Chad Stahelski Signs Separate First Look Lionsgate Deal To Produce Original Action Pics Post ‘John Wick’ & ‘Highlander’ Pact

Anthony D'Alessandro
·2 min read

Expanding their canvas with their John Wick filmmaker even further, Lionsgate has signed a second production deal with Chad Stahelski that will see the filmmaker and his 87Eleven Entertainment label producing original action fare for the studio. It’s a multi-year first look.

The announcement comes just weeks after Stahelski signed on to direct a reimagination of the Highlander franchise as his next feature film, while also taking on creative oversight of the Highlander and John Wick franchises across film, television, and all multimedia platforms. Recently, to jazz up John Wick spinoff Ballerina even more, the Ana de Aramas action movie was delayed a year to summer 2025, first weekend of June, so that additional action scenes could be shot and added.

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“Chad and his team at 8711 Entertainment are profoundly talented filmmakers and creative collaborators,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Chair Adam Fogelson. “They raise the bar of excellence on every project they take on, and we are looking to Chad to bring us the best new original action projects that we can work on together and turn into the next hits and franchises.”

“Lionsgate has been my home studio throughout my career as a feature director, so it only makes sense that I would base our film production business with the team that has been such extraordinary partners for so many years,” said Stahelski.

The John Wick franchise has reaped $1.03 billion at the worldwide box office with last spring’s John Wick: Chapter 4 becoming the highest grossing pic at $440M-plus and 94% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Working with the franchise producers, Thunder Road’s Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, Stahelski serves as an executive producer of Ballerina.

Stahelski is aided by his key team at 87Eleven Entertainment Jason Spitz and Alex Young. Stahelski is represented by WME, attorney Tara Kole, and Mortimer PR.  Lionsgate’s Bonnie Stylides oversaw the dealmaking on behalf of the studio.

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