Saber Interactive John Wick deal pairs post-Embracer studio with Lionsgate in rare director-aligned licensing structure
Summary
Saber Interactive announced an untitled John Wick AAA game at Sony's State of Play on Feb 12.
The deal unites Saber, Lionsgate, and franchise director Chad Stahelski in a three-way collaboration.
Keanu Reeves returns in likeness and voice, elevating this beyond a standard IP-branding license.
The game is set "years before the Impossible Task" as an original story within film canon.
"Saber is honored to be working alongside Chad, Keanu and the Lionsgate team in a true collaboration to bring the world of Wick to life in a AAA game"
01
Director-level involvement distinguishes this from typical Hollywood IP deals
Stahelski's direct creative role reduces adaptation risk that plagues most film-to-game projects.
The franchise creator shapes the game's cinematic language, not just a licensee's interpretation.
Reeves lending both likeness and voice signals full talent commitment, not a passive brand loan.
The prequel-era setting gives Saber narrative freedom without contradicting film canon.
That structure supports franchise expansion without requiring ongoing studio sign-off per sequel.
02
Space Marine 2 track record de-risks execution for Lionsgate
Saber's Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 proved the studio can ship genre-defining licensed AAA titles.
The studio is replicating John Wick's signature gun-fu combat and cinematic camera techniques.
This is a production-design-level commitment, not a surface IP reskin.
"Something that blurs the line between movies and video games, making it something truly special"
03
Sony showcase placement signals platform marketing co-investment
State of Play reveal indicates a Sony marketing partnership beyond a standard multiplatform announcement.
The game still targets PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, ruling out platform exclusivity.
Showcase-level visibility for a pre-titled game implies Sony treats this as a tentpole third-party bet.
Events
Companies
Games
Locations
—
COMPILED BY GAMES ATLAS EDITORIAL
RELATED ARTICLES
EXPLORE MORE
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!