The eagerly anticipated John Wick anime prequel film now has a confirmed setting, thrilling fans with the news shared during CinemaCon. Keanu Reeves will reprise his iconic role, lending his voice to the character in this animated venture. This announcement comes alongside the confirmation of Reeves returning to the role in live-action for the highly anticipated John Wick 5.
The animated prequel will delve into the backstory of John Wick, focusing on the legendary 'Impossible Task.' This event, often referenced in the main films, plays a crucial role in establishing the mythos and the aura of dread surrounding Wick's character. Here's the official description:
The animated film will go back in time to tell the story of John Wick before the first film, as he completes the Impossible Task — the killing of all of his rivals in one night — in order to free himself from his obligation to the High Table and earn the right to be with the love of his life, Helen.
Like the live-action feature films, the animated movie will deliver the highly stylized and defined action that John Wick fans expect and will be aimed at more mature audiences.
The film is being produced by the seasoned John Wick production team, including Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, 87Eleven Entertainment's Chad Stahelski, and Keanu Reeves. Executive producers include 87Eleven Entertainment's Alex Young and Jason Spitz.
Directing the animated feature is Shannon Tindle, an animation industry veteran known for co-writing and directing the Annie-nominated Netflix film Ultraman: Rising. Tindle also created the double Oscar-nominated Kubo and the Two Strings and served as the executive producer/showrunner on the Emmy-winning series Lost Ollie. The screenplay is penned by Vanessa Taylor, renowned for her work on Game of Thrones, Divergent, and as an Oscar nominee for her contributions to the Best Picture winner The Shape of Water.
Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, expressed his excitement, stating, "In both animation and the world of John Wick, the possibilities are endless. And there is no John Wick story fans are clamoring for more than the Impossible Task. Shannon’s take on that story is an incredible one, and we are beyond excited to see what John Wick can do in animation."
Chad Stahelski added, "I’ve always been fascinated with anime. It has always been a huge influence on me, especially with the John Wick series. To have the opportunity to develop a John Wick anime seems to be the perfect progression for the John Wick world. I feel John Wick is the perfect property for this medium — anime holds the potential to expand our world, our characters, and our action in ways unimaginable before."
John Wick 4: The Cast of the Action Sequel
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It's an incredibly busy time for the billion-dollar John Wick franchise. Alongside the four mainline films and the upcoming John Wick 5, the John Wick Universe is expanding with two spinoff films: Ballerina, set for release on June 6, and a spinoff directed by and starring Donnie Yen, reprising his Caine character, which will begin production this summer.
Lionsgate Television has also produced The Continental: From the World of John Wick for Peacock and Amazon Prime, and has confirmed the development of the series John Wick: Under the High Table, with Stahelski and Reeves serving as executive producers.
Beyond the screen, Lionsgate has recently launched an immersive John Wick experience in Las Vegas and is developing a AAA John Wick video game, further expanding the franchise's reach.
