'John Wick 2' gets pre-brought by Swiss company Ascot as part of a new distribution deal that may solidify a multi-title franchise. Leading man Keanu Reeves gets an honor at the Deauville Film Festival currently ongoing from September 4 to 13 in host country France.

According to Inverse.com, Lionsgate's planned extension of the highly popular film first released in 2014 will likely happen now that Swiss distributor Ascot Elite has acquired the rights to it. The distribution company will also host several other upcoming A-lister films including Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight' and Stephen Gaghan's 'Gold'. The sequel will see the return of stuntmen-turned-directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch as well as Keanu Reeves as the titular professional assassin unwittingly pulled back from retirement.

The first action-thriller proved to be a potentially bankable franchise besides the fact that it earned a staggering $78 million against a modest $20 million budget, according to Screen Rant. Lionsgate CEO John Feltheimer himself said, "We see 'John Wick' as a multiple-title action franchise."

It was reported that the film's fascinating background story of politics, economics, underground crime syndicates, and overall philosophy adds to its allure for 'John Wick 2' and hopefully other films in the future of the franchise. It also has its neo-noir signature style that can be replicated along multi-media platforms such as video games, graphic novels and television series.

A versatile action star in the form of Reeves is definitely one of the greatest factors for the success of 'John Wick'. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 51-year-old actor has a career tribute waiting at the annual American film festival held in Deauville, France. Organizers announced that Reeves has been chosen for the accolade because of his skill and versatility to take on a host of contrasting roles during his notable career in the film industry.

'John Wick 2' is an upcoming follow-up to critically-acclaimed film released last October 24, 2014. The film's script is currently in the works under writer Derek Kolstad. The first film followed a retired hitman's return to a murderous existence to avenge the murder of his beloved dog, a farewell gift bestowed to him after his wife's passing.