John Wick: Chapter 4 didn’t leave a ton of room to continue its story into sequels, so how about a prequel instead?
The story continues (or I guess begins?) in The Continental: From the World of John Wick, which is set to premiere on the Peacock streaming service next month. Set at the hotel from the John Wick films where assassin types congregate and mingle, The Continental is a prequel that reveals the early days of a young Winston Scott — who eventually becomes the manager of the Continental in the John Wick movies, and is played by Ian McShane.
On the show, Winston is played by Colin Woodell, and the series looks a bit like a heist of said hotel, engineered by Winston and some of his fellow underworld allies. The series is set in the 1970s and also stars Mel Gibson; watch the trailer below.
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The Continental director and executive producer Albert Hughes had this to say about why he wanted to make a TV show set in the world of John Wick:
The challenge for me was capitalizing on television’s ability to deliver longer form storytelling and deeper character arcs. We found this format to be an exciting opportunity to create three feature films that balance storytelling and interesting idiosyncratic characters while giving the hardcore Wick fans more of what they love – original high-octane action. We can’t wait for you to see what we’ve all been working on; we believe it is great television at its best.
Here is the series’ official synopsis:
The three-part event will explore the origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins centerpiece of the John Wick universe through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, as he’s dragged into the Hell-scape of 1970’s New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the hotel’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the hotel where he will eventually take his future throne.
The Continental: From the World of John Wick will premiere on Peacock on September 22. The series will roll out weekly, with subsequent episodes on September 29 and October 6.