‘The Continental’ Teaser: Mel Gibson Stars in ‘John Wick’ Spinoff Show
After four successful movies starring one of Hollywood’s most universally adored leading men, the “John Wick” franchise is heading to TV with a far more controversial star. “The Continental,” a three-part miniseries set in the “John Wick” universe and starring Mel Gibson, will release on Peacock this September, the streamer announced Wednesday. A short teaser for the show was also released, which can be watched below.
Named after its central hero, the “John Wick” franchise revolves around a complex criminal underworld populated by colorful and deadly assassins. In the film’s universe, all assassins abide by a code in which the Continental hotel chain serves as a neutral ground for all factions. “The Continental” show is a ’70s-set prequel that tells the story of how the the Continental system was established, from the viewpoint of Winston Scott (played in the films by Ian McShane), the eventual New York City Continental owner.
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In the series, the young version of Winston is played by Colin Woodell; additional cast members aside from Gibson include Mishel Prada, Ben Robson, Hubert Point-Du Jour, Nhung Kate, Jessica Allain, Ayomide Adegun, Jeremy Bobb, and Peter Greene. The show’s teaser, set to Donna Summer’s disco classic “I Feel Love,” doesn’t feature Gibson, but gives a glimpse at Woodell and shows off the intense gunfights and stylish action scenes fans have come to expect from the franchise.
“The Continental” will mark Gibson’s first ever leading performance in a television show. The two-time Oscar winning actor and director, best known for the “Mad Max” and “Lethal Weapon” franchises as well as the historical epic “Braveheart,” spent a solid decade as a pariah in show business, after a 2006 DUI incident in which he made several antisemitic comments. His reputation worsened after a 2010 domestic violence incident with his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, who released phone call recordings in which he verbally abused her and used several racist slurs.
Gibson began making something of a comeback in 2013 with “Machete Kills,” “Noah,” and “The Expendables 3.” In 2016, he received a Best Director Oscar nod for his Andrew Garfield war film “Hacksaw Ridge.” His numerous controversies have continued to raise eyebrows about his “redemption” in Hollywood, and since “Hacksaw Ridge,” Gibson has largely starred in low budget thriller films, with the exception of projects like last year’s “Father Stu.”
The “John Wick” franchise, which stars Keanu Reeves in the title role, began in 2014; the fourth film released in theaters last month to critical acclaim, and series director Chad Stahelski has teased a fifth film. A spinoff film “Ballerina,” starring Ana De Armas as a new assassin and directed by Len Wiseman, is scheduled to release June 7, 2024.
“The Continental” was developed for television by Greg Coolidge, Kirk Ward, and Shawn Simmons, who wrote the series. Albert Hughes directs the first and last installment, and Charlotte Brandstrom directs the second. Coolidge, Ward, Simmons, Hughes, and Stahelski executive produce with David Leitch, Derek Kolstad, Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese, Marshall Persinger, and Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee of Thunder Road Pictures. Lionsgate produces the series for Peacock.
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