John Wick: Chapter 4 accomplished some amazing feats, as it presumably sewed up the story of Keanu Reeves’ well-dressed assassin in the best way possible. Though Lionsgate is considering a John Wick 5 at the moment, the future of the franchise lies on the 2023 TV schedule, thanks to this fall’s premiere of the long-awaited prequel The Continental. Already teasing blood and action, this three night event looks killer; even if I know I’m going to miss Keanu.
We haven’t seen too much from The Continental prior to the trailer released by Peacock and, now, we have more of a sense of the tone. Looking as slick as the John Wick universe that's been established by the films, the quick glances of bloody sheets and massive bullet-spraying mayhem is definitely at home with the underground world introduced by directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski in 2014.
Even the musical accompaniment is on point, as Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” gives the show's first look a hell of a beat to kill to. And, of course, what would this reel of footage be without a teasing look at Winston Scott’s youthful visage, in the form of actor Colin Woodell, arriving at the hotel he’ll eventually run?
At the same time, while I'm totally excited for what The Contninental will bring, it's hard not to miss Keanu Reeves suiting up for more mayhem. That's no slight to what lies ahead, especially with the New York branch looking like Studio 54 for assassins, and the promise of more bon mots from Winston. Rather, I've just gotten used to the John Wick world so far centering around Reeves and his dog loving anti-heroics. Which, looking back at how long it's taken this series to come to fruition, isn't unreasonable.
Since John Wick: Chapter 2’s theatrical release, it's been widely know that this production was originally set to debut on the Starz network. That decision was made before the world even knew that this would be a Wick Universe prequel centered on the iconic lodging choice for all assassins worth their gold coins. Over years of development (and two more Wick sequels), The Continental eventually set up shop at Peacock, as part of a multi-year commitment that the streamer has with Lionsgate.
This teaser is playing everything coy, right down to the lack of an exact release date for this “three-part event". Then again, it probably wouldn’t be a teaser if it wasn’t leaving the world wanting more of the gory details. Judging by that laundry cart we see pushed in the early moments of this big tease, there’ll be plenty more for the series to spare in due time.
In the meantime, there's promises of gunplay, '70s style partying, and finely tailored wardrobe that seem to await anyone that's ready to watch The Continental. Save for the time period at hand, that's pretty much what one would expect from this world of destruction, and that's even more reason to be excited for what's to come.
Your reservation with The Continental has been confirmed for September, over three nights. So if you want to get your fill of retro ass kicking, a Peacock subscription will be required. On the cinematic side of things, you can expect the action and will get to see Keanu Reeves return in Ballerina, which we now know is set for release on June 4, 2024.
