Between a potential fifth film, Ballerina (the Ana de Armas spin-off), and what we’ve seen in The Continental trailer… safe to say, the John Wick universe is in full swing. And while we could probably sit here and unpack the rise of a franchise that was almost relegated to the bargain bins with a straight-to-DVD release — as in just weeks away from this very fate — we’re here today because of the latter.
Officially titled The Continental: From The World of John Wick to ensure everyone knows exactly what we’re dealing with, the forthcoming three-part prequel series explores the background story of Ian McShane’s Winston Scott (portrayed by Colin Woodell).
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Set in an alternate timeline’s 1970s, it focuses on how Winston came into power as the proprietor of New York’s infamous The Continental hotel — a sanctuary, and one of several all around the globe, for assassins; on the grounds of which no “business” can ever be conducted by threat of execution.
According to the plot synopsis, The Continental will also explore variations on real-world events like the Winter of Discontent and the American Mafia’s rise to economic power.
Woodell stars alongside the likes of Mel Gibson as Cormac, a major crime lord and ostensibly the current proprietor of New York’s The Continental; Ayomide Adegun as the younger version of the late Lance Reddick’s Charon; Misha Prada as NYPD detective KD; Katie McGrath as The Adjudicator; and Sallay Garnett as The Concierge.
The cast also features Jeremy Bobb as Mayhew, Jessica Allain as Lou, Hubert Point-Du Jour as Miles, Nhung Kate as Yen, and Ben Robson as Frankie — the older brother of Winston who sets the entire chain of events into motion.
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The Continental has been developed by Greg Coolidge, Kirk Ward, and Shawn Simmons; and hauls the return of both franchise veterans + stunt extraordinaires Chad Stahelski and David Leitch as executive producers (which is quite evident based on the action showcased in the first full-length trailer).
The Continental: From The World of John Wick premieres on September 22, 2023 over in the US (Peacock) and here in Australia (Amazon Prime Video); Ballerina starring Ana de Armas, on the other hand, is scheduled to arrive on June 7, 2024 — check out the meaty preview above.
