John Wick: New movie starring Keanu Reeves – but with a big difference
The Impossible Task of the deadly action hero has now officially been given the green light
The "John Wick" universe is expanding with a new film. Good news for fans: Keanu Reeves will return in the role of the deadly action hero. Unlike previous installments, however, this will not be a live-action film. Instead, it will be a "John Wick" animated film. So Reeves can take it easy physically. This time, the Hollywood star will only be lending his voice. The animated adventure was already announced last year but has now officially received the green light, as multiple media outlets are reporting.
The "John Wick" animated film is a prequel, with a story set before the events of the first "John Wick" movie from 2014. The focus is on Wick's "Impossible Task" – his seemingly insurmountable mission to kill all his rivals in the course of one night so he can be with the love of his life. The director of the animated prequel has already been confirmed: Shannon Tindle. The filmmaker has already gained extensive experience in the field of animated films. Among other things, he was involved in the story of "Kubo and the Two Strings" and served as director on "Ultraman: Rising."
"Beyond excited"
Adam Fogelson of Lionsgate announced the film at CinemaCon 2025 and spoke enthusiastically about Shannon Tindle's approach. According to Deadline, he emphasized that anything is possible in the world of John Wick. He added:
"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."
The screenplay for the new "John Wick" animated film was written by Ryan and Kaz Firpo. Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Chad Stahelski, and Keanu Reeves are on board as producers. A release date has not yet been announced.
Successful franchise
With the role of John Wick, Keanu Reeves has scored yet another home run in his career. The part of the deadly hero has become one of his most famous roles and ranks among the highlights of his performances in the action genre to date. As an ex-hitman who comes out of retirement to punish the killers of his beloved dog, Reeves once again set the bar high in the action genre following "The Matrix". And he did so right from the very first installment of the series: The Hollywood star had never been portrayed as cool and, at the same time, as tough as he was by director Chad Stahelski. It's unforgettable, for example, how Reeves blasts his way through a nightclub in a perfectly choreographed scene. Three more sequels followed, and a fifth installment is in the works.
At the box office, the franchise became increasingly successful. The first installment, released in 2014, grossed $86 million worldwide. But that was just the beginning. The second installment followed in 2017, already raking in $171 million at the box office. About two years later, Part 3 went one better: the sequel grossed $327 million. But that wasn't the peak yet. In 2023, the fourth "John Wick" installment grossed $447 million, making it the most successful installment of the action series to date. Given the high earnings from the sequels, the box office performance of the spin-off "Ballerina," starring Ana de Armas, was rather disappointing: the 2025 film grossed $140 million.
