Chad Stagelski, director of the «John Wick» franchise, spoke about creating a feature-length prequel to the films in an unusual format.
The director is working on an anime that will explore the past of Keanu Reeves’ character as a professional killer. Stagelski said that he and the rest of the «team are knee-deep in developing a full-length» anime centered on the main character. It will be a prequel to the «John Wick» movies. Just like upcoming series «John Wick: Under the High Table» will expand the world of the franchise, anime gives more opportunities for storytelling.
«We can be a little bit crazier in anime, we can be a lot more overt in storytelling and world-building in a television show. So they’re exciting to us, but they don’t feel repetitive, and that’s where we’re putting our energy right now,» says Chad Stagelski.
The «John Wick» anime was announced last year, but it was assumed that it would be a series. The format update has more ambitious plans for the story.
«It should be fun. Some of the prequels and sequels that you see in other franchises, we didn’t create them that way. We just want to have fun. We want to have fun with Wick’s world, but we’ve already limited it at one end [in the last movie], so we’re going to go back and use a different environment».
Earlier this year, another kind of prequel premiered, series «Continental»which explores the life of Winston Scott in the 1970s. In early 2025, viewers will see full-length spin-off «Ballerina». Ana de Armas is in the lead role, but Keanu Reeves may also appear in the movie. Another spin-off centered on Kane is also in the works.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, IGN