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We recently saw the conclusion of The Continental: From The World Of John Wick, the first story set in this world of assassins that did not include John Wick himself as the main character. The Peacock show was… fine? Honestly, I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t love it, which makes the show a disappointment for me because I love this franchise. It’s one of my absolute favorite modern movie series, and I think John Wick may be the greatest action franchise ever. So naturally I was looking forward to a show that would expand on the universe and characters, and despite the fact that the show didn’t impress, I still am excited about this universe.
We know we’re going to get at least one more piece of John Wick franchise content, as the John Wick spinoff movie Ballerina starring Ana de Armas is on the way. Like The Continental, it’s set in the world of John Wick, and also like The Continental, it’s not focused on John Wick, though a Keanu Reeves cameo has been confirmed. However, I’m still excited for Ballerina, and hopefully even more movies and shows are greenlit, because there’s just something about the increasingly wild world of assassins that I love.
The Continental Expands The John Wick Universe In An Interesting Way
I’ll be the first to admit that while the John Wick sequels have required the franchise to expand its lore to a nearly ridiculous level, I love everything about the underground world of assassins that John Wick exists within. I’m not sure the rules of the John Wick universe make any sense, but the movies take them just seriously enough that it works for me. It has its own society, its own economy and even its own hotel industry. How a single gold coin is the price of a drink at the bar, a room at a hotel, and also the cost of removing and hiding a corpse, makes no sense, but I don’t care because it’s just too much fun.
For the most part, The Continental’s part in expanding the franchise is in the way it gives us the backstory of the characters of Winston and Charon, two important supporting players from the films. It explains how Winston took possession of the New York Continental and while there is clearly more story to tell there, whether or not we ever get it, it works as far as it goes.
But there’s a moment in “Brothers in Arms,” The Continental‘s first episode, that does blow the doors open on this world. In the scene where we meet the story’s Adjudicator, she mentions that her organization “predates the Roman Empire.”
I’m sorry, what now? Not only does the High Table exist in secret while remaining in plain sight, but it’s been doing this for something more than 2,000 years. It’s crazy, it’s unnecessary and I love it. No notes.
Needless to say, that sort of opens the floodgates when it comes to where and how different stories could be told. This franchise can go literally anywhere, but that’s exciting. Any writer can now pen a story From the World of John Wick and set that story literally whenever they want.
Ana De Armas’ Ballerina Still Has Incredible Potential
While The Continental certainly had its share of visceral action like the John Wick movies, it was clear from the beginning that it was always meant to be something a little different. While we have yet to see anything from next summer’s Ballerina, the impression is that it will be something much more like a John Wick movie, with Ana de Armas’ character being a woman seeking revenge, which was where things started for Mr. Wick once upon a time.
Because it’s set concurrently with the main franchise, albiet before the fourth movie considering how the John Wick: Chapter 4 ending plays out, we probably won’t be getting any massive new information about just what The High Table is or how it works, but anything is possible. And if Ballerina is a hit, it can become a series in its own right, exploring this bizarre universe in ways that the main movies never did.
It will be interesting to see how Ballerina does among both critics and at the box office in general. If the movie is a hit, then it will show that the franchise can succeed without Keanu Reeves or director Chad Staheski at the helm. That will be a big deal because it will likely create opportunities for others who want to play in this particular sandbox.
Future John Wick Spinoff Opportunities Are Essentially Limitless, And That’s Exciting
While I wasn’t in love with The Continental I still love what The Continental was. An ultra-gritty ’70s cops and robbers story inside this franchise is a great idea, it was just the execution that faltered. I hope to see more stories dive into this crazy world. I don’t need them to make perfect sense, I just need them to exist because I find it all incredibly fun.
Like The Continental, I want to see what this franchise looks like in different eras. I would also love to see what it looks like in different places. And yes, we could apparently go back in history to before the Roman Empire if we were so inclined, but the less the John Wick franchise starts to look like the absolutely terrible Assassin’s Creed movie, the better.
If we do continue to see John Wick spinoffs, we already know that not all of them are going to be winners, but that would have been the case even if The Continental was perfect. We shouldn’t let one mediocre spinoff tarnish the concept. If we put all of The Continental up against all four John Wick movies, the franchise on the whole is still in the win column. As long as it stays there, we’re in good shape.
And if none of it works, there’s still the possibility of more actual John Wick movies. John Wick: Chapter 5 is very possible still very much on the (high) table, even if it’s not a guarantee.