John Wick Is Officially Rewriting The Baba Yaga's Origin Story In Upcoming Prequel

John Wick entered the franchise as a legend whose reputation preceded him, but the story of how Jardani Jovonovich actually became the Baba Yaga remains surprisingly incomplete. The films have gradually filled in pieces of his past, revealing his Belarusian origins, his connection to the Ruska Roma, and the brutal training that helped transform him into one of the underworld’s most feared assassins. By the time Wick worked for Viggo Tarasov, however, he was already a name capable of terrifying hardened criminals.

Exactly how he reached that point remains one of the franchise’s biggest unanswered questions. John’s earliest assignments, the origins of many of his underworld relationships, when he adopted the John Wick identity, and the specific events that built the Baba Yaga legend have largely been left unexplored. Even the infamous Impossible Task only provides a glimpse of the killer he eventually became.

Now, that carefully guarded history is about to be blown wide open, with a new prequel poised to rewrite John Wick’s origin story and reveal more about how the Baba Yaga was actually created.

John Wick Will Finally Resolve The Baba Yaga’s Biggest Mysteries

Saber Interactive’s untitled John Wick game has an opportunity to fill in some of the most important missing years in the Baba Yaga’s history. The project is officially set years before John’s infamous Impossible Task, placing it in a period when he was still an active assassin rather than the retired killer introduced in the original film. Saber also says its original narrative will expand the franchise’s lore with both familiar and entirely new characters, making this much more than a loose side story.

That timeline could finally provide answers the movies have deliberately avoided. Fans know Jardani Jovonovich was raised and trained through the Ruska Roma before eventually becoming John Wick, but much of the transformation between those points remains unexplored.

When did other assassins begin calling him Baba Yaga? Which jobs built his near-mythical reputation? How did he establish relationships with major figures throughout the criminal underworld, and what was his position within that world before he decided he wanted out?

In that sense, the game could effectively rewrite John Wick’s origin story, not necessarily by contradicting anything already established, but by transforming scattered pieces of backstory into a complete narrative. Saber is developing the project alongside Lionsgate, franchise director Chad Stahelski, and Keanu Reeves, while describing it as a new chapter within the existing John Wick timeline. His deliberately mysterious background could therefore become a period with definitive and concrete details about John’s life, showing players the events that turned a talented assassin into the legendary Baba Yaga everyone already fears by the time the movies begin.

The John Wick Prequel Is Coming Soon

Beyond its place in the timeline, Saber Interactive’s untitled John Wick project is shaping up as a much more traditional action game than 2019’s tactical John Wick Hex. Saber describes it as a AAA, single-player, third-person action game built around Wick’s signature gun-fu, combining firearms and close-quarters combat with cinematic camerawork, atmospheric environments, and intense driving sequences.

The goal is essentially to recreate the rhythm and choreography of the movies while putting players directly in control of the Baba Yaga. Keanu Reeves is also involved, of course, and will provide Wick’s likeness, voice, and more, while franchise director Chad Stahelski is collaborating on the production.

Exactly when players will get their hands on it remains less certain. Saber still officially lists the game simply as TBA, with no confirmed release year, let alone a specific date. Early industry estimates generally placed a potential launch somewhere in 2027 or 2028, based largely on how early the project appeared to be when revealed.

More recently, however, Saber chief business officer Steve Allison referenced John Wick while discussing the company’s slate being assembled for 2028. Saber subsequently clarified that Allison was speaking broadly rather than announcing an official release target, so 2028 should not be treated as confirmed. Still, it currently represents the strongest indication of when Wick’s next gaming appearance might arrive. The game is currently confirmed for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.