Announced last May, the second John Wick spin-off film, Caine, could see Hong Kong legend Donnie Yen direct as well as star.
As announced last May, more John Wick spin-off films and shows are in the works at Lionsgate. There’s (gulp), From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina finally arriving this June after several delays. There’s also a spin-off TV show titled Under The High Table in production which will join The Continental in expanding the world of Wick on the small screen.
The studio is also keen to get a Caine spin-off movie up and running. Donnie Yen’s blind kung-fu assassin character was an entertaining addition to 2023’s John Wick: Chapter 4, and in the continued absence of series star, Keanu Reeves, Lionsgate needs popular characters to build out its world of talented killers, armoured suits and ostentatious currency.
A new report at Collider states that Yen is in line to direct the new film. The outlet caught up with Yen, who confirmed the growing speculation that he could indeed be leading the project as well as starring in it. Yen has directed several films before such as Sakra and Legend Of The Wolf, and along with the extensive input from franchise overlord, Chad Stahelski – his director on John Wick: Chapter 3 – knows more than anybody else about the character and the world he inhabits.
“I think both the fans, as well as the studio, want this to happen, and we’ll see,” said Yen. “I don’t know… I can only tell you that much. But yes, we are talking, and we are talking intimately. We’ll see what happens. But at the same time, I hold responsibility as well as a pressure that I don’t want to ruin the franchise. I try to do my best to bring something fresh to the franchise itself. I don’t want to bring down the expectations for the fans. I try to do my best, like always.”
Lionsgate might be taking its time with this Caine, just to be sure it has the right person for the job. Given how Len Wiseman’s appointment as the director of Ballerina led to reshoots and (unsubstantiated) reports about the project’s quality, the studio will want to make sure that Yen can handle both roles. Given his experience and phenomenal skill in such Hong Kong classics as the Ip Man series and Iron Monkey – and his choreography work on such Hollywood films as Blade II – he’d likely be a superb fit for the franchise’s bracing action.
We’ll bring you more on this one as we hear it.
