Despite starring in and crafting several critically acclaimed projects that have been showered with praises and accolades, Mel Gibson’s career has witnessed a steady decline in the last decade. The major reason that resulted in the actor’s decline in Hollywood was the domestic abuse allegations and his anti-Semitic comments in the mid-2000s, leading to the actor being blacklisted for years.
But recent years have witnessed a comeback from the actor, with him recovering from alcohol abuse and finding his footing back in the industry by winning an Oscar for Hacksaw Ridge. However, his casting in the much anticipated John Wick spin-off was met with criticisms following the actor’s troublesome past, and the producers for the show recently addressed the issue.
The Continental creators defend Mel Gibson’s casting
With Mel Gibson to star in the highly anticipated spin-off series of John Wick, The Continental, some fans were conflicted about the actor’s casting in the role of Cormac. And while reflecting on the controversies surrounding the situation, executive producer Basil Iwanyk and executive producer/director Albert Hughes brushed away these criticisms without any hesitation. When asked whether Gibson’s controversial past impacted their decision of casting him in the role, they denied such speculations and explained they only chose Gibson because he fits the role. Hughes stated,
“No. I think he fit the role; he fit what we needed based on his film past. And 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. That’s a tricky game to get into. I have my own personal beliefs in life and whatnot about everything, but I’m here to entertain.”
But The Continental isn’t the only project related to the John Wick universe, which will eventually release, as Lionsgate is set to expand one of their most profitable franchise.
The Continental is the beginning of John Wick‘s expansion
Mel Gibson-led The Continental is one of the many projects that will be released in order to expand the John Wick universe in the foreseeable future. With Ana de Armas starring Ballerina set to hit theatres next year, and a mystery John Wick project accompanied by John Wick 5, which is reportedly in early development, the John Wick universe is set to be bigger than ever. Lionsgate President Joe Drake stated,
“Ballerina is the first spinoff that comes out next year. We’re in development on three others, including [John Wick 5] and including television series, The Continental, which will be airing soon. And so, we’re building out the world and when that five movie comes, will be organic — will be organically grown out of how we’re starting to tell those stories. But you can rely on a regular cadence of John Wick.”
Although the casting of Mel Gibson has been a turn-off for some fans, considering he is slowly moving back to his roots, fans can expect some quality performance from the actor in the upcoming series.
The Continental is set to premiere on Peacock on 22 September 2023.
Source: IGN
