Lionsgate has officially greenlit an animated “John Wick” prequel, with Keanu Reeves signed to voice the title character. The studio confirmed the news during its quarterly earnings call on Nov. 5, 2026, with CEO Jon Feltheimer noting the project is already in pre-production. The film will dramatize the Impossible Task, the single night in which John Wick wiped out every one of his rivals to buy his freedom from the High Table and a life with his wife, Helen.
The untitled film marks the first animated entry in the franchise built around Reeves’ hitman. Five movies in, the series has pulled in more than $1 billion worldwide, a total that counts the Ana de Armas spinoff “Ballerina.”
What Was Announced About the Animated Prequel
Shannon Tindle will direct. Tindle co-directed and co-wrote Netflix‘s “Ultraman: Rising” and created Laika’s “Kubo and the Two Strings.” Ryan and Kaz Firpo wrote the screenplay. The brothers also co-wrote Marvel Studios’ “Eternals.”
Reeves will produce alongside franchise regulars Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee of Thunder Road and Chad Stahelski of 87Eleven Entertainment, with Point Grey joining the team for the first time. Nathan Kahane serves as executive producer.
Lionsgate first announced the project at CinemaCon in April 2025, with Vanessa Taylor originally attached to write. Taylor is no longer listed on the project, and the Firpo brothers now hold the screenplay credit. Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, spoke about the project at the time. “In both animation and the world of ‘John Wick,’ the possibilities are endless,” Fogelson said. “And 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 November earnings call confirmed the project had been formally greenlit and was moving forward with Reeves attached.
What the Impossible Task Means for the Franchise
The Impossible Task has long been referenced in the live-action “John Wick” films as the backstory behind Wick’s reputation and the marker he owed Santino D’Antonio, the debt that kicks off “John Wick: Chapter 2.” An animated feature built around that story gives Lionsgate a way to explore the character’s origins without recasting the live-action role, since Reeves is voicing Wick himself.
The announcement doubles as confirmation that Lionsgate sees room to keep expanding the franchise beyond traditional sequels.
Where the Animated Film Fits in the Broader “John Wick” Expansion
The animated prequel joins a growing slate of “John Wick” projects at Lionsgate, including a AAA video game. A fifth live-action “John Wick” film remains in development. Donnie Yen has also wrapped “From the World of John Wick: Caine,” a standalone feature centered on the blind assassin he first played in “John Wick: Chapter 4.” Yen directed the film, which shot from April to July 2026 and does not yet have a release date.
A television series titled “John Wick: Under the High Table” is also in the works at Lionsgate Television, with Robert Levine serving as writer and showrunner. Reeves and Stahelski are attached as executive producers, and Stahelski is set to direct the pilot. The series is set directly after the events of “John Wick: Chapter 4.”
What’s Next
Lionsgate has not released a title, release date or production timeline for the animated prequel. The film is currently in pre-production, and the studio has not named an animation studio, revealed the visual style or announced any casting beyond Reeves. Until Lionsgate puts a date on the calendar, any release window is guesswork.
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