Reeves Set for ‘John Wick 5’ as Franchise Expands; Animated Prequel; Spinoff

Keanu Reeves is returning for John Wick 5 as the hitman, Lionsgate announced at CinemaCom.

The action franchise is expanding with an animated prequel film as well as a Caine-centric standalone adventure from director-star Donnie Yen. These projects are complementary to the Ana de Armas-led Ballerina, which opens on June 6.

De Armas stopped by the annual convention for movie theater owners, which is currently unfolding in Las Vegas, to showcase an extended look at “Ballerina.” In the action-packed sequence, her character Eve Macarro, a ballerina who is training to become an assassin, kicks ass as she faces off against several adversaries in an abandoned bar — shooting one baddie in the face and smashing several plates against another adversary.

Though she performed extensive physical feats in 2021’s “James Bond” sequel “No Time to Die,” de Armas said her training for “Ballerina” was unlike anything she’s endured in the past. She prepared for roughly four months, working out in the gym and visiting a shooting range (with real weapons) in addition to spending hours with the stunt team.

“For ‘Bond,’ I only had 3 weeks of training. ‘Ballerina’ was a whole other level,” de Armas said from the Colosseum stage at Caesar’s Palace. “This is by far the most physical and challenging thing I’ve ever done.”

Reeves will appear in Ballerina before he returns to the screen for John Wick 5.

The project reunites him with franchise director and producer Chad Stahelski and Thunder Road producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee. Plot details, additional cast members and a production timeline haven’t been revealed.

The fifth chapter continues a series that began with 2014’s “John Wick,” which earned $86.1 million globally but became a sleeper hit on home entertainment. Each film improved upon the last in terms of box office grosses: 2017’s “John Wick: Chapter 2” ended its run with $174.3 million, 2019’s “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” climbed to $328.3 million, while 2023’s “John Wick: Chapter 4” became the highest-grossing with $440 million.

“Keanu, Chad, Basil and Erica would not return unless they had something truly phenomenal and fresh to say with these characters and this world,” Fogelson said. Iwanyk and Lee added, “It’s so important to get this story right and give John’s story the proper next step. It’s exciting to take the first step on that road.”

In a standalone feature, Yen, the influential martial arts legend, will reprise his role as the blind assassin Caine from “John Wick: Chapter 4.” Yen will also direct and executive produce the untitled film, which begins production in Hong Kong later this year.

Mattson Tomlin, writer of the upcoming “The Batman Part II” and adaptation of the Reeves-created comic book “BRZRKR,” has joined to write the project. A previous draft of the screenplay was written by Robert Askins. Iwanyk, Lee and Stahelski will also produce this spinoff.

Though the logline is being kept under wraps, the film will continue Yen’s story arc following the events of “John Wick: Chapter 4” as Caine has been freed from his obligations to the High Table. Lionsgate described the new film as “stylistically modeled on the uniquely designed action films that Yen helped make famous.” Yen, known the Hong Kong star known for such blockbusters as “Star Wars: Rogue One” and “xXx: Return of Xander Cage,” has helped introduce mixed martial arts to mainstream cinema with films like “Flashpoint” and the “IP Man” franchise.

“From the moment Chad and Donnie pitched the idea of a Donnie Yen-style action film in the mode of John Wick, I was all in,” Fogelson said. “Donnie is not only an incredible, charismatic star, but a smart, cinematic director who knows how to deliver massively entertaining action for a global audience. We’re thrilled that he’s in the director’s chair to tell Caine’s story.”

Yen added, “The ‘John Wick’ films have set an immensely high standard for action filmmaking and I greatly appreciate Lionsgate giving me the opportunity to further elevate the franchise. I am both thrilled and deeply inspired to make this happen.”

Stahelski described the film as a “modern day kung-fu classic that explores the John Wick world.”

“One of my favorite characters in the ‘John Wick’ world is Caine. To have the chance to dive into his world and discover all his adventures excites us all,” Stahelski said. “And who better to helm it than Donnie Yen himself. His understanding of the culture, the world, and, of course, the action, make him the perfect director for this project.”

As far as the animated prequel film, Reeves will lend his voice to his signature character. The story, aimed at “more mature audiences,” the studio warns, will travel back in time before the first film. It recounts the origins of Wick he completes the Impossible Task — the killing of all of his rivals in one night — to free himself from his obligation to the High Table and earn the right to be with the love of his life, Helen. (Unfortunately, we all know how that turned out.)

Shannon Tindle, an animation veteran who most recently co-wrote and directed Netflix’s “Ultraman: Rising,” is directing. Vanessa Taylor, a writer and producer known for “Game of Thrones,” Divergent” and Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” is penning the screenplay.

“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,” Fogelson said. “Shannon’s take on that story is an incredible one, and we are beyond excited to see what John Wick can do in animation.”

John Wick: Keanu Reeves Franchise Empire

Reeves Set for ‘John Wick 5’ as Franchise Expands; Animated Prequel; Spinoff

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