The John Wick the franchise continues with Peacock’s Continentalwhich premieres in September 2023, and the streamer just released new photos from the season featuring stars Colin Woodell, Ayomide Adegun, Mel Gibson and more.
A three-part event, Continental takes viewers back where John Wick began by focusing on a young Winston and Charon, characters made famous by Ian McShane and Lance Reddick in films alongside Keanu Reeves’ titular character.
Continental will explore the origin behind the assassin hotel centerpiece John Wick universe through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott (Woodell) as he is dragged into the hellscape of 1970s New York to confront a past he thought he had left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the hotel’s mysterious underworld in a terrifying bid to seize the hotel where he will eventually claim his future throne.
Continental Cast Woodell as Scott, Adegun as Charon, Gibson as Cormac, Michelle Prada as KD, Ben Robson as Frankie, Hubert Point-Du Jour as Miles, Nhung Kate as Yen, Jessica Allain as Lou, Jeremy Bobb as Mayhew and Peter Greene as Uncle Charlie. The series was originally headed to Starz, but moved to Peacock in August 2022.
Executive producer Basil Iwanyk explained why they chose the assassin hotel as the focus of the series in a statement to fans.
John Wick “You’re striking a chord that none of us anticipated,” he said. “Yes, people love Keanu. And the action was awesome. What I didn’t see coming was how much the audience loved the world, its rules, its rule, its madness, and its rogues gallery of villains and (sort of) good guys. All those roads led to one place, the epicenter and beating heart of the franchise: the hotel called The Continental, run by two of the franchise’s biggest characters, Winston and Charon.”
“The four Wick movies take place over a period of 3 months. John is either chasing or being chased. There was no time to breathe, to allow the audience to dig deeper into the world and its inhabitants,” he continued. “In our show, 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 the introduction of new characters that are as compelling as any of the John Wick universe. Crazy cool and inventive action. Easter eggs that will excite Wick fans. And what I love most: a vision of 70s New York that embodies the sexy, edgy and visceral style the franchise is known for. This show will look/sound/smell cooler than any show out there.”
Parts 1 and 3 executive producer and director Albert Hughes said they aim to “honor the spirit of escapism and excitement from the film series while introducing new fans to a hyper-stylized world they’ve never seen before so far”. (Charlotte Brandstrom directs Part 2.)
“Together, Executive Producer/Writer Kirk Ward and I had several goals – to explore the backstories of familiar Wick characters, introduce new and interesting ones, deepen the rules and mythology while expanding the physical realm of The Continental, showing fans areas of the film. iconic hotel they have never seen before,” he continued. “Kirk and I had the time of our lives creating this impressionistic twist on New York in the 70s. Even the soundtrack has become a character in itself and reflects everything that is American culture – a tapestry of distinct identities and experiences brought together to create something truly unique.”
He also noted that “disco noir” was the mood they aimed to achieve. Get a glimpse into this new vision of John Wick in the Continental drop photos below.
ContinentalSeries Premiere, September 2023, Peacock