John W. Creasy from Man on Fire is not based on a true story, and the character is not a real person. However, the character of John and the entire story is from the novel of the same name written by English novelist Philip Nicholson, whose pen name is A. J. Quinnell.Â
The 2004 movie, which had Denzel Washington playing the role of John W. Creasy, a former CIA operative, is drawn on the aforementioned book, which was written and published in 1980. The portrayal of Creasy by Washington remains one of the most talked about aspects of the thriller movie, bringing up the question of whether he is only a fictional character or whether there was a point in the past when John W Creasy existed.
Is John W Creasy’s Man on Fire Based on a True Story?
No, John W. Creasy is not a real individual based on true life events. Rather, he is only a fictional character who was created by A. J. Quinnell as one of the main characters of his 1980 novel Man on Fire.
While he is not a real human, he is one of the most-known characters in Philip Nicholson’s books, having appeared in four more books. It is probably because of the popularity of the character in Man on Fire that he was reintroduced by Quinnell 12 years later. The next book that featured Creasy is The Perfect Kill, which was published in 1992, and then a year later, in 1993, he was brought back for The Blue Ring.
John W. Creasy found his way to Africa with A.J. Quinnell’s next book, Black Horn, which was published in 1994, and then for the last time in Message from Hell, which A.J. published in 1996.
He could have made yet another return in the writings of Philip Nicholson under the name of A.J. Quinnell, but that was not to be, as the Creasy series ended in 2005 with the death of Nicholson. However, it is known that the American author was working on another Creasy book at his death.
The Novel is Not Based on Real Life Events
The novel that led to the 2004 film is not based on actual events, although there were some things in the past that became the inspiration for the work.
The Novel, just like the film, details the story of John W. Creasy, a retired CIA SAD/SOG officer who gets hired by Ettore Balletto at the request of his wife to protect their daughter, Pita Balletto. Creasy was a suicidal alcoholic when he was brought in to care for the girl, but they soon became close, and she gave him the reason to live again and give him another shot at life.
Creasy put so much effort into protecting Pita Balletto, but she ended up being kidnapped by the mafia while he was left wounded and in hospital. His world soon got shattered after he found out that she was killed. This pushed Creasy to go out on a revenge mission to eliminate everyone who was involved in the killing of Pita.
Events of Man On Fire Had Real-Life Inspiration
As stated, there are a couple of incidents in the past that inspired the events of the book as well as the film.
The first real-life event that inspired the work was the kidnapping of the son of a rich Singaporean by the Triads. Although the names of the individuals involved and some more details were not provided, all that is known is that following the kidnapping, the father of the child refused to pay a ransom because he felt refusing to pay would mean none of his children would be kidnapped again. However, this was not without its consequences as it led to the death of the kidnapped child.
The second event that became an inspiration for the work was the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III in 1973. Initially, his wealthy grandfather, J. Paul Getty, was not willing to make any payment after the kidnappers requested $17 million in ransom. However, after the severed ears of his kid were sent to him, he finally came back to negotiate the payment of $2.2 million.
How John W. Creasy Died in Man On Fire
John W. Creasy died in Man on Fire after he sustained several gunshot wounds. This was the price he had to pay on his mission to avenge the death of Pita. He made it to the house of The Voice, the leader of the kidnapping team, and made an attempt to take his wife and brother prisoners.
It was at this point that Creasy got shot in the chest. Nonetheless, he still managed to take them away. In exchange for them, The Voice, whose real name he uncovered to be Daniel Sanchez, informed him that the little girl was alive, and he willingly traded her for his family members.
Sadly, after doing this, Creasy succumbed to his injuries and died. However, it was soon uncovered that he only faked his own death and returned to his newfound love, Nadia. Before then, he was able to uncover that the person behind the girl’s kidnapping was her father, who was eyeing insurance money.
FAQsÂ
Is John W. Creasy Real?
No, John W. Creasy’s character is not based on a real-life person but rather a fictitious character that was portrayed by Denzel Washington in the 2004 thriller film.
Is Man on Fire a True Story?
Man on Fire is not based on a true story, but there were some events in the past that served as inspiration for the book and movie.
Who is the real-life John W. Creasy?
There is no John W. Creasy in real life, although the person who played him is Denzel Washington.
What Happened To John Creasy?
It was thought that Creasy died from his gunshot wound after avenging the death of Pita.
What Led To John Creasy’s Death?
John Creasy’s death was a result of injuries he sustained after avenging the death of Pita, but it soon became known that he, in fact, faked his death.
How Old Were Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning on Man on Fire?
While Denzel Washington was 50 years old, Dakota Fanning, who appeared as Guadalupe “Lupita” (Pita) Ramos in the film, was only 9 years old.
Is Man on Fire Available on Netflix or Amazon Prime
While Man on Fire is available on Amazon Prime and several other online platforms for streaming, renting, and buying, it is not available on Netflix in the United States at the moment, but it is accessed on the streaming platform in other countries.
Summary and Key Takeaways
In summary, the book on which the movie was based is not drawn from real-life events, even though it was inspired by some things that happened in real life. More so, the character of John W Creasy is purely fictional. Although it was first believed that he died, it was later realized that he only faked his death.
