There is little doubt that Mel Gibson is the biggest name attached to The Continental: From the World of John Wick yet some people still question the screen legend's casting in the John Wick spin-off. Now, the producers of the Peacock series are defending the decision to cast Gibson in the upcoming show.
The Continental Producers Address Controversial Mel Gibson Casting
Basil Iwanyk and Allen Hughes will serve as executive producers on The Continental and they recently discussed the upcoming series with IGN. When asked whether the backlash to Mel Gibson's casting made them reconsider the decision, Iwanyk pointed out that, "There just simply wasn’t a consideration about it."
"No. I think he fit the role, he fit what we needed based on his film past," Hughes agreed.
"I'll leave others to debate the other stuff because it's not a black-and-white issue, and I don't want to be sound-bited and clickbait," he added.
"That's a tricky game to get into," Hughes continued. "I have my own personal beliefs in life and whatnot about everything, but I'm here to entertain."
He added, "Earlier in my career I wasn't so careful. But there's a weight that he brought, the stuff that he brought from his past roles and what he has done that we needed for this role."
"I don't think anybody could have fit better, let's put it that way, just with his chops and his experience," Hughes concluded.
Mel Gibson will play The Continental's past proprietor Cormac before Winston Scott took over. The John Wick spin-off will also star Colin Woodell as Winston, Ayomide Adegun as Charon, and Supergirl actor Katie McGrath as The Adjudicator.
The Continental is set in the 1970s before Winston Scott became the manager of the titular hotel in New York. It will explore variations on real-world events, including the Winter of Discontent and the American Mafia's rise to economic power.
The Continental: From the World of John Wick will premiere on Peacock in September 2023.
Related: John Wick: The Continental Gets Funky Action-Packed Teaser
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!