Peacocks’ The Continental’ | John Wick Prequel

[Pennywise]

‘John Wick’ Prequel Event Series ‘The Continental’ Lands Albert Hughes as Lead Director – The Hollywood Reporter

Director Albert Hughes has checked into The Continental.

The filmmaker, who with his brother co-directed movies such as Menace II Society and The Book of Eli, has signed on to direct two episodes of Lionsgate and Starz’s three-installment event series based on the hit John Wickaction movies that star Keanu Reeves.

Continental, which is set in the unique hotel for assassins in the Wick movies, was initially envisioned as spinoff series but was redeveloped as a three-night event series with movie length and movie budgets. The installments are to run about 90 minutes in length and, according to sources, have budgets upwards of $20 million.

Hughes will direct the first and third episode while executive producing all three. A director for episode two has not yet been chosen.

Lionsgate and Starz had no comment.

Many members of the film franchise are involved, with Basil Iwanyk of Thunder Road, original screenwriter Derek Kolstad and franchise director Chad Stahelski exec producing. (Stahelski was slated to direct the premiere episode when Continental was to have been a series.) Reeves is also an exec producer as is David Leitch.

A prequel spinoff, Continental is set 40 years before the events of the Wick series and focuses on a young man named Winston. He will one day grow up to be the character played by Ian McShane in the Wick movies but in the prequel’s story is a young man starting as a hitman hotelier who, along with others, create a haven for unsavory types, all set against a backdrop of 1970s New York.

Wick, and building out an expanded media universe, is a top priority for Lionsgate as it looks to lay a foundation of franchises as a company that does not own a library of big IP brands. The movies organically built a worldwide following one movie at a time, with the three movies generating close to $600 million on a global scale. Recognition factor and ancillary sales are huge and Wick 4 is now in production, with a fifth one to shoot after.

 

[Pennywise]

The Continental: New Character Descriptions Give Exciting Clues About New John Wick Prequel Series: Exclusive - The Illuminerdi

Winston, the series lead, is described as “Young Ian McShane”. 31 years old and posing as someone he is not. Winston’s dark past will be revealed with his greatest strength, and weapon, becoming his mind.

Frankie is a series regular and Wintson’s brother and a Vietnam War veteran with a troubled soul. While in Vietnam Frankie met and fell in love with Yen who he eventually married. Frankie works for the dangerous mob boss Cormac, but steals something valuable from him to try and buy his freedom from a different crime syndicate that he owes. But the crime syndicate betrays him putting not only himself, but his brother and wife in mortal danger.

Yen is Vietnamese and described as exceptionally physical and supremely agile. Yen is Frankie’s wife who met him while he was serving in Vietnam. Yen saved his life and the pair fell in love. Yen is intensely loyal and only trusts her husband.

Cormack is a Mob Boss in his 60s and described as tremendously intimidating and devious. He rarely gets his own hands dirty with an endless supply of enforcers at the ready. Cormack is after Frankie, needing to retrieve what he stole no matter the cost.

Young Charon 17 years old and Cormack’s right-hand man. Charon eventually works for Winston becoming the concierge at The Continental.

Katherine Decker aka KD is a Detective who stumbles across The Continental while surveilling an arms buyer she has been tailing go into the hotel. Described as tough, relentless, and inquisitive she becomes intent on unraveling the secrets of the Continental even after her superior warns her to stay away.

Mayhew is a cop in his 60s and Katherine Decker’s boss. Grizzled and corrupt he turns a blind eye to what happens at The Continental and he warns Detective Katherine Decker to do the same. However, when he sees her stubborn resolve he gives her a file on Frankie.

Miles is described as Black in his 30s, a Vietnam War veteran turned gun runner. Miles is willing to do whatever it takes to find the money to keep his father’s old Dojo now run by his sister, Lou, afloat.

Loise aka Lou is described as Black in her 30s and a fighter, rougher and beat down. Lou is Miles’ sister and runs their father’s old Dojo. She reluctantly assists her brother in his criminal business, but wants them both to get out of the gun running business.

Mrs. Davenport is Mr. Davenport’s high class and seemingly demanding wife. She and Winston are having an affair and she helps him to persuade her husband to fund Winston’s newest project.

Mr. Davenport is described as 45-65 and unbelievably rich. Extremely influential in London he is Winston’s target investor for his latest project. His own wife and Winston manipulate Mr. Davenport into working with him.

 

[Pennywise]

 

[DarthSkywalker]

They figured out how to get me to not watch it. Impressive.

 

[Pennywise]

They figured out how to get me to not watch it. Impressive.

 

[LoganPool]

I don't care what anyone says, I'll watch anything with Mel Gibson. Love this news!

 

[DarkKnight88]

I’m down. Gibson has made a nice post career as a villain and I dig it.

 

[Still Wynning]

 

[Snow Queen]

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I’m down. Gibson has made a nice post career as a villain and I dig it.

But not as much as he digs anti-Semitism!

 

[DarkKnight88]

Haven’t you heard? He’s forgiven.

 

[Drizzle]

I guess they figured that casting a controversial figure like Gibson would draw attention away from the fact that it's a John Wick prequel without John Wick.

 

[Deck Rickard]

The Gibson news pretty much guarantees that I won’t watch it (though I must admit that I loved Boss Level) but I honestly wasn’t that interested in this to begin with. The JW series jumped the shark for me with Parabellum. And I don’t really have much interest in the origins of The Continental.

 

[Drizzle]

I would have been fine with a Continental spinoff series starring Ian McShane and Lance Reddick but everything's gotta be a prequel these days.

 

[NotNickFury]

I'm in. While I've liked a lot of Gibson's recent directorial stuff like Hacksaw Ridge, will be interesting to see him in front of the camera again, too. Yeah, there's the controversy, all the stuff he said- obviously that's never gonna go away. But that's never gonna detract me from seeing something with him involved.

 

[Pennywise]

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/jo...e-continental-starz-colin-woodell-1235092770/
[URL]https://deadline.com/2021/10/john-wick-origin-series-the-continental-cast-hubert-point-du-jour-jessica-allain-mishel-prada-1234858500/[/URL]

 

[Deck Rickard]

I'm in. While I've liked a lot of Gibson's recent directorial stuff like Hacksaw Ridge, will be interesting to see him in front of the camera again, too. Yeah, there's the controversy, all the stuff he said- obviously that's never gonna go away. But that's never gonna detract me from seeing something with him involved.

I’m not going to try and tell you not to watch things with Gibson but it’s not just stuff he said. It’s also stuff he did (and not just “allegedly” because he pleaded guilty to it). His racist remarks are awful but people also shouldn’t forget that he physically and verbally abused his ex-girlfriend. It’s fine if people want to forgive him or can separate the man from his work but I feel like the domestic violence stuff gets swept under the rug whenever people discuss whether he should still be blacklisted or not.

 

[super85]

I might actually watch this now when Gibson is cast.

 

[GREEN =w= DAY]

Mel Gibson is a nut but the man is a hell of an actor and even better director. The news of his casting will definitely get me to watch

 

[Pennywise]

‘The Continental’: Peter Greene, Ayomide Adegun, Jeremy Bobb Join Starz’s ‘John Wick’ Prequel Series – Deadline

 

[Pennywise]

'The Continental:' John Wick Prequel Series Adds Five New Cast Members

 

[Pennywise]

'John Wick' Prequel Series Moves From Starz to Peacock - Variety

 

[Pennywise]

‘John Wick’ Prequel Series To Launch Internationally On Prime Video – Deadline

 

[squeekness]

‘John Wick’ Prequel Series To Launch Internationally On Prime Video – Deadline

I just hope all this moving around doesn't ruin what sounds like a great show.

 

[henzINNIT]

I would have been fine with a Continental spinoff series starring Ian McShane and Lance Reddick but everything's gotta be a prequel these days.

A story about Lance Reddick's character in particular would be awesome. Can't say I care enough about the Wick universe to be interested in this show as it sounds so far.