{"id":2241779,"date":"2026-11-06T07:52:30","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T04:52:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2241779"},"modified":"2026-11-06T07:52:30","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T04:52:30","slug":"keanu-reeves-is-back-as-john-wick-for-the-animated-prequel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2241779","title":{"rendered":"Keanu Reeves Is Back as John Wick for the Animated Prequel"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-tw.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-post-body col\">\n<div class=\"row post-body\">\n<aside class=\"post-body-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-google-preferred d-none d-lg-block\"><span class=\"text\">Prefer Hypebeast on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n                                                                                                            Entertainment\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time class=\"timeago\" datetime=\"2026-11-06T07:52:30Z\">8 Hrs ago<\/time><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             288<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Hypes<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\" data-post-id=\"6812488\"><span class=\"comment-count-value\">0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-credentials d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Source<\/h6>\n<p><span>Variety<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Editor Assistant<\/h6>\n<p><span>Mai Vo<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><br \/>\n                                                        Entertainment<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time class=\"timeago\" datetime=\"2026-11-06T07:52:30Z\">8 Hrs ago<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             288<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Hypes<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\" data-post-id=\"6812488\"><span class=\"comment-count-value\">0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-google-preferred\"><span class=\"text\">Prefer Hypebeast on Google<\/span><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-gallery-container small inner-media\">\n<div class=\"gallery-container post-gallery-contain\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Keanu Reeves Is Back as John Wick for the Animated Prequel\">\n<div class=\"hb-gallery before-booted full-screen-enabled only-one-cell\" data-images=\"[{&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_caption&quot;:null,&quot;small&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=480&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;medium&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=720&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;large&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;xlarge&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;full&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;},&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/11\/06\/Keanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Keanu Reeves Returning John Wick Animated Prequel Film&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1400,&quot;height&quot;:933,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Lionsgate&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;creditKey&quot;:&quot;general&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;annotations&quot;:null,&quot;shop&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;&quot;}}]\" role=\"list\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell landscape\" data-gallery-index=\"1\" role=\"listitem\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-inner-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-image-wrapper annotation-container fixed-ratio-3-2\">\n                                                                                                        <source srcset=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?q=90&amp;w=1400&amp;cbr=1&amp;fit=max\" media=\"(min-width: 1260px)\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-meta-container credit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"credit \">Lionsgate<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<section class=\"post-summary\" aria-labelledby=\"post-summary-heading\">\n<header class=\"post-summary__header\">\n<h2 id=\"post-summary-heading\" class=\"post-summary__title\">Summary<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"post-summary__body\">\n<p>Keanu Reeves has closed a deal to reprise John Wick in Lionsgate\u2019s animated prequel film<\/p>\n<p>The story follows Wick through the Impossible Task, the single night of bloodshed that buys his freedom from the High Table<\/p>\n<p>The prequel joins a growing slate that includes a fifth live-action &#8216;John Wick&#8217; and a Caine spinoff starring Donnie Yen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Keanu Reeves has signed on to lead Lionsgate\u2019s animated <em>John Wick<\/em> prequel, returning to the role that rebuilt his action career for a story set before the events of the original film. The project digs into the franchise\u2019s most mythologized chapter, giving fans a first full look at how the Baba Yaga earned his exit from the criminal underworld.<\/p>\n<p>The plot centers on the Impossible Task, the feat that turned Wick into a legend among assassins. To break his obligation to the High Table and build a life with Helen, the woman he loves, Wick must wipe out every one of his rivals over the course of one night. Longtime fans will recognize the setup from the 2014 original, where crime boss Viggo Tarasov recounts the story as a warning about the man his son has crossed.<\/p>\n<p>Behind the camera, the film pairs a seasoned animation director with the team that built the series. Shannon Tindle, whose credits include Netflix\u2019s <em>Ultraman: Rising and Kubo and the Two Strings<\/em>, will direct from a screenplay by brothers Ryan and Kaz Firpo. Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee of Thunder Road and Chad Stahelski of 87Eleven Entertainment return as producers alongside Reeves, with Point Grey also joining the production. Stahelski\u2019s involvement carries particular weight, as he directed all four mainline John Wick films.\n<\/p>\n<p>Lionsgate has been bullish on the format since the project was first unveiled. \u201cIn both animation and the world of \u2018John Wick,\u2019 the possibilities are endless. And there is no \u2018John Wick\u2019 story fans are clamoring for more than the \u2018Impossible Task,\u2019\u201d Lionsgate motion picture chair Adam Fogelson said in 2025 when the film was announced.\n<\/p>\n<p>That confidence is backed by numbers. Across five films, including the Ana de Armas-fronted spinoff Ballerina, the franchise has pulled in more than $1 billion USD at the worldwide box office. Lionsgate is now widening the universe on several fronts, with a fifth live-action <em>John Wick<\/em> in development and a standalone feature built around Caine, the blind assassin Donnie Yen introduced in <em>John Wick: Chapter 4.<\/em> The animated prequel slots in as the franchise\u2019s first move beyond live action, a fresh medium for a series that has always treated choreography as its core language.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6809022\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>&#8216;Dune&#8217; Films Returning to IMAX Theaters With Exclusive &#8216;Dune: Part Three&#8217; Sneak Peek\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6810710\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>\u2018Blue Eye Samurai\u2019 Season 2 Sets January 2027 Release\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6810584\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie Reunite for Netflix Revenge Feature &#8216;Dogfight&#8217;\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-credentials d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Source<\/h6>\n<p><span>Variety<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Editor Assistant<\/h6>\n<p><span>Mai Vo<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>                                    Keanu Reeves<br \/>\n                                                John Wick<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"post__body__author_info footer-block\">\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F05%2Fsophie-300.jpg?w=100&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt=\"Sophie Caraan\" class=\"post__body__author_info__avatar\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__body\">\n<p>                    Sophie Caraan<\/p>\n<p>                                    <span class=\"post__body__author_info__title\">Managing Editor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__bio_wrapper\">\n<p class=\"post__body__author_info__bio\">Sophie Caraan is the Managing Editor at Hypebeast, where she sets the editorial direction, standards, and output strategy for the HQ team. With a decade of editorial experience, she brings both a storyteller&#8217;s instinct and a strategist&#8217;s eye \u2014 spotlighting the figures and movements that shape the culture across a multitude of lanes. Her tenure is marked by high-impact conversations with the likes of RZA, Mads Mikkelsen, CORTIS, Erling Haaland, Kasing Lung, NIGO, and more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"post-footer\" class=\"post-footer row\">\n<div class=\"col-shopping-break\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-comments\">\n<div id=\"comments\" class=\"post-comments none \">\n<header>\n<div class=\"heading\"><span class=\"comment-heading-count\"><span class=\"comment-count\">0<\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/span><span class=\"comment-heading-empty\">Be the first to comment<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"comment-dropdown-tooltip\">\n<ul>\n<li>\n<li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row post-body\">\n<aside class=\"post-body-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-google-preferred d-none d-lg-block\"><span class=\"text\">Prefer Hypebeast on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n                                                                                                            Entertainment\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time class=\"timeago\" datetime=\"2026-11-06T07:52:30Z\">8 Hrs ago<\/time><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             288<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Hypes<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\" data-post-id=\"6812488\"><span class=\"comment-count-value\">0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-credentials d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Source<\/h6>\n<p><span>Variety<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Editor Assistant<\/h6>\n<p><span>Mai Vo<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><br \/>\n                                                        Entertainment<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time class=\"timeago\" datetime=\"2026-11-06T07:52:30Z\">8 Hrs ago<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             288<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Hypes<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\" data-post-id=\"6812488\"><span class=\"comment-count-value\">0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-google-preferred\"><span class=\"text\">Prefer Hypebeast on Google<\/span><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-gallery-container small inner-media\">\n<div class=\"gallery-container post-gallery-contain\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Keanu Reeves Is Back as John Wick for the Animated Prequel\">\n<div class=\"hb-gallery before-booted full-screen-enabled only-one-cell\" data-images=\"[{&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_caption&quot;:null,&quot;small&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=480&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;medium&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=720&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;large&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;xlarge&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;full&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;},&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/11\/06\/Keanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Keanu Reeves Returning John Wick Animated Prequel Film&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1400,&quot;height&quot;:933,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Lionsgate&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;creditKey&quot;:&quot;general&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;annotations&quot;:null,&quot;shop&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;&quot;}}]\" role=\"list\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell landscape\" data-gallery-index=\"1\" role=\"listitem\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-inner-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-image-wrapper annotation-container fixed-ratio-3-2\">\n                                                                                                        <source srcset=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?q=90&amp;w=1400&amp;cbr=1&amp;fit=max\" media=\"(min-width: 1260px)\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-meta-container credit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"credit \">Lionsgate<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<section class=\"post-summary\" aria-labelledby=\"post-summary-heading\">\n<header class=\"post-summary__header\">\n<h2 id=\"post-summary-heading\" class=\"post-summary__title\">Summary<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"post-summary__body\">\n<p>Keanu Reeves has closed a deal to reprise John Wick in Lionsgate\u2019s animated prequel film<\/p>\n<p>The story follows Wick through the Impossible Task, the single night of bloodshed that buys his freedom from the High Table<\/p>\n<p>The prequel joins a growing slate that includes a fifth live-action &#8216;John Wick&#8217; and a Caine spinoff starring Donnie Yen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Keanu Reeves has signed on to lead Lionsgate\u2019s animated <em>John Wick<\/em> prequel, returning to the role that rebuilt his action career for a story set before the events of the original film. The project digs into the franchise\u2019s most mythologized chapter, giving fans a first full look at how the Baba Yaga earned his exit from the criminal underworld.<\/p>\n<p>The plot centers on the Impossible Task, the feat that turned Wick into a legend among assassins. To break his obligation to the High Table and build a life with Helen, the woman he loves, Wick must wipe out every one of his rivals over the course of one night. Longtime fans will recognize the setup from the 2014 original, where crime boss Viggo Tarasov recounts the story as a warning about the man his son has crossed.<\/p>\n<p>Behind the camera, the film pairs a seasoned animation director with the team that built the series. Shannon Tindle, whose credits include Netflix\u2019s <em>Ultraman: Rising and Kubo and the Two Strings<\/em>, will direct from a screenplay by brothers Ryan and Kaz Firpo. Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee of Thunder Road and Chad Stahelski of 87Eleven Entertainment return as producers alongside Reeves, with Point Grey also joining the production. Stahelski\u2019s involvement carries particular weight, as he directed all four mainline John Wick films.\n<\/p>\n<p>Lionsgate has been bullish on the format since the project was first unveiled. \u201cIn both animation and the world of \u2018John Wick,\u2019 the possibilities are endless. And there is no \u2018John Wick\u2019 story fans are clamoring for more than the \u2018Impossible Task,\u2019\u201d Lionsgate motion picture chair Adam Fogelson said in 2025 when the film was announced.\n<\/p>\n<p>That confidence is backed by numbers. Across five films, including the Ana de Armas-fronted spinoff Ballerina, the franchise has pulled in more than $1 billion USD at the worldwide box office. Lionsgate is now widening the universe on several fronts, with a fifth live-action <em>John Wick<\/em> in development and a standalone feature built around Caine, the blind assassin Donnie Yen introduced in <em>John Wick: Chapter 4.<\/em> The animated prequel slots in as the franchise\u2019s first move beyond live action, a fresh medium for a series that has always treated choreography as its core language.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6809022\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>&#8216;Dune&#8217; Films Returning to IMAX Theaters With Exclusive &#8216;Dune: Part Three&#8217; Sneak Peek\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6810710\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>\u2018Blue Eye Samurai\u2019 Season 2 Sets January 2027 Release\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6810584\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie Reunite for Netflix Revenge Feature &#8216;Dogfight&#8217;\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-credentials d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Source<\/h6>\n<p><span>Variety<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Editor Assistant<\/h6>\n<p><span>Mai Vo<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>                                    Keanu Reeves<br \/>\n                                                John Wick<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"post__body__author_info footer-block\">\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F05%2Fsophie-300.jpg?w=100&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt=\"Sophie Caraan\" class=\"post__body__author_info__avatar\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__body\">\n<p>                    Sophie Caraan<\/p>\n<p>                                    <span class=\"post__body__author_info__title\">Managing Editor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__bio_wrapper\">\n<p class=\"post__body__author_info__bio\">Sophie Caraan is the Managing Editor at Hypebeast, where she sets the editorial direction, standards, and output strategy for the HQ team. With a decade of editorial experience, she brings both a storyteller&#8217;s instinct and a strategist&#8217;s eye \u2014 spotlighting the figures and movements that shape the culture across a multitude of lanes. Her tenure is marked by high-impact conversations with the likes of RZA, Mads Mikkelsen, CORTIS, Erling Haaland, Kasing Lung, NIGO, and more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-google-preferred d-none d-lg-block\"><span class=\"text\">Prefer Hypebeast on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n                                                                                                            Entertainment\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time class=\"timeago\" datetime=\"2026-11-06T07:52:30Z\">8 Hrs ago<\/time><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             288<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Hypes<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\" data-post-id=\"6812488\"><span class=\"comment-count-value\">0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-credentials d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Source<\/h6>\n<p><span>Variety<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Editor Assistant<\/h6>\n<p><span>Mai Vo<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-google-preferred d-none d-lg-block\"><span class=\"text\">Prefer Hypebeast on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n                                                                                                            Entertainment\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time class=\"timeago\" datetime=\"2026-11-06T07:52:30Z\">8 Hrs ago<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-credentials d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Source<\/h6>\n<p><span>Variety<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Editor Assistant<\/h6>\n<p><span>Mai Vo<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><br \/>\n                                                        Entertainment<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time class=\"timeago\" datetime=\"2026-11-06T07:52:30Z\">8 Hrs ago<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             288<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Hypes<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\" data-post-id=\"6812488\"><span class=\"comment-count-value\">0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-google-preferred\"><span class=\"text\">Prefer Hypebeast on Google<\/span><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-gallery-container small inner-media\">\n<div class=\"gallery-container post-gallery-contain\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Keanu Reeves Is Back as John Wick for the Animated Prequel\">\n<div class=\"hb-gallery before-booted full-screen-enabled only-one-cell\" data-images=\"[{&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_caption&quot;:null,&quot;small&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=480&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;medium&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=720&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;large&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;xlarge&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;full&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;},&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/11\/06\/Keanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Keanu Reeves Returning John Wick Animated Prequel Film&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1400,&quot;height&quot;:933,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Lionsgate&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;creditKey&quot;:&quot;general&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;annotations&quot;:null,&quot;shop&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;&quot;}}]\" role=\"list\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell landscape\" data-gallery-index=\"1\" role=\"listitem\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-inner-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-image-wrapper annotation-container fixed-ratio-3-2\">\n                                                                                                        <source srcset=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-1.jpg?q=90&amp;w=1400&amp;cbr=1&amp;fit=max\" media=\"(min-width: 1260px)\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-meta-container credit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"credit \">Lionsgate<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<section class=\"post-summary\" aria-labelledby=\"post-summary-heading\">\n<header class=\"post-summary__header\">\n<h2 id=\"post-summary-heading\" class=\"post-summary__title\">Summary<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"post-summary__body\">\n<p>Keanu Reeves has closed a deal to reprise John Wick in Lionsgate\u2019s animated prequel film<\/p>\n<p>The story follows Wick through the Impossible Task, the single night of bloodshed that buys his freedom from the High Table<\/p>\n<p>The prequel joins a growing slate that includes a fifth live-action &#8216;John Wick&#8217; and a Caine spinoff starring Donnie Yen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Keanu Reeves has signed on to lead Lionsgate\u2019s animated <em>John Wick<\/em> prequel, returning to the role that rebuilt his action career for a story set before the events of the original film. The project digs into the franchise\u2019s most mythologized chapter, giving fans a first full look at how the Baba Yaga earned his exit from the criminal underworld.<\/p>\n<p>The plot centers on the Impossible Task, the feat that turned Wick into a legend among assassins. To break his obligation to the High Table and build a life with Helen, the woman he loves, Wick must wipe out every one of his rivals over the course of one night. Longtime fans will recognize the setup from the 2014 original, where crime boss Viggo Tarasov recounts the story as a warning about the man his son has crossed.<\/p>\n<p>Behind the camera, the film pairs a seasoned animation director with the team that built the series. Shannon Tindle, whose credits include Netflix\u2019s <em>Ultraman: Rising and Kubo and the Two Strings<\/em>, will direct from a screenplay by brothers Ryan and Kaz Firpo. Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee of Thunder Road and Chad Stahelski of 87Eleven Entertainment return as producers alongside Reeves, with Point Grey also joining the production. Stahelski\u2019s involvement carries particular weight, as he directed all four mainline John Wick films.\n<\/p>\n<p>Lionsgate has been bullish on the format since the project was first unveiled. \u201cIn both animation and the world of \u2018John Wick,\u2019 the possibilities are endless. And there is no \u2018John Wick\u2019 story fans are clamoring for more than the \u2018Impossible Task,\u2019\u201d Lionsgate motion picture chair Adam Fogelson said in 2025 when the film was announced.\n<\/p>\n<p>That confidence is backed by numbers. Across five films, including the Ana de Armas-fronted spinoff Ballerina, the franchise has pulled in more than $1 billion USD at the worldwide box office. Lionsgate is now widening the universe on several fronts, with a fifth live-action <em>John Wick<\/em> in development and a standalone feature built around Caine, the blind assassin Donnie Yen introduced in <em>John Wick: Chapter 4.<\/em> The animated prequel slots in as the franchise\u2019s first move beyond live action, a fresh medium for a series that has always treated choreography as its core language.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6809022\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>&#8216;Dune&#8217; Films Returning to IMAX Theaters With Exclusive &#8216;Dune: Part Three&#8217; Sneak Peek\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6810710\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>\u2018Blue Eye Samurai\u2019 Season 2 Sets January 2027 Release\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6810584\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie Reunite for Netflix Revenge Feature &#8216;Dogfight&#8217;\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-credentials d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Source<\/h6>\n<p><span>Variety<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Editor Assistant<\/h6>\n<p><span>Mai Vo<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>                                    Keanu Reeves<br \/>\n                                                John Wick<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"post__body__author_info footer-block\">\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F05%2Fsophie-300.jpg?w=100&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt=\"Sophie Caraan\" class=\"post__body__author_info__avatar\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__body\">\n<p>                    Sophie Caraan<\/p>\n<p>                                    <span class=\"post__body__author_info__title\">Managing Editor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__bio_wrapper\">\n<p class=\"post__body__author_info__bio\">Sophie Caraan is the Managing Editor at Hypebeast, where she sets the editorial direction, standards, and output strategy for the HQ team. With a decade of editorial experience, she brings both a storyteller&#8217;s instinct and a strategist&#8217;s eye \u2014 spotlighting the figures and movements that shape the culture across a multitude of lanes. Her tenure is marked by high-impact conversations with the likes of RZA, Mads Mikkelsen, CORTIS, Erling Haaland, Kasing Lung, NIGO, and more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><br \/>\n                                                        Entertainment<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time class=\"timeago\" datetime=\"2026-11-06T07:52:30Z\">8 Hrs ago<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             288<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Hypes<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\" data-post-id=\"6812488\"><span class=\"comment-count-value\">0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-google-preferred\"><span class=\"text\">Prefer Hypebeast on Google<\/span><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><br \/>\n                                                        Entertainment<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time class=\"timeago\" datetime=\"2026-11-06T07:52:30Z\">8 Hrs ago<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><br \/>\n                                                        Entertainment<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time class=\"timeago\" datetime=\"2026-11-06T07:52:30Z\">8 Hrs ago<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             288<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Hypes<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\" data-post-id=\"6812488\"><span class=\"comment-count-value\">0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-google-preferred\"><span class=\"text\">Prefer Hypebeast on Google<\/span><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<section class=\"post-summary\" aria-labelledby=\"post-summary-heading\">\n<header class=\"post-summary__header\">\n<h2 id=\"post-summary-heading\" class=\"post-summary__title\">Summary<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"post-summary__body\">\n<p>Keanu Reeves has closed a deal to reprise John Wick in Lionsgate\u2019s animated prequel film<\/p>\n<p>The story follows Wick through the Impossible Task, the single night of bloodshed that buys his freedom from the High Table<\/p>\n<p>The prequel joins a growing slate that includes a fifth live-action &#8216;John Wick&#8217; and a Caine spinoff starring Donnie Yen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Keanu Reeves has signed on to lead Lionsgate\u2019s animated <em>John Wick<\/em> prequel, returning to the role that rebuilt his action career for a story set before the events of the original film. The project digs into the franchise\u2019s most mythologized chapter, giving fans a first full look at how the Baba Yaga earned his exit from the criminal underworld.<\/p>\n<p>The plot centers on the Impossible Task, the feat that turned Wick into a legend among assassins. To break his obligation to the High Table and build a life with Helen, the woman he loves, Wick must wipe out every one of his rivals over the course of one night. Longtime fans will recognize the setup from the 2014 original, where crime boss Viggo Tarasov recounts the story as a warning about the man his son has crossed.<\/p>\n<p>Behind the camera, the film pairs a seasoned animation director with the team that built the series. Shannon Tindle, whose credits include Netflix\u2019s <em>Ultraman: Rising and Kubo and the Two Strings<\/em>, will direct from a screenplay by brothers Ryan and Kaz Firpo. Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee of Thunder Road and Chad Stahelski of 87Eleven Entertainment return as producers alongside Reeves, with Point Grey also joining the production. Stahelski\u2019s involvement carries particular weight, as he directed all four mainline John Wick films.\n<\/p>\n<p>Lionsgate has been bullish on the format since the project was first unveiled. \u201cIn both animation and the world of \u2018John Wick,\u2019 the possibilities are endless. And there is no \u2018John Wick\u2019 story fans are clamoring for more than the \u2018Impossible Task,\u2019\u201d Lionsgate motion picture chair Adam Fogelson said in 2025 when the film was announced.\n<\/p>\n<p>That confidence is backed by numbers. Across five films, including the Ana de Armas-fronted spinoff Ballerina, the franchise has pulled in more than $1 billion USD at the worldwide box office. Lionsgate is now widening the universe on several fronts, with a fifth live-action <em>John Wick<\/em> in development and a standalone feature built around Caine, the blind assassin Donnie Yen introduced in <em>John Wick: Chapter 4.<\/em> The animated prequel slots in as the franchise\u2019s first move beyond live action, a fresh medium for a series that has always treated choreography as its core language.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-credentials d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Source<\/h6>\n<p><span>Variety<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"credential\">\n<h6>Editor Assistant<\/h6>\n<p><span>Mai Vo<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>                                    Keanu Reeves<br \/>\n                                                John Wick<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/2026\/11\/keanu-reeves-returning-john-wick-animated-prequel-film&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F11%2F06%2FKeanu-Reeves-Returning-John-Wick-Animated-Prequel-Film-tw.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&#8221;] Prefer Hypebeast on Google Entertainment 8 Hrs ago 288 Hypes 0\u00a0Comments Comments Save Text By Sophie Caraan Source Variety Editor Assistant Mai Vo Share this article Entertainment 8 Hrs ago 288 Hypes 0\u00a0Comments Comments Prefer Hypebeast on GoogleSave Lionsgate Summary Keanu Reeves has closed a deal to reprise John Wick in Lionsgate\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2241779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2241779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2241779"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2241779\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2241779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2241779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2241779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}