New ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’ trailer teases a prequel series worthy of the action juggernaut’s mythos

At first glance, one might be wary of a John Wick story without Keanu Reeves in front of the camera or Chad Stahelski behind it, and given the herculean task of The Continental: From the World of John Wick to do the franchise’s delectable lore the proper justice, there’s been more than a bit of caution to go along with the optimism.

But now, thanks to the incoming prequel miniseries’ official trailer, it feels more than safe to say that The Continental will go on to be a beloved piece of the John Wick puzzle based on its inch-perfect teases of atmosphere, combat, and even humor befitting of one of the action genre’s most lucrative mythologies.

Starring Colin Woodell as a young Winston Scott — the present-day proprietor of New York’s Continental Hotel in the John Wick films — The Continental will follow Winston’s rise to power in 1970s New York City, a journey that’s kicked off after an entire underworld’s worth of assassins begin gunning for the heads of him and his brother after the former refuses to hunt down the latter for theft. Also starring are Mel Gibson, Jessica Allain, Mishel Prada, Sallay Garnett, and Ayomide Adegun as a young Charon, whose older version is portrayed by the late Lance Reddick in the John Wick films.

The three-part miniseries will also explore alternate variations of real-world events that tie into the lore of John Wick, such as the Winter of Discontent and the rise of the American Mafia.

The Continental: From the World of John Wick will premiere its first episode exclusively on Peacock on Sept. 22, followed by the second episode on Sept. 29, and the final episode on Oct. 6.