart's New Specialty Focus

Aaron Eckhart has enjoyed a long career in Hollywood, with his earliest credits dating back to 1992. His breakout role then came in 1997, when he starred in In the Company of Men, and he has continued to enjoy significant roles in popular films ever since. One of his most notable roles came in 2008, when he played the dual role of Harvey Dent and Two-Face in the Christopher Nolan film, The Dark Knight.

However, this could have marked an interesting turn in his career, as Eckhart was able to deliver an outstanding performance in an action-packed role. And, in the years following, it appears as though Eckhart has taken a special interest in action thrillers, as the star has appeared in nearly a dozen action thrillers since 2019. Muzzle stands out as the most similar to John Wick, but Ekhart is clearly prioritizing action roles at this stage in his career, and delivering some excellent new projects.