Donnie Yen all in as star and director of John Wick spin-off

Staff reporter

International action star Donnie Yen Chi-tan will be directing and starring in the latest spin-off of his character in the blockbuster John Wick franchise, film production company Lionsgate Motion Pictures announced at CinemaCon.

The company said Yen, who played blind assassin Caine in John Wick 4, will also be the executive producer of the film centered on his character.

The film, set to shoot in Hong Kong and Macau this year, will explore Caine's journey after breaking free from the High Table.

Yen expressed his enthusiasm: "The John Wick series sets the highest bar for action filmmaking. I'm deeply grateful to Lionsgate for this opportunity to expand the universe - it's both thrilling and inspiring."

A proven force in action cinema, Yen recently earned critical acclaim for his self-directed thriller The Prosecutor, which holds a 93 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes - a rare feat for Chinese films.

Yen is also well-known for starring in the action-packed Ip Man franchise, as well as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - released back in 2016.

For the spin-off, he will be joining forces with The Batman Part II writer Mattson Tomlin, signaling a powerhouse creative team.

This will make him the first Asian actor to helm a major Hollywood production in such a multifaceted role, with the achievement surpassing even those of Jackie Chan Kong-sang and Jet Li Lianjie.

Lionsgate chairman Adam Fogelson said he was "all in" after hearing the idea of a "Donnie Yen-style" action film in the mode of John Wick, pitched by franchise director and producer Chad Stahelski together with Yen.

"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," Fogelson said. "We're thrilled that he's in the director's chair to tell Caine's story."

Stahelski said Caine is one of his favorite characters in the John Wick world, and he is excited to have the chance to let the audience dive into Caine's world and discover all his adventures.

"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," he said.

Producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee also called Yen the "perfect candidate" to shepherd the new expansion of the John Wick universe.

"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. He's clearly the best choice to direct and we're excited to begin production," they added.

During CinemaCon, Lionsgate also revealed that the fifth installment - John Wick 5, with Keanu Reeves returning alongside Stahelski - has a fresh narrative direction.

Additionally, an animated prequel set before the first film will be helmed by Oscar-nominated animator Shannon Tindle, with Reeves likely to voice Wick and Stahelski as producer.