"Keanu Reeves Voices John Wick in New Anime Prequel Film"

The much-anticipated John Wick anime prequel film has finally unveiled its setting, announced at CinemaCon. Keanu Reeves will reprise his iconic role, lending his voice to the character, in addition to his confirmed return for the live-action John Wick 5.

This animated prequel delves into the lore of John Wick's legendary 'Impossible Task,' a pivotal event that shapes the mythos and fear surrounding his character within the John Wick universe. Here's the official synopsis:

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 will be brought to life by the John Wick producing team, including Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, 87Eleven Entertainment's Chad Stahelski, and Keanu Reeves himself. Executive producers will be 87Eleven Entertainment's Alex Young and Jason Spitz.

Directing the project is Shannon Tindle, an acclaimed figure in animation known for his work on the Annie-nominated Netflix film Ultraman: Rising, the double Oscar-nominated Kubo and the Two Strings, and the Emmy-winning series Lost Ollie. The screenplay will be penned by Vanessa Taylor, renowned for her contributions to Game of Thrones, Divergent, and her Oscar-nominated work on The Shape of Water.

Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, expressed enthusiasm about the project: “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

13 Images

The John Wick franchise is expanding rapidly. Alongside the four mainline films and the upcoming John Wick 5, the universe encompasses two spinoff films: Ballerina, set for release on June 6, and another featuring Donnie Yen reprising his role as Caine, scheduled to start production this summer.

Lionsgate Television has also ventured into the John Wick universe with The Continental: From the World of John Wick for Peacock and Amazon Prime, and they are developing John Wick: Under the High Table, with Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves as executive producers.

Beyond the screen, Lionsgate has introduced an immersive John Wick experience in Las Vegas and is working on a John Wick AAA video game, further expanding the reach and appeal of this billion-dollar franchise.