It has been almost a year since we saw John Wick flee into the night at the end of John Wick: Chapter 2, and the journey is only just getting started. Not only are we gearing up for the eventual release of John Wick: Chapter 3, but it also seems that the small screen world is going to get its particular brand of John Wick action as well. In fact, we can now report that the John Wick TV series, The Continental (named for the neutral zone hotels for assassins that feature prominently in the films), has officially landed a home on Starz.
The well-deserved John Wick TV series was announced shortly after the debut of John Wick: Chapter 2, but the project has maintained considerable radio silence for quite some time. However, after shopping the project around, it looks like The Continental has ended up on premium cable over at Starz. As far as more specific details go, The Continental will take place at a Los Angeles-based Continental hotel (thus moving it away from the traditional New York home of Mr. Wick), and the pilot will be shot by stunt guru/John Wick director Chad Stahelski. Eternal badass, Keanu Reeves, is also reportedly on board as well, serving as an Executive Producer for the show -- with a cameo appearance of unknown size even expected.
Though the change in location revealed in the EW report of the series's new home on Starz seems to indicate that John Wick himself won't play a substantial role in the show's overarching story, it does leave some room open for a few other cameos here and there. Perhaps most notably, it doesn't seem entirely outside the realm of possibility to assume that Ian McShane's Winston could show up at some point.
The character is a fixture in the world of The Continental, which makes him a clear choice for a show set in these hotels. Moreover, as Ian McShane already has a working relationship with Starz through his role on American Gods, one could assume that he wouldn't be hard to bring to the negotiating table.
A premium network like Starz seems like one of the only possible homes that a show like The Continental could realistically end up on in the long run. By its very nature, a story set in the John Wick universe needs to go all in on the action, violence, and blood. A standard broadcast network would likely water down some of the harder content, and the recent success that Starz has seen with adapted shows like American Gods and Ash vs. Evil Dead makes it seem like an incredibly suitable resting place for a John Wick-inspired story.
CinemaBlend will keep you posted with more information about The Continental as new information is made available to us. Until we learn more about the upcoming Starz series, you can take a look at our midseason premiere guide to see what else is coming to the small screen over the next few months!
