Albert Hughes has just signed on to direct the first and third episode of The Continental, the spinoff series based on the John Wick franchise. The Continental has switched gears in terms of how the episodes will be presented and what story exactly the show wants to tell.
The John Wick spinoff was originally proposed as a full-blown series, but now Lionsgate and Starz have decided on making the prequel a three-part event. The Continental will now have a total of three 90 minute long episodes. The John Wick universe is centered very much around The Continental hotel seeing as it served as Wick’s place of refuge whenever he was in the midst of a battle.
The series will cover how The Continental is a hotel that is not just a refuge for Wick, but for all professional assassins. The Continental is set to take place 40 years prior to the events of the John Wick films. The prequel will focus on a younger Winston, played by actor Ian McShane in the beloved films. The series is set to take place in the 1940s in New York City. A younger Winston, a professional hit-man hotel connoisseur, will embark on a mission to create an oasis of safety and protection for other shady people who are also rejected from society like himself. The Hollywood Reporter first reported on Albert Hughe's joining the series as a director.
Fans may know Albert Hughes best from his work on films such as Menace II and Dead Presidents. Hughes usually works alongside his brother, Allen Hughes, co-directing on major projects. However, The Continental is solely Albert Hughes’s vision, or at least for two out of the three episodes. The brothers did eventually follow their own route when it came to filmmaking. Hughes has a lot of background in directing films that are set in a city filled with drama as high as skyscrapers. It’s not hard to see why Hughes was chosen to direct a series set in the big apple.
Many creatives from the original John Wick franchise have also signed on to be a part of the spinoff series. Back when The Continental was geared up to be a drawn-out series rather than a three-part event, Chad Stahelski was set to direct the first episode. Now, Stahelski will executive produce alongside David Leitch. John Wick lead star Keanu Reeves is also in talks to executive produce. The original screenwriter of the franchise, Derek Kolstad, will be joining The Continental team as well.
Fans are now waiting to see what director will be signed on next to tackle the remaining episode and many lobbying for a female filmmaker to be chosen to helm the entry, which has no name attached to it for the time being. The Continental, due to the pandemic, has had some setbacks when it comes to its release date. Starz was adamant about releasing the fourth John Wick film before the spin-off series drops. Yet, due to the coronavirus, the fourth film will premiere in May of 2022 as opposed to its original May 2021 release date. Fans can expect The Continental release to follow closely behind.
John Wick: Chapter 4 will be released in theaters on May 27, 2022.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter