John Wick Spin-off Based on Donnie Yen as Caine
The franchise of John Wick is ready to expand even more and return with the story of another familiar character. The film production and distribution studio, Lionsgate announced that they were working on a spin-off based on Donnie Yen’s character Caine.
The details regarding the spin-off movie are currently unavailable. It will focus on Caine, a blind assassin introduced in John Wick: Chapter 4. The story takes place after the events of the final movie in the original franchise, which is Caine’s journey after he is freed from the obligation of High Table.
In John Wick Chapter 4, Cane is introduced as John Wick’s old friend. Later, they will be turned against each other when Caine is hired to assassinate John to protect his daughter. The post-credit scene shows Cane rejoining his daughter, but he encounters Akira, who seeks revenge for her father’s death. Earlier in the movie, Caine killed Akira’s father, Koji, and set up another tense situation between them.
In the spin-off movie, it will be expected to return Hiroyuki Sanada’s character Akira. If she returns, it would be interesting to watch the revenge between the two characters. However, there is no announcement regarding Sanada’s comeback.
Robert Askins wrote the script for the film. He also wrote Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy and AMC’s The Son and received a Tony nomination in 2015 for his play ‘Hand to God.’
While there is no confirmation regarding who will direct the movie, it will be produced by John Wick’s director, Chad Stahelski, through his 87Eleven Entertainment with Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee. Production is expected to start in Hong Kong next year.
In a recent statement, Donnie Yen spoke about his character in John Wick. He said, “Working on ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ was an extraordinary experience.” He continued, “The reason these films resonate so deeply is because, like myself, Chad, Basil, and Erica push themselves to create action, fights, and stunts that are not only thrilling, inventive, and artistic, but also expressive of character, story, and emotion.”
He also expresses his excitement about returning to his character: “Caine is an incredible character with a haunted past, and I am excited to return to the role.”
Yen started his acting career by starring in a Hong Kong film, Drunken Tai Chi. His first American debut was Highlander: Endgame. He acted in Shanghai Knights opposite Jacky Chan. He is best known for his role in the film series IP Man.