Keanu Reeves will voice the legendary assassin in Lionsgate's animated prequel, revealing the Impossible Task that allowed John Wick to leave his violent past behind.
The John Wick universe is expanding once again, this time with an animated feature that will take audiences back to the early days of the legendary assassin. Lionsgate has officially greenlit the project, with Keanu Reeves returning to voice the character he first portrayed in 2014.
The film will explore one of the biggest mysteries in Wick's history: the infamous Impossible Task. Set before the events of the original movie, the story follows John as he takes on a seemingly insurmountable assignment that will allow him to leave the criminal underworld behind and begin a life with Helen, the woman he loves.
The Impossible Task has been referenced throughout the franchise, but audiences have never seen exactly what Wick had to do to earn his freedom. The animated film will finally reveal that chapter of his past, including the mission he must complete in a single night.
Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Shannon Tindle will direct the feature. His credits include Netflix's Ultraman: Rising and LAIKA's Kubo and the Two Strings. Ryan and Kaz Firpo, who previously wrote Marvel Studios' Eternals, are handling the screenplay.
Several familiar names from the live-action franchise are also involved. Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee of Thunder Road, Chad Stahelski of 87Eleven Entertainment, and Reeves will produce, with Point Grey also joining the project. Nathan Kahane will serve as an executive producer.
The animated prequel was first announced at CinemaCon in April 2025, alongside plans for a fifth live-action film and additional spinoffs. The latest greenlight moves the project forward, with Reeves confirmed to reprise his role.
When the film was originally announced, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson discussed the possibilities of bringing the franchise into animation.
In both animation and the world of John Wick, the possibilities are endless.
The Impossible Task has been a central part of Wick's backstory since the first film. After completing the assignment, he was finally able to retire and build a life with Helen. Her death, followed by the killing of the puppy she left him, ultimately brought him back into the world he had fought so hard to escape.
Since the original film debuted in 2014, the franchise has grown into one of Hollywood's most successful action properties, earning more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Reeves returned for three sequels: John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).
The franchise has also expanded beyond the main films. The prequel television miniseries The Continental: From the World of John Wick explored the history of the New York hotel that serves as a sanctuary for assassins, while the 2025 theatrical spinoff Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, introduced another story set within the same criminal underworld.
Additional projects are also in development, including a fifth live-action John Wick film and a spinoff centered on Caine, the blind assassin portrayed by Donnie Yen in John Wick: Chapter 4.
For longtime fans, the animated prequel will answer a question that has lingered since the beginning of the franchise. Just what did John Wick have to do to walk away from the High Table and start a new life with Helen?
Lionsgate has not yet announced an official title or release date for the animated film.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
