Summary
John Wick Chapter 4came out in 2023, and since then, Lionsgate has announced two spin-off films that every fan of the franchise is desperately waiting for.From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, is now closer to its theatrical release. At the same time, another spin-off around Caine (Donnie Yen) will soon enter the production stage.
Donnie Yen made his flamboyant debut as Caine inJohn Wick Chapter 4,and he is definitely an intriguing character who deserves his own standalone movie. Caine is a blind assassin who was once a friend ofJohn Wick, but some circumstances led him to turn against his old friend. There’s a lot of mystery around this character, and the community has a lot of questions around the upcoming film, but the biggest of all is about the spin-off’s timeline. While the details onCaineare thin, a recent casting confirmation may have shed some light on the film’s timeline.
Rina Sawayama’s Return As Akira ConfirmsCaineSpin-Off’s Timeline
CaineWill Possibly Be Set After The Events OfJohn Wick Chapter 4
Caine wasn’t the only new and intriguing character we saw inChapter 4.Akira, daughter of Osaka Continental’s manager Koji Shimazu, also made her debut in the film. Asreported by Variety, Rina Sawayama will return as Akira in Donnie Yen’sCaine, which is set to enter production later this year.
Akira’s return inCaineis interesting, as itconfirms that the spin-off’s story will be set after the events ofJohn Wick 4,when Caine is freed from the services of the High Table and Akira makes an attempt on Caine’s life. In the post-credits scene of Chapter 4, Akira pulls out a knife to kill Caine while he walks towards his daughter. But we all know that it won’t be that easy to kill the blind assassin, and Akira will have to do better to get her revenge. Akira’s story is far from over, and it won’t be over until she gets vengeance for her father’s murder. Fortunately, that meanswe will also get to see more of her in theJohn Wickuniverse, starting with theCainespin-off. As Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said to Variety:
Caine and Akira have unfinished business, and this next chapter in their stories will be explosive.
Even though we didn’t see her for very long in Chapter 4, Akira instantly became a fan-favorite character. She followed in her father’s footsteps and helpedWick survive the countless enemiesduring the fight at the Osaka Continental. Even though she hated John for stepping inside Osaka Continental, which eventually led toShimazu Koji’s death at the hands of Caine, she didn’t want to insult her father’s friendship by going after Wick. She left the fate of Wick in the hands of the Table, but she wasn’t ready to let go of her grudge against Caine. On Rina Sawayama’s return as Akira,Yen told Variety:
Most delighted to welcome Rina back into this new, exciting journey with us. It will be my pleasure and attempt to elevate her amazing character that left us mesmerized from John Wick: Chapter 4!
Caine finally finds a way to escape the shackles of The Table while also saving his daughter, but it seems like there’s much more left to his story. While it’s quite possible that we will see a flashback of how Caine turned blind and why the Table separated him from his daughter, the movie won’t be a prequel.Akira is out for blood, and her rivalry with Caine will be a major plot point for the upcoming spin-off,but it’s hard to say if it will be the only one. The High Table might have let Caine and his daughter go free, but they might still hold some cards. Lionsgate hasn’t revealed much aboutCaineaside from casting details, so fans will have to wait for the official trailer to get a better idea of the story.
TheCaineSpin-Off Will Get Into The Production Stage Later This Year
Donnie Yen Will Be Directing The Spin-Off Movie
WhileFrom the World of John Wick: Ballerinawill hit theaters worldwide on June 06, 2025, theCainespin-off will enter the production stage later this year. The “Hong Kong-style action thriller” will bedirected by none other than Donnie Yenhimself. Yen is best known for delivering some great action-heavy thrillers, likeIp Man,so the community is indeed excited to see what more he has to offer in theJohn Wickuniverse. Lionsgate also confirmed that Mattson Tomlin, who is also working onThe Batman Part II,is writing the screenplay for the spin-off.
Since the movie has yet to enter the production stage, it’s difficult to pin a release window. If the production goes smoothly, we can expect Lionsgate to drop the first trailer forCainenext year, with the release date being set for sometime in 2027. Regardless, the universe ofJohn Wickis expanding, and fans have several projects to look forward to, including aprequel anime seriesthat will feature the origin story of thelegendary hitman. We all want to see how John killed those men in the bar with a pencil — well, we’ll get to see that in the anime format.
