"John Wick Anime Prequel: Keanu Reeves Voices Character in Story of Impossible Task"

The John Wick franchise is expanding its universe with an exciting new addition: an anime prequel film set to explore the legendary 'Impossible Task' of John Wick. Announced at CinemaCon, this animated venture will see Keanu Reeves reprising his role as the iconic assassin, alongside his confirmed return for the live-action John Wick 5.

The anime prequel will delve into the backstory of John Wick, focusing on the pivotal 'Impossible Task' mentioned in the films. This task, which involves Wick eliminating all his rivals in a single night, is crucial to his quest for freedom from the High Table and reuniting with his beloved Helen.

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 project is being produced by the core John Wick team, including Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, 87Eleven Entertainment's Chad Stahelski, and Keanu Reeves. Alex Young and Jason Spitz from 87Eleven will serve as executive producers.

Directing this ambitious project is animation veteran Shannon Tindle, 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 is penned by Vanessa Taylor, who has credits including Game of Thrones, Divergent, and the Oscar-nominated The Shape of Water.

Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, expressed enthusiasm about the project, 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.”

The John Wick franchise is not slowing down, with the fourth film already released, John Wick 5 on the horizon, and two spinoff films in development: Ballerina, set for release on June 6, and a yet-to-be-titled film directed by and starring Donnie Yen as his character Caine, scheduled to begin production this summer.

Additionally, Lionsgate Television has brought The Continental: From the World of John Wick to Peacock and Amazon Prime, and is developing another series, John Wick: Under the High Table, with Stahelski and Reeves as executive producers. Beyond the screen, Lionsgate has launched an immersive John Wick experience in Las Vegas and is working on a John Wick AAA video game.

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