News Analysis India

Tag: John Wick

  • Mel Gibson reveals why he turned down the role of James Bond

    Express News Service

    Tell us about your role in The Continental, the spin-off series that expands the John Wick universe.

    I play Cormac, who is kind of like a mentor or tormentor… I’m not sure which. He’s a nefarious character who’s like a father figure to Winston (Colin Woodell) and Charon (Ayomide Adegun). At least, they perceive him as that when they’re young. But as they grow up, they realise that Cormac is a New York Irish mobster.

    They find out that he has been pretty selfish and used them in an ill way. They’re burned by that and want to get even.

    How would you describe the style of the show?They have taken tropes from cinema from the Seventies, like Taxi Driver, and kind of put them on steroids. It’s amped up and hyper-real.

    Do you miss the days when you were regarded as the number one sex symbol in Hollywood?No. The truth is that I gave up on the idea as soon as I saw what that image was going to do to my work. I decided to push the envelope as far as I could about what people expected from me. So, I made Lethal Weapon, and then, I did Hamlet. I did Man Without a Face and followed it with Braveheart. That was my way of staking out my own territory and shaking things up. Now I’m too beat-up and old to be a sex symbol. And, I’m happy with that.

    Does ageing bother you?I do hate the knee-creaking business, but no, I don’t mind getting older. In fact, I like it. It’s more fun to be relaxed.

    How do you deal with the continued fandom the world over for your blockbusters Braveheart, Lethal Weapon and Mad Max?I’m fine with it. I don’t mind being recognised, and people are usually friendly. There’s no real bad part for me. Fame has allowed me to pursue all kinds of dreams.

    Is it true that you were once offered the role of James Bond and turned it down?That is true. I was 26 or 27, and doing The Year of Living Dangerously, when I got a call from Cubby Broccoli. Roger Moore was Bond at the time and I think his price was getting too steep (laughs), so they called me. I just didn’t want to do it. But, no regrets.

    Did you have specific goals in terms of the kind of films you wanted to make back then?I did. I went through a profoundly existential navel-gazing period, where I wanted to be heavy and meaningful all the time. Most people don’t know some of the serious stuff I did in my 20s. They remember Mad Max, but they forget Tim and Gallipoli. I’ve even risked humiliation by playing Hamlet, when no one wanted to see me in tights.

    What made you change?I didn’t want to make intensely emotional films all the time, and go down the serious actor route to make only period pieces. I needed to loosen up and just enjoy myself. Besides, I loved doing action films that let me get rid of the pent-up nervous energy. Acting was my salvation; it focused my energies, and became my avenue into an interesting life.

    How much of your career was about earning fame and money?I just wanted to excel at acting. There was no master plan. Everything else that came with it is part of a strange dream. I could just as well imagine myself living in a small house with a broken-down jeep.

    You are also a successful director (Apocalypto, Hacksaw Ridge). What makes you keep acting?It’s my first love. It’s what I started with. There was a time when I felt I had become stale so I took a break. Then, I think some kind of maturing happened. The choices I make now are quite different from the ones I would have made years ago.

    What are the kind of characters you are most drawn to?I like what scares me.

    Are you a method actor?I don’t know what that term means. But, I have a method, but it’s not always the same.

    Will we ever see you as Mad Max again?I’ve spoken to George (Mad Max director), and at one point I was going to be involved, but I’m a bit old for that now. —Asia Features

    Tell us about your role in The Continental, the spin-off series that expands the John Wick universe.

    I play Cormac, who is kind of like a mentor or tormentor… I’m not sure which. He’s a nefarious character who’s like a father figure to Winston (Colin Woodell) and Charon (Ayomide Adegun). At least, they perceive him as that when they’re young. But as they grow up, they realise that Cormac is a New York Irish mobster.

    They find out that he has been pretty selfish and used them in an ill way. They’re burned by that and want to get even.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    How would you describe the style of the show?
    They have taken tropes from cinema from the Seventies, like Taxi Driver, and kind of put them on steroids. It’s amped up and hyper-real.

    Do you miss the days when you were regarded as the number one sex symbol in Hollywood?
    No. The truth is that I gave up on the idea as soon as I saw what that image was going to do to my work. I decided to push the envelope as far as I could about what people expected from me. So, I made Lethal Weapon, and then, I did Hamlet. I did Man Without a Face and followed it with Braveheart. That was my way of staking out my own territory and shaking things up. Now I’m too beat-up and old to be a sex symbol. And, I’m happy with that.

    Does ageing bother you?
    I do hate the knee-creaking business, but no, I don’t mind getting older. In fact, I like it. It’s more fun to be relaxed.

    How do you deal with the continued fandom the world over for your blockbusters Braveheart, Lethal Weapon and Mad Max?
    I’m fine with it. I don’t mind being recognised, and people are usually friendly. There’s no real bad part for me. Fame has allowed me to pursue all kinds of dreams.

    Is it true that you were once offered the role of James Bond and turned it down?
    That is true. I was 26 or 27, and doing The Year of Living Dangerously, when I got a call from Cubby Broccoli. Roger Moore was Bond at the time and I think his price was getting too steep (laughs), so they called me. I just didn’t want to do it. But, no regrets.

    Did you have specific goals in terms of the kind of films you wanted to make back then?
    I did. I went through a profoundly existential navel-gazing period, where 
    I wanted to be heavy and meaningful all the time. Most people don’t know some of the serious stuff I did in my 20s. They remember Mad Max, but they forget Tim and Gallipoli. I’ve even risked humiliation by playing Hamlet, when no one wanted to see me in tights.

    What made you change?
    I didn’t want to make intensely emotional films all the time, and go down the serious actor route to make only period pieces. I needed to loosen up and just enjoy myself. Besides, I loved doing action films that let me get rid of the pent-up nervous energy. Acting was my salvation; it focused my energies, and became my avenue into an interesting life.

    How much of your career was about earning fame and money?
    I just wanted to excel at acting. There was no master plan. Everything else that came with it is part of 
    a strange dream. I could just as well imagine myself living in a small house with a broken-down jeep.

    You are also a successful director (Apocalypto, Hacksaw Ridge). What makes you keep acting?
    It’s my first love. It’s what I started with. There was a time when I felt I had become stale so I took a break. Then, I think some kind of maturing happened. The choices I make now are quite different from the ones I would have made years ago.

    What are the kind of characters you are most drawn to?
    I like what scares me.

    Are you a method actor?
    I don’t know what that term means. But, I have a method, but it’s not always the same.

    Will we ever see you as Mad Max again?
    I’ve spoken to George (Mad Max director), and at one point I was going to be involved, but I’m a bit old for that now. —Asia Features

  • John Wick spinoff ‘The Continental’ to premiere in September on Peacock

    Express News Service

    It was earlier announced that the John Wick spinoff series titled The Continental will be releasing this year. Now, the makers have confirmed that the series will stream on the NBC streaming platform Peacock in September. However, an official release date is yet to be confirmed.

    The spinoff series will explore the organised network of hotels controlled by the organisation for assassins known as The High Table. The series will be based on characters created by screenwriter Derek Kolstad for the John Wick film franchise. Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward serve as writers and showrunners on the show.

    The ensemble cast of the series includes Mel Gibson, Ayomide Adegun, Ben Robson, Hubert Point-Du Jour, Jessica Allain, Mishel Prada, Nhung Kate and Peter Greene.

    Another John Wick spinoff, a film titled Ballerina, is also in the works. With Ana De Armas playing the lead role, Ballerina is eyeing an early 2024 release. While Keanu Reeves is confirmed to have a cameo in Ballerina, it is unclear if he will appear as John Wick in The Continental.

    It was earlier announced that the John Wick spinoff series titled The Continental will be releasing this year. Now, the makers have confirmed that the series will stream on the NBC streaming platform Peacock in September. However, an official release date is yet to be confirmed.

    The spinoff series will explore the organised network of hotels controlled by the organisation for assassins known as The High Table. The series will be based on characters created by screenwriter Derek Kolstad for the John Wick film franchise. Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward serve as writers and showrunners on the show.

    The ensemble cast of the series includes Mel Gibson, Ayomide Adegun, Ben Robson, Hubert Point-Du Jour, Jessica Allain, Mishel Prada, Nhung Kate and Peter Greene.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Another John Wick spinoff, a film titled Ballerina, is also in the works. With Ana De Armas playing the lead role, Ballerina is eyeing an early 2024 release. While Keanu Reeves is confirmed to have a cameo in Ballerina, it is unclear if he will appear as John Wick in The Continental.

  • Lance Reddick returning as Charon for John Wick spinoff ‘Ballerina’ 

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: Actor Lance Reddick will reprise his “John Wick” character for the upcoming spin-off movie “Ballerina”.

    Led by Hollywood star Ana de Armas, the movie will centre on a young female assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family.

    Reddick will return as Charon, a concierge at the pivotal Continental Hotel, in the upcoming film, according to entertainment news website Variety.

    Shay Hatten, the scribe of Keanu Reeves-starrer ‘John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum’, has penned the script for the project, which will be directed by Len Wiseman.

    The female assassin, who is trained in ballet, was glimpsed in ‘Parabellum’.

    “Ballerina” will feature a couple of more familiar faces from the “John Wick” movies — Ian McShane as Winston, the manager of the Continental Hotel, and Anjelica Huston as the Director.

    Reeves is also expected to make an appearance as John Wick.

    The actor is currently awaiting the release of the fourth chapter, set for release worldwide on March 24, 2023.

    “Ballerina” will be produced by Erica Lee, Basil Iwanyk and Chad Stahelski.

    Reddick most recently starred in Netflix’s series ‘Resident Evil’ as well as the seventh and final season of the police procedural “Bosch”.

    LOS ANGELES: Actor Lance Reddick will reprise his “John Wick” character for the upcoming spin-off movie “Ballerina”.

    Led by Hollywood star Ana de Armas, the movie will centre on a young female assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family.

    Reddick will return as Charon, a concierge at the pivotal Continental Hotel, in the upcoming film, according to entertainment news website Variety.

    Shay Hatten, the scribe of Keanu Reeves-starrer ‘John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum’, has penned the script for the project, which will be directed by Len Wiseman.

    The female assassin, who is trained in ballet, was glimpsed in ‘Parabellum’.

    “Ballerina” will feature a couple of more familiar faces from the “John Wick” movies — Ian McShane as Winston, the manager of the Continental Hotel, and Anjelica Huston as the Director.

    Reeves is also expected to make an appearance as John Wick.

    The actor is currently awaiting the release of the fourth chapter, set for release worldwide on March 24, 2023.

    “Ballerina” will be produced by Erica Lee, Basil Iwanyk and Chad Stahelski.

    Reddick most recently starred in Netflix’s series ‘Resident Evil’ as well as the seventh and final season of the police procedural “Bosch”.

  • The Big Bang of John Wick

    Express News Service

    ‘A good story wanders in search of a myth. Finds it and nurtures it. When we first met John Wick in 2014, it was a logline—a man takes revenge because a man-child killed his puppy—and a not-so-secretive network of assassins that appealed to us. The prolonged hand-to-hand combat at breakneck speed, almost a throwback to the best of Jackie Chan without the cutaways only added to the fun. Then John Wick, like every chosen hero and widely well-received film, became a franchise. 

    The trailer for the fourth film with Donnie Yen in the cast came out last week with the film scheduled to release early next year. But the Chad Stahelski, Derek Kolstad and Keanu Reeves project may look like one they made up as they went along, but it’s such a compelling, consistent, decadent galaxy that the stakes only got higher and better.

    The three films so far don’t cover a long timeline to cover a gamut that represents the word ‘franchise’ yet (spin-offs are in development). It spans a few weeks or a couple of months at the most. But what’s most impressive about this world is how it expands our field of vision with every sequel, like finding a trail of pages on a windy day that make up whole chapters of a book. Sure, we groan at yet another sequel but then we learn that there is an underground kingdom in the lower streets of Manhattan that has no reverence for the High Table.  Or we learn about a marker and its significance—it binds the soul, not the body, which the film counts liberally, like there is a higher power in this universe looking down upon these skilled weapons and limbs wielders. The films are strong in their penchant for eastern orthodox Christianity, beginning with the origins of the titular character. 

    It’s a franchise where we travel in reverse. In the very first film, Wick says, “I think I am back” after getting sick of people asking him the question after his famous retirement. The line is in a great but minimalist noir film, a retired assassin avenging his loved ones. But a history of violence and myth resides within those words, a fantastical place that we were yet to encounter and comprehend its length and breadth.

    Myth is the building block of these films. And with each film, we realise that the mythology of John Wick extends beyond his own borders. It’s where there is a cleaning service employed full-time to dispose bodies and make a crime scene pristine again. Probably the most innocuous detail in the larger scheme of things. These are streets where the public doesn’t have to dodge flailing, injured bodies. Physical limitations stretch along the frame and the common man is inured by violence. There is a stray shot of onlookers running and screaming away from a fight but otherwise it is business as usual. No one bats an eyelid for like a neo-realistic Italian film, the extras could slide into the main cast at any point.

    The branches of the Continental are the most secure spots in the planet. Any other place, all bets are off. Even the New York Public Library is not sacred anymore. A woman casually reads like everything is normal while Wick kills a man with a Russian book a few yards away from her.

    It’s not our world and that’s exactly why these films are so visceral and addictive.Law and order are not even political issues, they have disappeared from the streets. They project a fantasy where lawlessness thrives, and that is the natural order. A whole bookkeeping enterprise generates employment with an added customer service. 

    The makers pad things up with references to everything from silent films, westerns to neo-noir to Asian martial arts films. But it never gets bloated because the first film was just a big bang—in every sense of the phrase—that’s only pulling us farther into a fascinating universe.

    ‘A good story wanders in search of a myth. Finds it and nurtures it. When we first met John Wick in 2014, it was a logline—a man takes revenge because a man-child killed his puppy—and a not-so-secretive network of assassins that appealed to us. The prolonged hand-to-hand combat at breakneck speed, almost a throwback to the best of Jackie Chan without the cutaways only added to the fun. Then John Wick, like every chosen hero and widely well-received film, became a franchise. 

    The trailer for the fourth film with Donnie Yen in the cast came out last week with the film scheduled to release early next year. But the Chad Stahelski, Derek Kolstad and Keanu Reeves project may look like one they made up as they went along, but it’s such a compelling, consistent, decadent galaxy that the stakes only got higher and better.

    The three films so far don’t cover a long timeline to cover a gamut that represents the word ‘franchise’ yet (spin-offs are in development). It spans a few weeks or a couple of months at the most. But what’s most impressive about this world is how it expands our field of vision with every sequel, like finding a trail of pages on a windy day that make up whole chapters of a book. Sure, we groan at yet another sequel but then we learn that there is an underground kingdom in the lower streets of Manhattan that has no reverence for the High Table.  Or we learn about a marker and its significance—it binds the soul, not the body, which the film counts liberally, like there is a higher power in this universe looking down upon these skilled weapons and limbs wielders. The films are strong in their penchant for eastern orthodox Christianity, beginning with the origins of the titular character. 

    It’s a franchise where we travel in reverse. In the very first film, Wick says, “I think I am back” after getting sick of people asking him the question after his famous retirement. The line is in a great but minimalist noir film, a retired assassin avenging his loved ones. But a history of violence and myth resides within those words, a fantastical place that we were yet to encounter and comprehend its length and breadth.

    Myth is the building block of these films. And with each film, we realise that the mythology of John Wick extends beyond his own borders. It’s where there is a cleaning service employed full-time to dispose bodies and make a crime scene pristine again. Probably the most innocuous detail in the larger scheme of things. These are streets where the public doesn’t have to dodge flailing, injured bodies. Physical limitations stretch along the frame and the common man is inured by violence. There is a stray shot of onlookers running and screaming away from a fight but otherwise it is business as usual. No one bats an eyelid for like a neo-realistic Italian film, the extras could slide into the main cast at any point.

    The branches of the Continental are the most secure spots in the planet. Any other place, all bets are off. Even the New York Public Library is not sacred anymore. A woman casually reads like everything is normal while Wick kills a man with a Russian book a few yards away from her.

    It’s not our world and that’s exactly why these films are so visceral and addictive.Law and order are not even political issues, they have disappeared from the streets. They project a fantasy where lawlessness thrives, and that is the natural order. A whole bookkeeping enterprise generates employment with an added customer service. 

    The makers pad things up with references to everything from silent films, westerns to neo-noir to Asian martial arts films. But it never gets bloated because the first film was just a big bang—in every sense of the phrase—that’s only pulling us farther into a fascinating universe.

  • Biweekly Binge: The Big Bang of John Wick

    Express News Service

    A good story wanders in search of a myth. Finds it and nurtures it. When we first met John Wick in 2014, it was a log line a man takes revenge because a man-child killed his puppy and a not so secretive network of assassins that appealed to us. The prolonged hand to hand combat at breakneck speed, almost a throwback to the best of Jackie Chan without the cutaways only added to the fun. Then John Wick, like every chosen hero and widely well received film, became a franchise. The trailer for the fourth film with Donnie Yen in the cast came out last week with the film scheduled to release early next year. But the Chad Stahelski, Derek Kolstad and Keanu Reeves project may look like one they made up as they went along, but it’s such a compelling, consistent, decadent galaxy that the stakes only got higher and better.

    The three films so far don’t cover a long timeline to cover a gamut that represents the word ‘franchise’ yet (spin-offs are in development). It spans a few weeks or a couple of months at the most. But what’s most impressive about this world is how it expands our field of vision with every sequel, like finding a trail of pages on a windy day that make up whole chapters of a book. Sure, we groan at yet another sequel but then we learn that there is an underground kingdom in the lower streets of Manhattan that has no reverence for the High Table.

    Or we learn about a marker and its significance—it binds the soul, not the body, which the film counts liberally, like there is a higher power in this universe looking down upon these skilled weapons and limbs wielders. The films are strong in its penchant for eastern orthodox Christianity, beginning with the origins of the titular character. It’s a franchise where we travel in reverse. In the very first film, Wick says, “I think I am back” after getting sick of people asking him the question after his famous retirement. The line is in a great but minimalist noir film, a retired assassin avenging his loved ones. But a history of violence and myth resides within those words, a fantastical place that we were yet to encounter and comprehend its length and breadth.

    Myth is the building block of these films. And with each film we realize that the mythology of John Wick extends beyond his own borders. It’s where there is a cleaning service employed full time to dispose bodies and make a crime scene pristine again. Probably the most innocuous detail in the larger scheme of things. These are streets where the public doesn’t have to dodge flailing, injured bodies. Physical limitations stretch along the frame and the common man is inured by violence.

    There is a stray shot of onlookers running and screaming away from a fight but otherwise it is business as usual. No one bats an eyelid for like a neo-realistic Italian film, the extras could slide into the main cast at any point. The branches of the Continental are the most secure spots in the planet. Any other place, all bets are off. Even the New York Public Library is not sacred anymore. A woman casually reads like everything is normal while Wick kills a man with a Russian book a few yards away from her.

    It’s not our world and that’s exactly why these films are so visceral and addictive. Law and order are not even political issues, they have disappeared from the streets. They project a fantasy where lawlessness thrives, and that is the natural order. A whole bookkeeping enterprise generates employment with an added customer service. The makers pad things up with references to everything from silent films, westerns to neo noir to Asian martial arts films. But it never gets bloated because the first film was just a big bang—in every sense of the phrase—that’s only pulling us farther into a fascinating universe. 

    A good story wanders in search of a myth. Finds it and nurtures it. When we first met John Wick in 2014, it was a log line a man takes revenge because a man-child killed his puppy and a not so secretive network of assassins that appealed to us. The prolonged hand to hand combat at breakneck speed, almost a throwback to the best of Jackie Chan without the cutaways only added to the fun. Then John Wick, like every chosen hero and widely well received film, became a franchise. The trailer for the fourth film with Donnie Yen in the cast came out last week with the film scheduled to release early next year. But the Chad Stahelski, Derek Kolstad and Keanu Reeves project may look like one they made up as they went along, but it’s such a compelling, consistent, decadent galaxy that the stakes only got higher and better.

    The three films so far don’t cover a long timeline to cover a gamut that represents the word ‘franchise’ yet (spin-offs are in development). It spans a few weeks or a couple of months at the most. But what’s most impressive about this world is how it expands our field of vision with every sequel, like finding a trail of pages on a windy day that make up whole chapters of a book. Sure, we groan at yet another sequel but then we learn that there is an underground kingdom in the lower streets of Manhattan that has no reverence for the High Table.

    Or we learn about a marker and its significance—it binds the soul, not the body, which the film counts liberally, like there is a higher power in this universe looking down upon these skilled weapons and limbs wielders. The films are strong in its penchant for eastern orthodox Christianity, beginning with the origins of the titular character. It’s a franchise where we travel in reverse. In the very first film, Wick says, “I think I am back” after getting sick of people asking him the question after his famous retirement. The line is in a great but minimalist noir film, a retired assassin avenging his loved ones. But a history of violence and myth resides within those words, a fantastical place that we were yet to encounter and comprehend its length and breadth.

    Myth is the building block of these films. And with each film we realize that the mythology of John Wick extends beyond his own borders. It’s where there is a cleaning service employed full time to dispose bodies and make a crime scene pristine again. Probably the most innocuous detail in the larger scheme of things. These are streets where the public doesn’t have to dodge flailing, injured bodies. Physical limitations stretch along the frame and the common man is inured by violence.

    There is a stray shot of onlookers running and screaming away from a fight but otherwise it is business as usual. No one bats an eyelid for like a neo-realistic Italian film, the extras could slide into the main cast at any point. The branches of the Continental are the most secure spots in the planet. Any other place, all bets are off. Even the New York Public Library is not sacred anymore. A woman casually reads like everything is normal while Wick kills a man with a Russian book a few yards away from her.

    It’s not our world and that’s exactly why these films are so visceral and addictive. Law and order are not even political issues, they have disappeared from the streets. They project a fantasy where lawlessness thrives, and that is the natural order. A whole bookkeeping enterprise generates employment with an added customer service. The makers pad things up with references to everything from silent films, westerns to neo noir to Asian martial arts films. But it never gets bloated because the first film was just a big bang—in every sense of the phrase—that’s only pulling us farther into a fascinating universe.
     

  • Keanu Reeves to return as John Wick in spin-off ‘Ballerina’

    By Express News Service

    Actor Keanu Reeves is set to reprise his role as John Wick in the upcoming John Wick spinoff, Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas.

    The news of the actor resuming his role comes at the time when Ballerina will also see Ian McShane returning as Winston in the franchise. However, it is not yet known if Keanu’s character will make a special appearance or will be a full-fledged role. 

    Ballerina is being currently shot in Prague under the helm of Len Wiseman. Shay Hatten has written the screenplay, who has also written for films like Army of the Dead and is currently working on John Wick: Chapter 4.

    ALSO READ | John Wick spinoff ‘Ballerina’, starring Ana de Armas, starts production

    Actor Keanu Reeves is set to reprise his role as John Wick in the upcoming John Wick spinoff, Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas.

    The news of the actor resuming his role comes at the time when Ballerina will also see Ian McShane returning as Winston in the franchise. However, it is not yet known if Keanu’s character will make a special appearance or will be a full-fledged role. 

    Ballerina is being currently shot in Prague under the helm of Len Wiseman. Shay Hatten has written 
    the screenplay, who has also written for films like Army of the Dead and is currently working on John Wick: Chapter 4.

    ALSO READ | John Wick spinoff ‘Ballerina’, starring Ana de Armas, starts production

  • John Wick spinoff ‘Ballerina’, starring Ana de Armas, starts production

    By Express News Service

    It was previously announced that Ana de Armas will lead the John Wick spinoff film titled Ballerina. Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer had announced in the recently concluded investors meet that the film will start production next week.

    Armas is known for appearing in critically acclaimed films like Blade Runner 2049, Knives Out, and the recently released Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde. The massive box office success of the Keanu Reeves-led John Wick films have spawned a series and a film. Along with Ballerina, a prequel series starring Colin Woodell in the lead titled The Continental was also announced.

    Ballerina revolves around the ballet school that fronts as a training school for assassins, it was introduced in the third film in the series titled John Wick: Parabellum. The film will follow Aramas’ character taking revenge against those who killed her family. 

    The series will be directed by Len Wiseman who is best known for making the Underworld film series. Ballerina is based on a script written by Shay Hatten, he had previously written the screenplay for films like Army of the Dead and is currently working on John Wick: Chapter 4 and Zack Snyder’s space opera film Rebel Moon.

    It was previously announced that Ana de Armas will lead the John Wick spinoff film titled Ballerina. Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer had announced in the recently concluded investors meet that the film will start production next week.

    Armas is known for appearing in critically acclaimed films like Blade Runner 2049, Knives Out, and the recently released Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde. The massive box office success of the Keanu Reeves-led John Wick films have spawned a series and a film. Along with Ballerina, a prequel series starring Colin Woodell in the lead titled The Continental was also announced.

    Ballerina revolves around the ballet school that fronts as a training school for assassins, it was introduced in the third film in the series titled John Wick: Parabellum. The film will follow Aramas’ character taking revenge against those who killed her family. 

    The series will be directed by Len Wiseman who is best known for making the Underworld film series. Ballerina is based on a script written by Shay Hatten, he had previously written the screenplay for films like Army of the Dead and is currently working on John Wick: Chapter 4 and Zack Snyder’s space opera film Rebel Moon.

  • ‘John Wick’ prequel series ‘The Continental’ to debut on Prime Video in 2023

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Streaming service Prime Video on Friday announced that the upcoming “John Wick” prequel series “The Continental” will launch on its platform in 2023.

    Produced by Lionsgate Television, the show focuses on the inner workings of the titular hotel from the Keanu Reeves-led action film franchise.

    The series will be exclusively available to Prime Video members worldwide, excluding the US, Middle East and Israel, in 2023, Prime Video said in a press release.

    “The Continental” is told from the perspective of a young Winston Scott, played by Colin Woodell, the manager of the hotel, which is a refuge for assassins.

    “Throughout the series, viewers will follow Winston through the underworld of 70’s New York, where he will battle demons from his past as he attempts to seize control of the iconic hotel – a hotel that serves as a meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals,” the official plotline read.

    It will also feature veteran actor Mel Gibson as Cormac, Ayomide Adegun as young Charon, Ben Robson as Frankie, Hubert Point-Du Jour as Miles, Jessica Allain as Lou, Mishel Prada as KD, Nhung Kate as Yen and Peter Greene as Uncle Charlie.

    “The John Wick films have created one of the most immersive, detailed and enjoyable universes we’ve seen on screen in the last decade,” said Chris Mansolillo, Director, Content Acquisition, Prime Video.

    “We are extremely proud to play a part in continuing to build that universe, offering viewers an insight into the origins of the infamous Continental Hotel and its incredible characters,” he added.

    The series is showrun by Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward, who also serve as writers and executive producers alongside Albert Hughes, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Chad Stahelski, Derek Kolstad, David Leitch, Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese, and Marshall Persinger.

    MUMBAI: Streaming service Prime Video on Friday announced that the upcoming “John Wick” prequel series “The Continental” will launch on its platform in 2023.

    Produced by Lionsgate Television, the show focuses on the inner workings of the titular hotel from the Keanu Reeves-led action film franchise.

    The series will be exclusively available to Prime Video members worldwide, excluding the US, Middle East and Israel, in 2023, Prime Video said in a press release.

    “The Continental” is told from the perspective of a young Winston Scott, played by Colin Woodell, the manager of the hotel, which is a refuge for assassins.

    “Throughout the series, viewers will follow Winston through the underworld of 70’s New York, where he will battle demons from his past as he attempts to seize control of the iconic hotel – a hotel that serves as a meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals,” the official plotline read.

    It will also feature veteran actor Mel Gibson as Cormac, Ayomide Adegun as young Charon, Ben Robson as Frankie, Hubert Point-Du Jour as Miles, Jessica Allain as Lou, Mishel Prada as KD, Nhung Kate as Yen and Peter Greene as Uncle Charlie.

    “The John Wick films have created one of the most immersive, detailed and enjoyable universes we’ve seen on screen in the last decade,” said Chris Mansolillo, Director, Content Acquisition, Prime Video.

    “We are extremely proud to play a part in continuing to build that universe, offering viewers an insight into the origins of the infamous Continental Hotel and its incredible characters,” he added.

    The series is showrun by Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward, who also serve as writers and executive producers alongside Albert Hughes, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Chad Stahelski, Derek Kolstad, David Leitch, Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese, and Marshall Persinger.

  • WATCH | Keanu Reeves returns with guns and swords in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ trailer

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: Brand new footage for Chad Stahelski’s ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ was released on Friday night (U.S. Pacific Time) as Keanu Reeves surprised the crowd at the San Diego Comic-Con with a fresh look at the beloved action hero, who’s back in action yet again, reports Variety.

    After appearing at a Comic-Con panel for his Boom! Studios title ‘BRZRKR’, Reeves crashed a Directors on Directing panel, where Stahelski was a panelist, to debut the footage.

    The trailer, reports Variety, “finds Wick doing what he does best: enacting revenge via any weapon he can get his hands on”. As CinemaCon footage confirmed back in April, the film’s newest installment is sure to include as much skull bashing and gun-fu as its previous chapters.

    “Not even you can kill everyone.”The #SDCC sneak peek trailer for John Wick 4 is freaking awesome. Watch it now before the movie comes out on March 24, 2023. pic.twitter.com/eMc58Vi1nJ
    — IGN (@IGN) July 23, 2022
    The last time audiences saw the formidable assassin was in 2019’s ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’, a box-office hit that featured ninjas on motorcycles, a fight in New York City horse stables, and Halle Berry commanding a gruesome twosome of German Shepherds. Now, stuntman-turned-director Stahelski is upping the ante, according to Variety.

    Previously, Stahelski had expressed that he had “no f***ing idea” how to top the stunts from Wick’s last outing. “There’s been a couple days where I’ve decided to do number four and I’ve woken up in a cold sweat going, ‘Horses! How do I beat horses?’” Stahelski said in a previous interview.

    LOS ANGELES: Brand new footage for Chad Stahelski’s ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ was released on Friday night (U.S. Pacific Time) as Keanu Reeves surprised the crowd at the San Diego Comic-Con with a fresh look at the beloved action hero, who’s back in action yet again, reports Variety.

    After appearing at a Comic-Con panel for his Boom! Studios title ‘BRZRKR’, Reeves crashed a Directors on Directing panel, where Stahelski was a panelist, to debut the footage.

    The trailer, reports Variety, “finds Wick doing what he does best: enacting revenge via any weapon he can get his hands on”. As CinemaCon footage confirmed back in April, the film’s newest installment is sure to include as much skull bashing and gun-fu as its previous chapters.

    “Not even you can kill everyone.”
    The #SDCC sneak peek trailer for John Wick 4 is freaking awesome. Watch it now before the movie comes out on March 24, 2023. pic.twitter.com/eMc58Vi1nJ
    — IGN (@IGN) July 23, 2022
    The last time audiences saw the formidable assassin was in 2019’s ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’, a box-office hit that featured ninjas on motorcycles, a fight in New York City horse stables, and Halle Berry commanding a gruesome twosome of German Shepherds. Now, stuntman-turned-director Stahelski is upping the ante, according to Variety.

    Previously, Stahelski had expressed that he had “no f***ing idea” how to top the stunts from Wick’s last outing. “There’s been a couple days where I’ve decided to do number four and I’ve woken up in a cold sweat going, ‘Horses! How do I beat horses?’” Stahelski said in a previous interview.

  • Mel Gibson to star in ‘John Wick’ prequel series ‘The Continental’

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: Veteran actor Mel Gisbon has been roped in to play a pivotal role in the “John Wick” prequel series “The Continental” for Starz and Lionsgate Television. The show, originally ordered in 2018, focuses on the inner workings of the titular hotel from the film franchise, which is a refuge for assassins.

    It will explore the origin behind the hotel-for-assassins through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, who is dragged into the Hell-scape of a 1975 New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind.

    “Winston charts a deadly course through the New York’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the iconic hotel, which serves as the meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals,” the plotline reads.

    According to Deadline, Gibson will play a new character named Cormac, though no further details are available about his role. “The Continental” will be a three-night event series but no premiere date is currently set.

    Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward are writing the series and will serve as showrunners as well as executive producers. Chad Stahelski, Derek Kolstad, David Leitch, Shawn Simmons, Paul Wernick, and Rhett Reese are all executive producing along with Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee of Thunder Road Pictures.

    “The Continental” will be the first series based on the Keanu Reeves-led “John Wick” film trilogy, which has has grossed almost USD 600 million worldwide. All the three films have been scripted by Kolstad and directed by Stahelski.

    They are currently filming “John Wick: Chapter Four” with Reeves reprising his assassin character. Actor Ian McShane plays the older version of Winston in the movies.