'John Wick' Director Slams TV Spin-Off: “[They] Thought They Had the Magic Sauce”

The next article accommodates spoilers for the John Wick franchise.

Chad Stahelski, the filmmaker behind the visionary motion franchise John Wick, has provided his harsh opinion on the TV spin-off launched by Peacock, The Continental. The director behind all of the John Wick movies participated within the TV challenge as govt producer. Nevertheless, he nonetheless slammed the sequence, saying that it lacked the whole lot that made the motion motion pictures led by Keanu Reeves so memorable.

Stahelski not too long ago sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to speak in regards to the extraordinarily profitable motion franchise, which has not too long ago launched its newest spin-off, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. The movie stars Ana de Armas, and truly options Reeves reprising his function because the legendary assassin-for-hire. Ballerina takes place between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, and early opinions affirm that it is a strong addition to the franchise. In contrast to The Continental: From the World of John Wick.

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The three-episode miniseries was a prequel to the unique movie sequence, and informed the origin story of Ian McShane’s character, Winston Scott. At present it sits at 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, however nonetheless, The Continental was finally canceled. Stahelski spoke in regards to the sequence, criticized the route it took, and hinted at his personal artistic course of, which has resulted in one of the vital profitable franchises in motion movie historical past:

“Keanu and I had been — I would not say sidelined, however our opinion was heard and probably not famous. [The studio] tried to persuade me they knew what they had been doing. A bunch of people thought they’d the magic sauce. However if you happen to take out Basil Iwanyk’s producing intuitiveness, if you happen to take out Keanu’s method of delivering quirky dialogue and if you happen to take out all of the visuals I’ve in my head from Wong Kar-wai, anime, [Sergio] Leone, Bernardo Bertolucci or Andrei Tarkovsky … then it is not the identical factor. They thought this was as straightforward as utilizing anamorphic lenses, do a kooky resort, put in bizarre dialogue, and insert crime drama.

“In the event you noticed our course of, you would be like, ‘You are telling me this billion greenback franchise does it this manner?’ I am scouting my subsequent movie in London and we noticed a cool location yesterday which completely modified the second act. We rewrote the entire thing. I discover nice solid members and rewrite their elements always. That is what makes [the movies] so good and natural — we’re always upgrading. However the studio likes to know what they’re getting for his or her buck and wish to lock a script for funds causes. Whereas we’re saying, ‘Simply write the test, we’ll see you on the end line.'”

Does the ‘John Wick’ Franchise Have a Likelihood With out Keanu Reeves because the Lead?

The Continental did not characteristic Keanu Reeves’ John Wick, as a result of the story takes place many years earlier than the occasions of the primary 2014 movie. The TV present raised the query of whether or not a John Wick manufacturing might nonetheless enchantment to followers if it did not characteristic the titular character, and the reply was a lukewarm reception by audiences. In the meantime, Ballerina is making an attempt to capitalize on the Wick-verse that it is a part of, however it’s nonetheless struggling to evoke the success of a daily John Wick movie. Though Reeves reprises his function, the movie shouldn’t be centered round him.

The character died in John Wick: Chapter 4, and reviving him would require a significant retcon. Though followers will certainly welcome the resuscitation of their favourite motion character, it could maybe trace on the franchise house owners struggling to seek out new concepts to maintain the Wick-verse afloat with out Reeves.

Supply: The Hollywood Reporter

The Continental

3
/5

Launch Date

2023 – 2022

Community

Peacock

Showrunner

Greg Coolidge, Kirk Ward