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Keanu Reeves Set to Return as John Wick in Animated Prequel Movie
Developing story first seen 3 hours ago
Keanu Reeves has closed a deal to voice John Wick in Lionsgate’s animated prequel, confirming his return to the franchise. The film will tell the story of Wick’s “Impossible Task”, the night he kills his rivals to escape his obligation to the High Table and be with Helen.
Shannon Tindle will direct from a script by Ryan and Kaz Firpo. Producers include Reeves, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee and Chad Stahelski, with Point Grey also involved. The franchise has earned more than $1 billion globally across five films, including the “Ballerina” spin-off; a fifth live-action film and a separate story about assassin Caine are also in development.
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In short
- Reeves will return as John Wick in an animated prequel.
- The story centres on the hitman’s Impossible Task.
- The franchise has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.
How this story developed
- 35 minutes ago Keanu Reeves has agreed to return as John Wick in a Lionsgate animated prequel, which will tell the story of the hitman’s “Impossible Task”.
- 48 minutes ago Keanu Reeves has closed a deal to voice John Wick in Lionsgate’s animated prequel, confirming his return to the franchise.
Full account
Keanu Reeves is set to return as John Wick in an animated prequel from Lionsgate. The film will tell the story of the assassin before the events of the first live-action film, as he undertakes the Impossible Task: killing all his rivals in a single night to end his obligation to the High Table and secure a future with Helen, the woman he loves.
Shannon Tindle, whose work includes Ultraman: Rising and Kubo and the Two Strings, is directing. Ryan and Kaz Firpo are writing the screenplay. The producing team includes Thunder Road’s Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, 87Eleven Entertainment’s Chad Stahelski and Reeves, with Point Grey also joining the project. Lionsgate has not announced which animation studio will make the film.
The project was announced in 2025. At the time, Lionsgate motion picture chair Adam Fogelson said the Impossible Task was a story audiences particularly wanted to see, and praised Tindle’s approach. The animated film adds to a franchise that, according to the reports, has earned more than $1 billion worldwide across five films, counting the Ana de Armas-led spin-off Ballerina.
The reports place the prequel within a broader expansion of the series. A fifth live-action film is in development, as is a standalone story centred on Donnie Yen’s character, Caine. One report also notes a John Wick video game from Saber Interactive, planned for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, with no release date specified. The animated prequel’s own release date has not been given.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The first report foregrounds Reeves having completed a deal to reprise the role and gives the franchise’s reported box-office total. The second describes his return more generally and adds that the animation studio has not been named.
The second report gives more attention to the status of John Wick 5, including comments about its development, and mentions the planned video game. The first instead briefly notes the Caine spin-off and the franchise’s continuing expansion.
The reports describe Tindle’s credentials differently: the first calls him an animation veteran, while the second identifies him as an Emmy Award-winning director, writer and producer.