The Continental director Charlotte Brandstrom: I’m a big fan of the John Wick movies; and to be a part of that franchise was a big honour – Exclusive | English Movie News – Times of India

In a world where action reigns supreme and vengeance knows no bounds, the “John Wick” franchise has carved its own indelible mark. With spine-tingling combat sequences, a captivating narrative, and a gritty, meticulously crafted universe, it’s no wonder that this cinematic masterpiece has garnered legions of fans worldwide. And now, we delve even deeper into the heart of this enigmatic realm with “The Continental,” a 3-part limited series that serves as a prequel to the iconic films.
At the helm of one of these thrilling episodes is director Charlotte Brändström, a seasoned filmmaker with a genuine passion for the “John Wick” universe. In an exclusive interview with ETimes, the director with series like ‘The Lord Of The Rings: Rings of Power‘ and ‘The Witcher’ to her credit, takes us on a journey through ‘The Continental’, sharing her personal insights into this action-packed world and the allure of bringing its prequel to life. Excerpts:
Director, let us begin by telling us what it’s like calling the shots in the world of mafias and assassins.
It’s very, very exciting because I’m a big fan of those worlds. I find it very exciting to watch them. And as always, when you’re a director, you actually can direct stuff that you would really like to watch yourself. And I’m actually a big, big fan of the John Wick movies and the scope and the cinematic and the style and the action of it. So to be able to be a part of that franchise in some way was a big honour, actually.
John Wick has a huge fan base and a cinematic universe, what do you think clicked with these fans around the world?
I think it’s the fact that it’s cinematic, it has the scope, it has great characters. I mean, obviously, Keanu Reeves, who would not click with Keanu Reeves, right? Because he’s also vulnerable, he’s grounded, you believe in him, you believe in that character. So it’s just a fantastic franchise to be part of. I think from the very first John Wick movie, it’s about revenge and about these dogs that get killed, you’re sort of rooting for him. And they have been able to not only do something very spectacular, very cinematic, but they are also able to create characters that we actually root for and are interested in.
I also think what is fun about the John Wick world and The Continental is that all the female characters are all badass, strong women, and I like that.

What were you most excited to explore in this origins story?
I think it was what was the setting. When I heard of it for the first time, and already being a big fan of John Wick, the fact that it was set in New York in the 70s’ was incredible.
It’s just a dangerous side of New York, and obviously, the music helped a lot. It gave a specific style and look, which I thought was very exciting.
Episode two is actually where this series gets its roots. What was it like being entrusted with the heart of this series?
That was an honour and it was very exciting and I just loved it. I started off with Drew Bolton and I had an incredible team. I was also able to talk a lot with the two showrunners. There was Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward who had actually developed it for many years. I love directing actors and I love character studies, so it was a lot of fun to be able to have that in the middle of this big franchise.
Did you receive any inputs from the John Wick makers or did you all have a free run with this limited series?
Maybe I did, but without really realising it. The main input was that I could ask questions to the two showrunners, Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward. They were very smart, collaborative, fun and very, very good. I think that the person that came from the John Wick world was Larnell Stovall, who is the second unit director who directed a lot of the action.
The action had a very specific style because he also told the story sometimes without words. He came from the creators of John Wick. It was very important for them that he was part of this series. So that was very helpful – when you have to shoot fast. He was great to have on set, very professional and very prepared. Also, he was stylising the action a lot and even came up with some fun action stuff that the writers rewrote the scenes afterwards to integrate into the episodes.

You’ve done long-form content and even fantasy genre, and now this all-out action. What do you prefer to direct?
I very much like change. Last year I did an episode of Shogun, which is a historic Japanese project set in the 16th century. Then I did John Wick, and then I did a really fun dark comedy show called The Consultant for Amazon. Then I went into fantasy with Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. It’s so much fun to go from one thing to the other. I love historical pieces, action, edgy and dark.
What I would love to direct today would be a spy thriller, because that would be something totally different or a political thriller.

Finally, what can you tell us about this franchise possibly moving forward?
I think the most important thing in the future is to continue that story. We are lucky because this enables you to develop the characters and get deeper into them. I think the most important thing is to continue developing an ensemble cast. I think that’s what’d be most important for a series to last. We want to get unforgettable and unique character writing.
‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick,’ introduces a star-studded ensemble, including the talents of Colin Woodell, Mel Gibson, Ayomide Adegun, Ben Robson, Hubert Point-Du Jour, Jessica Allain, Mishel Prada, Nhung Kate, and Peter Greene. The Prime Video show’s narrative is ingeniously portrayed through the eyes of a young Winston Scott, who manages the iconic Continental Hotel—a sanctuary for professional assassins.