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

The prequel series will chart the origin of the iconic hotel for assassins from the ‘Wick’ movies, featuring a younger version of the Winston character.

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.

John Wick: Chapter 4

"No way back, one way out."

R2 hr 50 minMar 13th, 2023

Showtimes & Tickets

Watch John Wick: Chapter 4 Online

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.

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.