The Continental has found a new home.
Lionsgate and Peacock have announced a multi-year deal for The Continental, the highly anticipated three-part limited series that will serve as a prequel to the John Wick film series. The series was originally set to premiere on Starz but will now debut on Peacock in 2023. The Continental will explore the origin story and inner workings of the exclusive Continental Hotel, a centerpiece of the John Wick Universe which serves as a refuge for assassins. "The John Wick films have become a global phenomenon, are among the most watched titles on Peacock and we are thrilled and honored to partner with Lionsgate to extend this incredible franchise," said Kelly Campbell, President of Peacock and Direct-to-Consumer, adding that "the premiere of The Continental will be the streaming event of the year."
The Continental was announced in January 2018. The upcoming prequel series will be told from the perspective of the hotel manager, a young Winston Scott, who will be portrayed by Colin Woodell. "[Winston] is dragged through 1975 New York to face a past he thought he’d left behind," reads the series' official synopsis. "In an attempt to seize control of the iconic hotel, which serves as a meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals, Winston charts a deadly course through the mysterious underworld of New York City." Ian McShane plays an older version of the character in the John Wick films.
The Continental Will Feature New and Familiar Characters
Winston is not the only familiar character from the John Wick films that fans will recognize in The Continental. Ayomide Adegun and Peter Greene have been cast as younger versions of Charon and Uncle Charlie, based on the characters played by Lance Reddick and David Patrick Kelly, respectively, in the films. New additions to the John Wick Universe include Mel Gibson as Cormac, Ben Robson as Frankie, Hubert Point-Du Jour as Miles, Jessica Allain as Lou, Mishel Prada as KD and Nhung Kate as Yen.
Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward will serve as co-writers and showrunners on The Continental. Albert Hughes directs the first and third episodes of the series while Charlotte Brandstrom directs the second episode. Franchise creator Derek Kolstad as well as John Wick's co-directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch will serve as executive producers on The Continental. Stahelski also produced and directed John Wick: Chapter 4, which will feature McShane and Reddick reprising their roles from previous films as the older versions of Winston and Charon.
The Continental premieres on Peacock in 2023.
Source: Peacock and Lionsgate