Words That Pack a Punch: Dynamic Subtitles and Virtual Multilingualism in <i>John Wick</i>

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the role of “dynamic subtitles” in the American action film series John Wick (2014–2025). These subtitles, which vary in color, size, and position, draw attention to themselves as fully integrated aspects of the visual spectacle of the film series. This visibility indicates a purposefulness which verifies the subtitles' denotative and connotative translations. From this, the John Wick film series' application of such dynamic subtitles to a wide range of different languages spoken and understood by its central protagonist gives the viewer of this film series a virtual experience of a spectacular, but deceptive, multilingualism.