Donnie Yen to Star in ‘John Wick' Caine Spinoff Movie
Donnie Yen to Star in ‘John Wick' Caine Spinoff Movie
Lionsgate is developing a John Wick spinoff movie around Donnie Yen's Caine assassin character.
Yen will reprise his John Wick: Chapter 4 role in the untitled project set to shoot in Hong Kong in 2025. The franchise expanding film, with no director yet announced, will follow the events of John Wick 4 as Caine has been freed from his obligations to the High Table.
The project also follows Yen, a veteran Hong Kong action hero, pushing back against what he claimed were Asian stereotypes in the original script for John Wick 4. After some prodding, John Wick 4 director Chad Stahelski agreed to change the name and clothes for Yen's character.
China-born Yen is a household name internationally thanks to his hugely popular and acclaimed Ip Man movie series, and he has crossed over to Hollywood with outings in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which grossed over a billion dollars, and Disney's live-action remake of Mulan. And Yen looks to have put his questioning of his John Wick universe character behind him.
"Working on John Wick: Chapter 4 was an extraordinary experience. 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. Caine is an incredible character with a haunted past, and I am excited to return to the role," Yen said in a statement.
Stahelski is developing the spinoff movie around Yen's Caine character as part of a recently announced deal with Lionsgate to expand the John Wick universe. The latest movie after the Ballerina spinoff will be overseen by the franchise producers, Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee and Stahelski, who produces through his 87Eleven Entertainment production banner.
The untitled Caine project has a screenplay being written by Robert Askins.
"From the moment Donnie Yen appeared on screen in John Wick: Chapter 4, he captivated audiences and created an authentic, emotional connection that left an inedible mark and had fans asking for more," Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said in his own statement.
Yen is represented by Independent Artist Group and by Peco Ng at Bullet Films. Robert Askins is represented by WME and Grandview.
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