The director of the John Wick spin-off series has responded to the backlash surrounding Mel Gibson's casting.
As previously reported, fans of the popular franchise revealed that they are planning to boycott the new series titled The Continental: From the World of John Wick after it was revealed that the 67-year-old actor-director would be starring in a lead role.
The forthcoming crime drama will show how a young Winston Scott (played by Colin Woodell) became the owner of the infamous bolt-hole in the 1970s. Joining him will be Gibson, who will portray Cormac - the current owner of the criminal establishment.
Watch The Continental trailer below:While fans were excited to see that the franchise will continue, many are frustrated that the Passion of Christ actor has been cast in his first major US role as he has been accused of making racist, antisemitic, and homophobic comments in the past.
Disappointed John Wick supporters took to social media to express their disapproval of Gibson's casting, with one angry user saying: "Easiest way to get me to not watch something is casting ol bigoted Mel Gibson. Phenomenal actor..but an equally well-documented sh***y person. Hard pass."
Another furious viewer commented: "This sucks. I would have watched this if it wasn't for Gibson. There's just no way I could enjoy watching an anti-semite."
For those unaware, in 2006, Gibson was arrested for suspected drunk driving in Malibu and made antisemitic remarks to a policeman. He later apologized, stating that the comments were "blurted out in a moment of insanity," per The Independent.
Another incident occurred in 2010 when the Braveheart star was featured on a leaked recording with then-wife Oksana Grigorieva in which he said a racial slur. At the time, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department launched a domestic violence investigation against Gibson, but it was later settled when he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge.
However, the actor was blacklisted by Hollywood due to the investigation, but in 2017, he was nominated for Best Director at the Oscars for Hacksaw Ridge, starring Andrew Garfield.
The three-part limited series' director, Albert Hughes, spoke ahead of the show's launch and explained why he cast Gibson despite the outrage surrounding him.
"I cast [Mel Gibson] based on his past work that I grew up on," the 51-year-old told The New York Post. "And I think he fits the role perfectly. I think once fans see it, they’ll understand why."
The filmmaker, who also serves on the show as an executive producer, said: "The personal stuff is not my business to talk about," and echoed this while speaking to TVLine, sharing: "The personal life stuff, that’s not my place to get into.
"I’m just trying to do my job and appreciate a person who knows what he’s doing in front of the camera and behind it," he concluded.
The series also stars Mishel Prada (KD), Ben Robson (Frankie), Hubert Point-Du Jour (Miles), Nhung Kate (Yen), Jessica Allain (Lou), Ayomide Adegun (Charon), Jeremy Bobb (Mayhew) and Peter Greene (Uncle Charlie).
The Continental: From the World of John Wick will be released on Prime Video today (September 22).
