The Peacock 2023 spin-off series does not appeal to the actor, who played Winston Scott in the ‘John Wick’ film series.

It seems that our favorite Baba Yaga isn’t the only person who knows the art of assassination, as Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves’ John Wick co-star, recently took aim at the franchise’s prequel TV series, The Continental: From the World of John Wick.

With Colin Woodell as a young Winston Scott, the Peacock series traced the history of the hotel-for-assassins that were prominently displayed in the John Wick film series. The Deadwood star plays the same character in the action flicks, making an appearance in each of the first four installments.

Nevertheless, McShane says he is not a fan of this Mel Gibson-starrer miniseries and thus won’t even “watch” it, as he thinks it is just a “cash grab”. The actor, 81, recently unleashed a torrent of words as he unloaded his candid thoughts on the franchise’s small-screen extension.

Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 4

Keanu Reeves’ John Wick Co-Star Called The Continental a ‘Cash Grab’

The world of John Wick expanded with the Peacock premiere of The Continental in September of last year. With a 63% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, the show did not get the best reception. Ian McShane, who portrayed Winston, the owner of The Continental, in the four John Wick films, was unrelenting in his criticism of the Peacock miniseries. He does not intend to watch it, either.

Speaking with MovieWeb while on the promotional circuit for his latest film, American Star, McShane expressed reservations about The Continental. Declaring that he had not seen the show, he criticized it, calling it just a ploy to “cash” in on the popularity of the John Wick series.

“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?].”

Ian McShane in John Wick 4

The actor asked why he would want to see it, considering that the makers “never asked” for any input:

“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?”

After a mixed debut at Peacock, The Continental ended its Peacock run on October 6. The latest film adaptation, John Wick: Chapter 4, received a 94% critic and 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while the Peacock Spinoff series only bagged a 63% critic and 78% audience score.

What is the Reaction of Critics to the John Wick Spinoff?

The nearly ten-year-old John Wick franchise, which has included four movies, a comic book series, and a few video games, finally released a project last year that was focused on a different character. The Continental has so far gotten mixed reviews from critics, which stands in stark contrast to how well-received all of the John Wick films were. On the plus side, Collider gave the Peacock series a B-, noting that even though Keanu Reeves is greatly missed, the program is still able “to carve out its own path”:

“It does often get lost with so many characters and plot points, but if you are willing to give it time, the series has terrific action and a great cast, proving that the franchise doesn’t need to rely on Keanu Reeves to thrive.”

On the other hand, The Daily Beast claimed that The Continental lacked “charismatic marquee lead, interesting and exciting bloodshed, or characters and lore worth paying attention to for an extended period of time” and was, therefore, completely unimpressive.

Meanwhile, the Empire gave the series a score of 4 out of 5. The action in this spinoff, according to their review, “does no dirty to the John Wick name”, and its ‘70s color scheme, soundtrack, and other elements contribute to “giving the series’ urban fantasy a flavor distinct from the films”.

Mel Gibson in the John Wick spin-off, The Continental

With the release of John Wick in 2014 and three more sequels, the franchise has amassed a global box office gross of over $1 billion while winning critical praise. Additionally, Len Wiseman is directing the upcoming movie Ballerina, which takes place in between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).

Ballerina will be released on June 7, 2024. The Continental: From the World of John Wick is currently available on Peacock.