A Comeback Fans Didn’t See Coming
Despite the ambiguous ending of John Wick: Chapter 4, Keanu Reeves is officially returning as the iconic assassin in John Wick 5. The announcement came at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas, where Lionsgate confirmed Reeves’ involvement in both a new sequel and an animated prequel.
Building on the Wick Universe
Producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, alongside director Chad Stahelski, emphasised they wouldn’t move forward unless they had something “truly phenomenal and fresh” to offer. Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, echoed this, saying the team is committed to giving John Wick’s story “the proper next step.”
Reeves, now 60, is not just returning for another round of gun-fu carnage; he’s also voicing the character in a prequel anime. This animated project, directed by Shannon Tindle, will explore Wick’s fabled “Impossible Task”, a massacre that set the events of the original 2014 film in motion.
New Spin-Offs and Animated Origins
The franchise isn’t slowing down. In addition to John Wick 5, a spin-off film titled Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, is slated for release in June. A Donnie Yen-led project based on his John Wick 4 character, Caine, is also in the works.
Chad Stahelski, a long-time admirer of anime, believes the animation medium offers a perfect platform to expand the John Wick universe, allowing for more stylised action and deeper storytelling.
