John Wick Anime Prequel Casts Keanu Reeves

The setting for the animated John Wick prequel film has now been officially confirmed.

As revealed at CinemaCon, the upcoming anime will feature Keanu Reeves reprising his iconic role through voice acting. This exciting news comes alongside the actor's commitment to return for the live-action John Wick 5.

Set before the events of the first film, the animated prequel will explore the legendary 'Impossible Task,' a key event referenced throughout the movies that helped establish John Wick's formidable reputation.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Travel back in time with this animated feature to witness John Wick's early days. The story centers on the Impossible Task — his mission to eliminate all his rivals in a single night. Success would grant him freedom from the High Table and the chance to be with his beloved Helen.

Staying true to the live-action movies, the animated film will feature the signature, highly stylized action sequences that fans adore, and it is being developed for a mature audience.

The film is being produced by the core John Wick team: Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee from Thunder Road, Chad Stahelski from 87Eleven Entertainment, and Keanu Reeves. Executive producers include Alex Young and Jason Spitz, also from 87Eleven Entertainment.

Directing the project is Shannon Tindle, an accomplished animation veteran who co-wrote and directed the Annie Award-nominated Netflix film Ultraman: Rising. Tindle's distinguished career includes creating the Oscar-nominated Kubo and the Two Strings and serving as executive producer and showrunner for the Emmy-winning series Lost Ollie. The screenplay is being written by Vanessa Taylor, known for her work as a writer and co-executive producer on Game of Thrones, her writing on Divergent, and her Oscar-nominated contribution to the Best Picture winner The Shape of Water, which she co-wrote with Guillermo del Toro.

Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, stated: "Animation offers limitless creative possibilities, much like the world of John Wick. The Impossible Task is the story fans are most eager to see. Shannon's vision for this narrative is exceptional, and we are thrilled to explore John Wick's story through the medium of animation."

Stahelski added: "Anime has been a major inspiration for me and the John Wick series from the beginning. Creating a John Wick anime feels like the natural next step for this universe. The anime format is perfect for this property, offering incredible potential to expand our world, deepen our characters, and push the action in ways we previously could only imagine."

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The billion-dollar John Wick franchise is experiencing unprecedented growth. Beyond the four existing main films and the newly announced John Wick 5, the expanding universe includes two spinoff films: Ballerina, scheduled for release on June 6, and another spinoff directed by and starring Donnie Yen, reprising his role as Caine, which is set to begin production this summer.

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

The franchise's expansion continues beyond screens. Lionsgate recently launched an immersive John Wick experience in Las Vegas and is currently developing a AAA video game set in the John Wick universe.