Mel Gibson Stars in Slick John Wick Prequel Miniseries

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The Continental, a three-episode John Wick prequel miniseries that premiered on Peacock in 2023, focuses on a young Winston Scott (played by Colin Woodell) and his rise to power at the New York Continental hotel, a hub for contract killers. Mel Gibson stars as the ruthless manager of the New York Continental, Cormac O'Connor. While the show received a mixed critical response, it was a hit with viewers and ranked among Peacock's five most-watched original series of the year.

Why it matters

The Continental represents an expansion of the John Wick cinematic universe, exploring the backstories of key characters like Winston and Charon. While it didn't receive the same acclaim as the Keanu Reeves-led films, the show's strong viewership suggests an appetite for more Wick-adjacent content, even if it doesn't quite match the high-octane action of the movies.

The details

The three-episode miniseries follows a younger Winston Scott (played by Colin Woodell) as he gets pulled into a power struggle at the New York Continental hotel after his brother mounts a strike against the establishment. Mel Gibson stars as Cormac O'Connor, the swaggering and ruthless manager of the New York branch, who chews the scenery with gusto. The show also features Ayomide Adegun as the early-days version of Charon, the character made iconic by Lance Reddick in the films.

• The Continental premiered in October 2023, during the broader release of John Wick: Chapter 4.
• The miniseries is set in the 1970s, charting Winston Scott's rise to control the New York Continental.