Moviefone Editorial

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  • Teaser for ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’

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    What worked (mostly) for ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Marvel’ can work for everything, right? That appears to be the lesson that the producers of ‘John Wick’ have taken from Disney’s hunger to expand all of their storytelling universes outside of the movie sphere, with linked TV series on Disney+.

    Which means that the ‘Wick’ world is ever-growing, with a movie spin-off (‘Ballerina’, starring Ana de Armas) due next year, and before it, a TV prequel that aims to dig into the predictably violent history of the Continental hotel that forms a key part of the stories in each movie.

    It doesn’t hurt, of course, that the most recent main entry, ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ has scored a healthy $270 million worldwide since it landed near the end of March.

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    And now we have a first teaser for ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’ to offer a look at the show which, as you might expect, is full of bloody violence and guns. Lots of guns.

    ‘The Continental’ will air on Peacock in September.
    ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’ will air on Peacock in September.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

    What is ‘The Continental’ about?

    According to the official blurb, the new “TV event” (think three 90-minute episodes, a little like the way the BBC’s ‘Sherlock’ used to run) will explore the origin behind the hotel-for-assassins, which has long become the centerpiece of the ‘John Wick’ universe.

    This will be accomplished through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, who is dragged into the Hellscape of a 1975 New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the New York’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the iconic hotel, which serves as the meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals.

    ‘Ambulance’s Colin Woodell plays the younger Winston (the character brought to life in the movies by Ian McShane) while Ayomide Adegun is Charon (the future concierge of the hotel, where he’s played by the late, great Lance Reddick).

    At this point in the story, the Concierge is someone played by Sallay Garnett. And possibly the biggest –– and most controversial –– piece of casting is Mel Gibson, who plays a character called Cormac. He doesn’t appear in the trailer, so it’s impossible to say how he fits into the story.

    What we do know is that the show is bursting with 1970s style and the usual brunch of quirky assassins.

    The cast for this one also includes Nhung Kate, Adam Shapiro, Katie McGrath, Jeremy Bobb, Ray McKinnon and Peter Greene, who appears to be playing the younger version of cleaner-for-hire Charlie.

    Given the time period, we doubt Wick himself will make an appearance, unless there’s a sneaky shot of an orphaned child or teenager being shown how to use a gun.

    ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’ will air on Peacock in September.

    ‘The Continental’ will air on Peacock in September.
    ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’ will air on Peacock in September.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘John Wick’ Movies On Amazon

     

  • Keanu Reeves to Appear in ‘John Wick’ Spin-Off ‘Ballerina’

    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.'
    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.’

    The ‘John Wick’ universe just continues to expand, with a fourth main movie headed our way in a few months (and giving out cryptic social media clues about… something – probably a trailer) and ‘The Continental’ TV series making its way through post-production after shooting this year.

    Attention is now turning to ‘Ballerina’, the movie spin-off of the ‘Wick’ films, which stars Ana de Armas.

    Len Wiseman, better known for the likes of the ‘Underworld’ franchise and ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, is in the director’s chair for the movie, which has a script from ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ co-writer Shay Hatten.

    Lionsgate has announced that Ian McShane, who has played Winston, the complicated manager of the Continental Hotel seen in the movies, will be back to reprise the role.

    Collider, meanwhile, has learned that the key figure in the entire franchise – that would be Keanu Reeves, who plays John Wick himself – will also show up in the spin-off.

    There is, of course, no information about what Wick might be doing in the movie (besides kicking, punching and shooting people, we can only assume), or how big his involvement will be beyond a potential cameo, since this is really intended to focus on de Armas’ character.

    Ana de Armas in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ana de Armas in ‘The Gray Man.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.

    ‘Ballerina’ will follow the Ballerina character glimpsed briefly (and there played by Unity Phelan) in ‘Parabellum’ and tracks a young assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family. So… yes, very much a ‘John Wick’ story.

    “We’re thrilled to have Ian McShane joining us for a pivotal role in ‘Ballerina’, says producer Basil Iwanyk. “He’s been such an integral part of the franchise since the original John Wick. It’s been fun to have him on this journey as the Wick universe expands.”

    There is no statement about Reeves – but then, his presence is probably something the producers were trying to keep quiet a little longer. And the studio has yet to reveal who else is in the cast, but with cameras now rolling, expect more details soon.

    ‘The Continental’, which focuses on a younger iteration of Winston, is also due on screens in 2023 via Peacock. That show features Mel Gibson, Colin Woodell, Nhung Kate and Katie McGrath in its ensemble.

    The fourth ‘Wick’ movie, meanwhile, finds Reeves in familiar territory. “John Wick takes on his most lethal adversaries yet in the upcoming fourth installment of the series,” reads the official logline for the next movie. “With the price on his head ever increasing, Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Osaka to Berlin.”

    ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ lands in theaters on March 24th next year. ‘Ballerina’ has yet to confirm a release date.

    Ian McShane in 'John Wick: Chapter 2'
    Ian McShane in ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’
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