What led to John Wick's retirement? Animated prequel to reveal
What's the story
A new anime film set in the John Wick universe is in the works, confirmed Chad Stahelski, director of all four John Wick movies. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this project will be a prequel, giving us a glimpse into the "impossible task" that led to the retirement of the character played by Keanu Reeves. The announcement comes just days after Adult Swim's Lazarus series at New York Comic Con.
Director's insight
Stahelski's vision for the 'John Wick' anime prequel
When asked about the anime centering on "John's impossible task that allowed him to retire for married life," Stahelski replied, "Ish...You're pretty right on, but it's animated fun." He continued, "We just want to have fun. We want to have fun with the Wick world, but we've already capped it on one end [with John Wick: Chapter 4], so let's go back and use a different medium...We can be a little bit more crazy and nutty in the anime."
Anime experience
Stahelski's previous involvement in anime projects
Stahelski is no stranger to the anime industry. He is also attached to Lazarus, an upcoming anime action series by Shinichiro Watanabe for Adult Swim's Toonami on Cartoon Network. This was revealed at New York Comic Con 2024, where it was revealed that Stahelski is a fan of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, while Watanabe admires the John Wick film series.
Upcoming projects
Meanwhile, 'John Wick' universe expands with spinoffs
Meanwhile, in the upcoming spinoffs, the Len Wiseman-directed Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, has just released a trailer ahead of its June 2025 debut. In addition to this, Robert Levine is working on the spinoff series Under the High Table, focusing on the universe's supporting characters, while a spinoff film centered on Donnie Yen's character, Caine, is currently being written.