Chad Stahelski revealed to Hollywood Reporter on October 22, 2024 that the anime of John Wick is actively in production and will focus on John's legendary quest to allow him to retire for love.
“Currently, we are starting to develop an animated film about John Wick. It's a prequel to the movies, which is awesome. It's exciting to have it expressed in a different medium,” Stahelski said.
Although the format of the anime adaptation was not previously confirmed, Stahelski referred to the work as a feature film in the interview.
“So whether it's a pinball machine or an anime feature film or a new TV show we're working on, at least it's coming from us.”
The director also said that the anime medium will allow creators to be “a little crazier and more engaging.” And this is something they find very interesting, because it allows them to explore the story without getting repetitive.
Director Stahleski confirmed that a John Wick anime adaptation is in the works during an episode of The Discourse Podcast.
John Wick is an American neo-noir action horror media franchise created by Derek Kolstad. The film follows the exploits of John Wick, a former assassin who is pulled back into the criminal underworld he previously abandoned after the death of his dog.
The first film of the series is John Wick
strong> in 2014, followed by three sequels: Chapter 2 in 2017, Chapter 3 – Parabellum in 2019, and Chapter 4 in 2023. All four films were directed by Chad Stahelski. The fifth part, titled John Wick 5is also in the works.
The franchise has multiple spin-offs in development, starting with a limited series The Continental: From the World of John Wick coming out in 2023 and the movie Ballerina launched in 2024.
Source: THR