Legendary martial arts star Donnie Yen will be helming Lionstgate’s standalone John Wick spinoff centered on the fan-favorite blind assassin Caine. Yen will also be reprising his role as Caine, who first appeared in John Wick: Chapter 4.
Per Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, the upcoming project, which was announced at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on April 1, has been described as a “Hong Kong-style action thriller”, with Lionsgate aiming to begin production later this year. While the film’s logline has not been made public, it will continue Caine’s storyline as he faces new challenges after the events of John Wick: Chapter 4, after Caine has been freed of his obligations to the High Table.
In addition to serving as director, Yen (Master Z: Ip Man Legacy, Rogue One) will also be serving as one of the project’s executive producers. John Wick franchise producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee will be producing through Thunder Road. Chad Stahelski, the director of the first four John Wick films, will also be producing through 87Eleven Entertainment.
The project will be written by Mattson Tomlin (Terminator Zero, The Batman), with the previous draft being written by Robert Askins (The Umbrella Academy, The Son).
The Caine spin-off is a part of Stahelski’s deal with Lionsgate as he oversees the expansion of the John Wick franchise. The spin-off also aims to model the action and fight scenes on “the uniquely designed movies that Yen helped make into hits”.
“From the moment Chad and Donnie pitched the idea of a Donnie Yen-style action film in the mode of John Wick, I was all in,”, said Lionsgate chair Adam Fogelson. “Donnie is not only an incredible, charismatic star, but a smart, cinematic director who knows how to deliver massively entertaining action for a global audience. We’re thrilled that he’s in the director’s chair to tell Caine’s story.”
“The John Wick films have set an immensely high standard for action filmmaking, and I greatly appreciate Lionsgate giving me the opportunity to further elevate the franchise.”, added Yen. “I am both thrilled and deeply inspired to make this happen.”
“One of my favorite characters in the John Wick world is Caine. To have the chance to dive into his world and discover all his adventures excites us all.”, said Stahelski. “We envision a modern day kung-fu classic that explores the John Wick world, and who better to helm it than Donnie Yen himself? His understanding of the culture, the world and, of course, the action, make him the perfect director for this project.”
“There is no one who knows this character better than Donnie, and he knows exactly how to deliver what audiences want and expect from Hong Kong-style action.”, Iwanyk and Lee commented. “He’s clearly the best choice to direct and we’re excited to begin production.”
The currently untitled Caine project will be the second spin-off in the John Wick franchise following Ballerina, which will be released in theaters on June 6.
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