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Thursday, November 9, 2023, saw director Chad Stahelski officially confirm that a John Wick anime series is on the way during an appearance on The Discourse podcast. Stahelski is best known as the director of the four films released under the intellectual property thus far and has officially confirmed that an anime is next up for the franchise.
While no official release or production information has been announced beyond the series being in development, it’s assumed that this news will soon follow Stahelski’s reveal. Likewise, it seems that the John Wick anime isn’t set to premiere anytime soon, given the current information available at the time of production announcement.
At the absolute earliest, fans can likely expect the John Wick anime to premiere sometime in late 2024, most likely as a part of the Fall 2024 season. However, given the typical production cadence an anime’s creation process follows, it’s more likely than not that fans will be waiting until early to mid-2025 for the series to premiere.
John Wick anime confirmed to be in production by the director of the franchise’s four films
The latest
As mentioned above, news of the John Wick anime being in production came from the films’ director, Chad Stahelski, who shared the news during an appearance on The Discourse podcast. According to Stahelski, the anime is being developed with talent from Japan, and a full-fledged television anime series could stem from the pitch if successful.
Stahelski also shared his love for Japanese anime, citing how the medium can achieve different and unique heights, which Hollywood and live-action production currently cannot. He also emphasizes that the film will expand the franchise’s world and give fans their “fix” while also allowing the production staff for the franchise to “have all the fun.”
Stahelski also emphasized his desire to bring the fast-paced action his films are known for to a television setting, especially as it relates to world-building and action. He stresses that he enjoys slow-burn television series but also expresses a desire for shows to up the ante after six or so episodes into a typical television season.
While the franchise’s recent foray into television, The Continental, was met with mixed reviews, this seems to be due to a lack of direct involvement with the series, per Stahelski’s own words. With the creative team for the franchise seemingly far more involved with the John Wick anime, its future will likely be much brighter and more exciting than the aforementioned series.
The original John Wick film first released in 2014 and was followed by three sequels released in 2017, 2019, and 2023, respectively. In addition to The Continental television series, a spinoff film entitled Ballerina is set to premiere in June 2024.
Be sure to keep up with all anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
