Ian McShane denounces The Continental spinoff, proceeds without consultation from key figures, labeling it a money-making scheme.

Ian McShane, known for his role in John Wick, isn’t happy about The Continental spinoff. He says they didn’t ask him or Keanu Reeves about it first. The 81-year-old plays Winston, the hotel owner in John Wick. He thinks the spinoff is just about making money.

Ian McShane in John Wick 4
His comments show there might be some problems behind the scenes. It makes you wonder if there are issues in the whole John Wick world. McShane speaking out makes us think about how Hollywood works with big movie series.

Ian McShane Criticized The Continental, Branding It A John Wick Cash-Grab

Ian McShane, famous for his part in John Wick, didn’t hold back in slamming The Continental, saying it’s just a money grab linked to the franchise. He’s not into it, suggesting the show’s only there to cash in on the John Wick brand.

The Continental, a prequel TV series from the world of John Wick, hit Peacock screens last September, with three episodes set in 1970s New York City. It delved into the origins of the assassin-friendly hotel we’ve seen in the movies, with Colin Woodell playing a young Winston Scott, a character later portrayed by McShane himself.

Ian McShane slammed The Continental

But McShane’s not feeling it. In an interview with MovieWeb, while promoting his upcoming film, American Star, he didn’t mince words, calling the series a cash grab.

He made it clear he’s not interested in watching it, and he doesn’t think Keanu Reeves or Chad Stahelski, the director, have checked it out either. According to the actor,
“No, I wouldn’t watch it. I have no intentions – nobody – I don’t think Keanu watched it, neither has Chad. It had nothing to do with our movies. It’s just a question of a TV company cashing in on the series and taking the option to [air?]. They never asked us about anything so why would I be interested in seeing it? I’m afraid their arrogance in getting the show out is beyond me so I wish them well. I think it’s come and gone, hasn’t it?”
The Continental wrapped up its run on Peacock on Oct. 6, getting mixed reviews. But The Continental isn’t the only spin-off in town. Ballerina, featuring Ana De Armas as a young assassin, is set to drop on June 7, 2024.

Fans are hyped for appearances from McShane, Reeves, and Anjelica Huston, reprising her role as the director. Plus, rumors are swirling about John Wick 5 and a new anime series in the pipeline.

Yet, despite all the buzz, The Continental didn’t quite add much to the John Wick universe.

The Continental Scarcely Enhanced The John Wick Universe

The Continental (via Forbes)
The Continental spinoff series didn’t do much to make the John Wick universe more exciting. When it first dropped on Peacock, it got mixed reviews. Some folks liked the action scenes, similar to what you see in the main John Wick movies, but others thought it was too slow and the story didn’t go deep enough.

There was a bit of drama about the casting, especially with Mel Gibson playing the main bad guy, Cormac O’Connor, who used to run the Continental Hotel before Winston took over. Even though some fans were hyped for more John Wick stuff, especially after John Wick: Chapter 4, the series felt more like a cash grab than a fresh addition to the story.

Sure, we got to see how Winston took over the New York Continental from Cormac, and there was some backstory about Winston’s brother Frankie, but it wasn’t enough to get folks really invested.

As for the future of the John Wick universe, The Continental wasn’t a strong move forward. McShane, who plays Winston, pointed out that nobody asked him or other folks who made the franchise awesome about the show.

Let’s hope future spinoffs get more love from the original cast and crew. In the end, The Continental tried to dig into the past, but it didn’t leave a big mark on the John Wick world.