A new action thriller from the John Wick team described as "a corporate thriller with a samurai twist" is finding its cast, and I've never been more seated

Keanu Reeves as John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 4
(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Wicked star Cynthia Erivo has joined the line-up of the upcoming action thriller on the way from the John Wick team – and it sounds like an absolute must-watch.

The news of Erivo's casting comes courtesy of Deadline, though no details on her character are available just yet. 1883's Isabel May and Past Lives's Teo Yoo co-star.

The film, which is titled Karoshi, is being produced by 87Eleven Entertainment's Chad Stahelski, Alex Young, and Jason Spitz. 87Eleven Entertainment is the John Wick franchise's production company – and Stahelski, of course, is the franchise's director. Karoshi will be helmed by Takashi Doscher, who is also writing the script.

The film's title is a Japanese word that describes a death from overwork. According to the report, the film is described as "a corporate thriller with a samurai twist."

With 87Eleven Entertainment's action chops, and Erivo's formidable acting ability – she was just nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars for Wicked, after all – this looks like a film well worth putting at the top of your most anticipated list.

We'll next see Erivo returning as Elphaba in Wicked: For Good, which is the second and final movie, adapting Act 2 of the Broadway musical. Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey will also return as Glinda and Fiyero.

As for John Wick, despite some talk of a fifth installment, Keanu Reeves has pretty definitively shut down speculation: "Well, you know the character's dead."

Karoshi doesn't have a release date just yet. While you wait, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies of 2025 to get planning your theater trips.

Molly Edwards
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English. 

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