“The suit doesn’t make a man; it’s what’s inside the suit that counts,” it states in the opening narration of The Continental‘s official trailer.
The footage opens with a young Winston (originally played by Ian McShane) from the John Wick franchise (now played by Colin Woodell in this prequel series), tasked by Cormac (Mel Gibson), the head of a hotel of assassins called The Continental, to find his brother Frankie (Ben Robson), who stole something important. “Find him, ’cause if you don’t, I’ll bring the weight of this whole institution down on you both.”
However, Winston takes his brother’s side and decides to strike first. The duo then assemble a team to take on all the “freaks” who reside at the hotel, each equipped with the skills to kill. The series is set to feature how Winston became The Continental’s head, as seen in the film franchise, as well as the hotel-for-assassins’ origin.
For those unfamiliar with John Wick, the film franchise starring Keanu Reeves follows the titular assassin who comes out of retirement to exact revenge after the son of a mob boss kills the puppy Wick’s dead wife left him. Since the original film’s debut, an action-packed movie franchise has followed, showcasing the world of assassins and how the hotel functions.
The three-part event series will serve as a prequel through the eyes and actions of Winston Scott as he’s dragged into the Hell-scape of 1970s 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.
Alongside Woodell, Gibson, and Robson, the series stars Mishel Prada (KD), Hubert Point-Du Jour (Miles), Nhung Kate (Yen), Jessica Allain (Lou), Ayomide Adegun (Charon), Jeremy Bobb (Mayhew) and Peter Greene (Uncle Charlie).
Executive producer Basil Iwanyk explained why they chose the hotel for assassins as the series’ focus in a statement to fans.
John Wick “hit a chord that none of us anticipated,” he said. “Yes, people love Keanu. And the action was awesome. What we didn’t see coming was how much the audience loved the world, its rules, the swagger, the craziness, and the rogue’s gallery of villains and (kinda) good guys. All those roads led to one place, the epicenter and beating heart of the franchise: the hotel called The Continental, led by two of the franchise’s greatest characters, Winston and Charon.”
“The four Wick films take place over a 3 month span. John is either chasing, or being chased. There has been no time to take a breath, to allow the audience to dig deeper into the world and its denizens,” he went on. “In our show, The Continental, we finally have space to explore these characters, how they became who they are, and how The Continental became the epicenter of this world. Combine that with introducing new characters that are as compelling as any in the John Wick universe. Action that’s crazy cool and inventive. Easter eggs that will excite the hardcore Wick fans. And what I love the most: a vision of ‘70s New York that embodies the sexiness, edginess, and visceral style that the franchise is known for. This show will look/sound/smell cooler than any show out there.”
The Continental: From the World of John Wick, Night 1, Friday, September 22, Peacock
The Continental: From the World of John Wick, Night 2, Friday, September 29, Peacock
The Continental: From the World of John Wick, Night 3, Friday, October 6, Peacock