The world of John Wick is officially bringing back a fan-favorite character for its next big screen expansion, confirming the timeline for the recently announced spinoff centered on Donnie Yen’s Caine. Rina Sawayama is set to reprise her role as Akira in Caine, the upcoming film led by Yen, according to Variety. Sawayama made a significant impact with her debut as the determined daughter of the Osaka Continental’s manager in John Wick: Chapter 4, quickly becoming a standout figure in the action-packed sequel. Her addition to the Caine cast is major news for fans, not just because it brings back a compelling character seeking vengeance, but because it definitively places the spinoff’s events after the conclusion of John Wick: Chapter 4. While specific plot details for Caine remain tightly under wraps, Lionsgate has confirmed the film will pick up with the blind assassin following his dramatic exit from the High Table’s service at the end of the fourth movie, setting the stage for a dangerous new chapter.
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“Rina is such a badass,” John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski stated regarding the casting. “I love what she did with this role in Chapter 4 and can’t wait to see her cross paths with Caine once again.” “Most delighted to welcome Rina back into this new, exciting journey with us,” star Donnie Yen added. “It will be my pleasure and attempt to elevate her amazing character that left us mesmerized from John Wick: Chapter 4!”
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Introduced as the dedicated concierge and daughter of Koji Shimazu (Hiroyuki Sanada), the manager of the Osaka Continental hotel, Akira found herself caught in the crossfire when the High Table descended upon the neutral ground. She fought alongside her father and John Wick (Keanu Reeves) against waves of armored assassins, showcasing impressive fighting skills. However, her world was shattered when Caine, under duress from the High Table, killed her father during the siege. The devastating loss fueled Akira’s desire for revenge, a plot point explicitly set up in the post-credits scene of John Wick: Chapter 4. That final sequence showed Akira, armed with a knife, tracking Caine down in Paris, leaving audiences on a cliffhanger about their inevitable confrontation. Her return in Caine promises to directly address this unresolved conflict, pitting two skilled warriors against each other with deeply personal stakes.
The John Wick Universe Keeps Expanding
The John Wick franchise has become a model for world-building in the action genre, hinting at vast networks, ancient rules, and compelling figures operating just outside the main narrative frame. While the fate of John Wick himself was seemingly sealed at the end of the fourth film, the studio is clearly pushing forward, using spinoffs to explore different corners of its assassin underworld and develop characters who resonated strongly with audiences.
First up in this expanding slate is From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas (taking over the role briefly seen in Chapter 3) as Rooney, a ballerina assassin trained by the Ruska Roma under the tutelage of The Director (Anjelica Huston). Directed by Len Wiseman (Underworld), the film’s timeline is confirmed to be set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. Beyond Ballerina and Caine, Lionsgate officially confirmed at CinemaCon 2025 that Chapter 5 is in active development, with both Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski attached to return. While the studio expressed excitement about finding a “phenomenal and fresh” direction for John’s story, fans likely shouldn’t expect the film imminently, especially with Stahelski potentially busy with other projects like his planned Highlander remake.
The Caine spinoff itself is shaping up to be a significant project for Lionsgate, with Robert Askins (The Umbrella Academy, Hand to God) penning the screenplay based on a pitch from Stahelski and Yen. The studio is reportedly targeting a 2025 production start date in Hong Kong, immersing Caine’s story in a setting renowned for its rich history of action filmmaking. Yen is also stepping in as director of Caine, expanding his John Wick influence behind the cameras.
The expansion isn’t limited to the big screen. Following the 2023 release of the prequel series The Continental: From the World of John Wick on Peacock, which explored the rise of a young Winston Scott (Colin Woodell) in 1970s New York, Lionsgate is developing further television projects. Currently, a series titled John Wick: Under the High Table is in the works, with Stahelski and Reeves executive producing.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina will be released in theaters on June 6th.
Are you excited about Caine? What role do you expect Rina Sawayama’s Akira to play in the spinoff? Let us know in the comments!
