Lionsgate has officially greenlit an animated John Wick prequel feature film, confirming that Keanu Reeves will return to voice the title character. The announcement, made during a November 5, 2026, earnings call, marks a significant expansion for the franchise by detailing the protagonist’s origins through animation rather than live-action.
Reeves has closed a deal to voice the title character. By utilizing animation, the production avoids the practical hurdles of digitally de-aging the lead actor for a story set years before the events of the original 2014 film. The project is currently in pre-production following the official confirmation from Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer.
The prequel is set to focus on the “Impossible Task,” the legendary event frequently referenced in the live-action series. This story will depict the single night of high-stakes assignments Wick completed to secure his retirement from the High Table and marry his late wife, Helen. While the “Impossible Task” has remained a piece of established lore for over a decade, this film will be the first time the events are shown on screen.
The creative team behind the feature includes director Shannon Tindle, who recently helmed Ultraman: Rising for Netflix. The screenplay is being handled by Ryan and Kaz Firpo, the writing duo behind Marvel Studios’ Eternals. Production is being managed by franchise mainstays Thunder Road and 87Eleven, with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Point Grey Pictures joining the team as a producing partner.
This animated feature is distinct from other projects currently in development within the “Wickiverse.” While this film explores the past, Lionsgate is continuing to expand the timeline in other directions. According to reported production updates, a live-action spinoff centered on Donnie Yen’s character, Caine, has already completed principal photography. Additionally, a fifth mainline John Wick film remains in the script development phase and is being treated as a separate entity from the animated prequel.
The shift to animation is expected to allow for more stylized “Gun Fu” choreography and environmental scale that might be cost-prohibitive in a traditional live-action prequel setting. There is no confirmed release date as of yet, but the project is expected to proceed through the animation pipeline while the studio finalizes plans for the next live-action installment.