Donnie Yen is returning to the world of “John Wick,” this time with some additional responsibilities.
The martial arts legend will star as Caine, the blind assassin from “John Wick: Chapter 4,” in a new spinoff film for Lionsgate. Yen will also direct the movie, which will begin production in Hong Kong later this year. The announcement was made as part of Lionsgate’s CinemaCon presentation.
Like all other installments in the ever-growing “John Wick” franchise, the Caine movie will be produced by Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee through their Thunder Road banner and by series director Chad Stahelski, who produces through his 87Eleven Entertainment production company. Yen will also serve as an executive producer.
The movie’s logline is being kept under wraps, probably in a locked drawer at the Continental.
Mattson Tomlin has also joined the project to write the film; a previous draft was written by Robert Askins. Tomlin previously worked on Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” and is a co-writer on the script for “The Batman: Part II.” He’s very familiar with the world of Keanu Reeves, as he is working on the adaptation of Reeves’ comic book “BRZRKR.”
According to Lionsgate, the Caine spinoff is “stylistically modeled on the uniquely designed action films that Yen helped make famous, while being developed through Chad Stahelski’s deal with Lionsgate as he oversees the expansion of the ‘John Wick’ universe.”
“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 Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. “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,” Yen said of the project. “I am both thrilled and deeply inspired to make this happen.”
Stahelski added, “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. 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.”
Yen’s contribution to international cinema cannot be overstated. He is maybe best known for portraying Ip Man, the real-life figure who was a Wing Chun grandmaster (and teacher of Bruce Lee), in four films of the same name. He starred as the bad guy in “Once Upon a Time in China II” opposite Jet Li and has served as director, action director and martial arts choreographer on countless films.
Western audiences will probably know him from supporting roles in “Blade II,” “Shanghai Knights,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and the live-action “Mulan.”
The Caine film joins the ever-expanding roster of “John Wick”-related films. The next film in the franchise is “Ballerina,” starring Ana de Armas, which opens on June 6, 2025.
