The John Wick franchise is expanding. Later this year, a prequel series will premiere on Peacock before a spinoff film, Ballerina, set between the franchise’s third and fourth films will blaze through theaters next year. We’ll be learning more about these projects at Comic-Con this year.
These two are but the first drops in a deluge of projects that the company is planning in that universe. Ahead of The Continental’s debut, The Wrap has revealed that Lionsgate will have a panel for the show at next month’s massive San Diego Comic-Con event.
The Continental is not the only Lionsgate show that will make an appearance at the event. According to The Wrap, the studio will also show off two other productions as part of the lineup. These shows are the hit comedy series Ghosts, which will return for a third season, and the drama series Heels, set to return for a second season.
Their panels will take place on consecutive days, with Ghosts on July 20, The Continental on July 21, and Heels on July 22. Spreading out the attractions will keep audiences coming back for more each day, while allowing the announcements some breathing room.
Lionsgate will not have a panel for any feature film. We find this surprising, since the studio is currently sitting on The Expendables 4, that other John Wick spinoff titled Ballerina, and The Hunger Games: The Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes.
Nonetheless, their appearance is a breath of fresh air amidst recent reports that some heavyweight studios – Marvel Studios, Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures, and Netflix – will not attend. San Diego Comic-Con is one of the largest geek gatherings in the world, and these studios, especially Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, usually provide some great content.
We understand their decision to skip the event since it stems from the ongoing WGA strike and the resulting lack of new content to present. Still, their absence will rob fans of the opportunity to learn a bit more about their favorite shows and movies from these studios.
Some other heavy hitters haven’t announced plans either way thus far. For now, we cannot say whether DC Studios and its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, will follow suit – that said, we think they shouldn’t, though.
DC Studios has been playing catch up to Marvel Studios for several years now, and we think Marvel’s absence will provide them with an opportunity to fill the gap. It will certainly be a good way for the studio’s new CEOs, Peter Safran and James Gunn, to sustain the buzz that began when they took over the division’s top spot.
Apart from Lionsgate, we know that Paramount will also show up at the event. While there, the studio will promote its new animated project – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which will make its big screen debut this August.
The film has been lauded ever since it screened at the Annecy Film Festival, and Paramount will be hoping it trails the path of Universal’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse at the box office.
The Continental: From the World of John Wick will make its debut on Peacock this September.
