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

The highly anticipated John Wick anime prequel film has officially confirmed its setting, promising to delve into the legendary 'Impossible Task' that has been a cornerstone of John Wick's mythos. Announced at CinemaCon, the animated feature will feature Keanu Reeves reprising his role as John Wick, adding to his already confirmed return for John Wick 5 in live-action.

The story of the anime prequel will take fans back in time, exploring John Wick's journey as he undertakes the Impossible Task. This task involves eliminating all his rivals in a single night to free himself from his obligations to the High Table and to be with his love, Helen. The narrative aims to enrich the understanding of John Wick's character and the dread that surrounds his legend.

The official synopsis states:

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 produced by the seasoned John Wick team, including Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, 87Eleven Entertainment's Chad Stahelski, and Keanu Reeves. Executive production will be handled by 87Eleven Entertainment's Alex Young and Jason Spitz.

Directing the project is Shannon Tindle, an acclaimed animator known for his work on the Netflix film Ultraman: Rising, the 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 the Oscar-winning film 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 also shared his excitement: "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 continues to expand beyond the anime prequel, with a fifth installment already announced and two spinoff films on the horizon: Ballerina, set for release on June 6, and a yet-to-be-titled film directed by and starring Donnie Yen as his character Caine, slated to begin production this summer. Additionally, Lionsgate Television has produced The Continental: From the World of John Wick for Peacock and Amazon Prime, and is developing 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 developing a John Wick AAA video game, further expanding the universe of this billion-dollar franchise.

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