Outraged fans of the John Wick franchise are planning to boycott the new prequel spin-off starring Mel Gibson.
The 67-year-old actor-director is set to take center stage as the lead star in the three-part limited series: The Continental: From the World of John Wick.
For those who haven't watched the franchise yet, The Continental is a worldwide chain of hotels providing a neutral space for criminals.
The forthcoming crime drama will reveal 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 play Cormac - the current owner of the criminal establishment.
Watch the trailer below:While fans were excited to see that the beloved franchise will continue, many are frustrated that the Braveheart actor has been cast in such a major role as there had been many allegations against the star.
One of those instances was in 2006 when he 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 Passion of the Christ actor 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.
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.
Disappointed John Wick supporters took to Facebook to express their disapproval of Gibson's casting, with the majority stating that they will boycott the show.
One angry user said: "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 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."
A third said: "Wouldn't watch it if you paid me. I heard the tapes. Stop blaming Keanu for things he has no control over," while a fourth added: "Ugh, ugh, ugh I’ll make sure never to watch that."
A fifth user on Twitter also shared that it's a "real bummer" that the producers "had the terrible idea to drag Mel Gibson out from under the rock he belongs under".
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 on September 22.
