Keanu Reeves Voices John Wick in Anime Prequel Film

Exciting news for John Wick fans: the highly anticipated anime prequel film has finally secured its setting. Revealed at CinemaCon, this animated venture will feature Keanu Reeves reprising his iconic role as John Wick, lending his voice to the character. This announcement comes alongside the confirmation of Reeves' return to the live-action format in the eagerly awaited John Wick 5.

The animated prequel will delve into the lore of John Wick's legendary 'Impossible Task,' a pivotal event frequently alluded to in the franchise that significantly contributes to the mystique and fear surrounding Wick. 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 core John Wick production team, including Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, 87Eleven Entertainment's Chad Stahelski, and Keanu Reeves. Additionally, 87Eleven Entertainment's Alex Young and Jason Spitz will serve as executive producers.

The director's chair will be filled by Shannon Tindle, a seasoned animation expert who recently co-wrote and directed the Annie-nominated Netflix film Ultraman: Rising. Tindle's impressive resume also includes creating the double Oscar-nominated Kubo and the Two Strings and serving as the executive producer and showrunner for the Emmy-winning series Lost Ollie. The screenplay will be penned by Vanessa Taylor, known for her work on Game of Thrones, Divergent, and her Oscar-nominated collaboration with Guillermo del Toro on The Shape of Water.

Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, expressed his enthusiasm: “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 experiencing a surge in activity. In addition to the four mainline films already released and the forthcoming John Wick 5, the John Wick Universe is expanding with two spinoff films: Ballerina, slated for release on June 6, and a project directed by and starring Donnie Yen, reprising his role as Caine, set to commence production this summer.

Lionsgate Television has also produced The Continental: From the World of John Wick for Peacock and Amazon Prime, and the studio has confirmed the development of the series John Wick: Under the High Table, with Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves serving as executive producers.

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