Yahoo News ‘The Continental’ Makes Splashy Debut As Peacock’s Top Original Launch Of The Year
EXCLUSIVE: Peacock is touting the success of The Continental: From the World of John Wick.
The Lionsgate-produced series premiered its first episode on September 22, only to become Peacock’s biggest original launch of the year, meaning that the episode reached more accounts in its first weekend than any other original offering, according to NBCUniversal.
More from Deadline
Following the release of the remaining two episodes, The Continental now ranks among the top five Peacock originals of all time in terms of reach, joining the ranks of Bel-Air, The Best Man: The Final Chapters, Poker Face, and Based on a True Story.
Based on the current top five, it appears Peacock is finding success with both existing IP as well as original concepts.
Of course, The Continental falls under the former, as it explores the origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins that is at the center of the John Wick universe. Though its already a billion-dollar franchise, Albert Hughes (who executive produced the series and directed Nights 1 and 3) told Deadline he was hoping the series could toe the line for hard core John Wick fans as well as those who might be introduced to the world through The Continental.
“I think that because it takes place in the 70s, it’s quite easy to [balance]. It was a different flavor back then, so I feel more comfortable. I would not if it was modern day,” director Albert Hughes told Deadline. “The thing about the John Wick world is that you have all these elements that you can use in any time period — great design, grand interiors, costume, idiosyncratic characters, and of course action…”
He continued: “It’s more mysterious and enigmatic. You’ll never see a long, drawn out dialogue scene in most of the John Wick films. So in TV, it’s slightly different, especially in long form. You have to tell a story and introduce new characters. So there’s a good challenge in that. And then you have to weave in the action. So you’re servicing the fans, the old ones and the new ones hopefully.”
The Continental is told through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott (Colin Woodell), 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.
While it is telling one of the formative stories within the modern John Wick universe, but Hughes looked far beyond those films for inspiration on this project. Some of those influences are obvious, like the heroic bloodshed genre of Hong Kong action cinema.
But, Hughes also credits films like Midnight Cowboy, Taxi Driver and even Saturday Night Fever for helping him build out the series.
“All that stuff is subconscious,” he explained. “I think people take for granted that with age, this memory bank back here is constantly working. It’s processing, and you don’t know you’re recalling stuff and even maybe copying a shot from a movie you saw 30 years ago.”
The Continental is currently streaming on Peacock.
Best of Deadline
2023 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming
SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreements: Full List Of Movies And TV Series
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
