'John Wick' Franchise Goes Retro in First 'Continental' Trailer

The John Wick franchise is going retro in the new limited-series The Continental, and fans can now check out the first full trailer for the new Peacock show. The clip reveals that viewers can expect no fewer action-packed moments than come in the four John Wick films, with plenty of shootouts and epic fights teased. This time, however, the backdrop is the 1970s New York City, making for an enthralling vintage setting. Fans can catch all the intensity and drama when The Continental debuts on Sept. 22.

The Continental is set in the mid-1970s and will focus on a young Winston Scott, who is played by legendary actor Ian McShane in the John Wick films. It will tell the origins of Scott — played as a young man by Colin Woodell — and the Continental, a hotel exclusively for the underground cabal of for-hire-assassins and crime syndicates. The official synopsis reads: "The three-part event will explore the origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins centerpiece of the John Wick universe through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, as he's dragged into the Hell-scape of 1970's New York City to face a past he thought he'd left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the hotel's mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the hotel where he will eventually take his future throne."

The first John Wick came out in 2012 and made over $88 million on a budget of less than $30 million. The second film in the franchise — John Wick: Chapter 2 — opened in 2017 and made over $170 million on a $40 million budget. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum premiered in 2019 and raked in a worldwide revenue total of more than $325 million on a budget of less than $75 million. Collectively, the three John Wick films alone have made the franchise over a half-billion dollars. John Wick Chapter 4 was released in the United Staes on March 26. Its box office revenue put the film series over $1 billion, making it one of the most lucrative action franchises of all time.

In addition to The Continental prequel series, the John Wick film series is getting a movie spin-off. Earlier this year, the franchise's producing studio, Lionsgate, revealed that Ballerina will debut on June 6, 2024. In an official synopsis of the film, Lionsgate details, "The world of John Wick expands with Ballerina, as Ana de Armas stars as an assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma." 

In addition to De Armas, the film also stars McShane, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus. There will be appearances by John Wick actor Keanu Reeves, as well as the late Lance Reddick. Ballerina is directed by Len Wiseman (Underworld), from a script written by Shay Hatten (John Wick 3 and 4), and is based on characters created by Derek Kolstad.