Like Us, the Director of ‘John Wick’ Did not Love ‘The Continental’

This weekend, a brand new movie from the world of John Wick is coming to theaters. It’s called Ballerina and we’re guessing you’ve heard about it. However two years in the past, did you hear about a full-fledged John Wick streaming series that was on Peacock? Perhaps not. The Continental: From the World of John Wick debuted on the streamer in 2023 to common critiques and tepid viewers response. It has yet to return.

A part of that’s in all probability as a result of two of probably the most essential folks concerned within the John Wick franchise, star Keanu Reeves and co-creator/director/present overseer Chad Stahelski, weren’t actively concerned. And, in a brand new interview speaking about each Ballerina and a brand new documentary known as Wick is Ache, Stahelski sounds greater than a bit of bummed about it.

“Keanu and I had been—I wouldn’t say sidelined, however our opinion was heard and probably not famous,” Stahelski instructed the Hollywood Reporter. “[The studio] tried to persuade me they knew what they had been doing. A bunch of people thought they’d the magic sauce. However for those who take out Basil Iwanyk’s producing intuitiveness, for those who take out Keanu’s means of delivering quirky dialogue and for those who take out all of the visuals I’ve in my head from Wong Kar-wai, anime, Leone, Bernardo Bertucci or Andrei Tchaikovsky … then it’s not the identical factor. They thought this was as simple as utilizing anamorphic lenses, do a kooky lodge, put in bizarre dialogue, and insert crime drama.”

Stahelski continued, admitting his means of doing issues doesn’t at all times line up with the established order. “If you happen to noticed our course of, you’d be like, ‘You’re telling me this billion-dollar franchise does it this fashion?’” he mentioned. “I’m 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 continuously. That’s what makes [the movies] so good and natural—we’re continuously upgrading. However the studio likes to know what they’re getting for his or her buck and need to lock a script for price range causes. Whereas we’re saying, ‘Simply write the test, we’ll see you on the end line.’”

Which, it feels like, was the case with The Continental. It was not the case, nevertheless, with Ballerina, in which both Stahelski and Reeves were involved. And it’ll not be the case with a possible John Wick 5, which Stahelski is aware of everybody needs, however he’s nonetheless not utterly bought on.

“I’m not going to misinform you, it’s a little bit of a conundrum,” he mentioned about bringing Wick, who died within the final movie, again. “Me and Mike Finch— the author on 4 who’s additionally writing 5—we’ve received a fairly good story that I believe is cool. As soon as we have now a 50-page guide, and if we’re feeling it, we’ll sit with Keanu and form this factor. Look, everyone appears to need it. It’s a matter of whether or not we crack it. We’re actively engaged on it. It’s simply … is it going to be satisfying?”

As for John Wick 5, we’ll have to attend and see. However for those who head over to the Hollywood Reporter we promise the remainder of Stahelski’s interview is extremely satisfying.

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