iWorld
John Wick series The Continental to launch on Prime Video internationally
Mumbai: Amazon’s OTT platform, Prime Video will launch the series, ‘The Continental’. This is a special event series based on the action movie franchise John Wick. The prequel is produced by Lionsgate Television, and will be exclusively available to Prime Video members worldwide excluding the US, Middle East and Israel next year.
‘The Continental’ is told from the perspective of the hotel manager, portrayed by Ian McShane in the film franchise – a young Winston Scott, played by Colin Woodell (The Flight Attendant). Throughout the series, viewers will follow Winston through the underworld of 70’s New York, where he will battle demons from his past as he attempts to seize control of the iconic hotel – a hotel that serves as a meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals.
Woodell is joined by Mel Gibson (Braveheart), as Cormac; Ayomide Adegun (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), who will portray a young Charon (based on the character portrayed by Lance Reddick); Ben Robson (Vikings) as Frankie; Hubert Point-Du Jour (Dr. Death) as Miles; Jessica Allain (The Laundromat) playing Lou; Mishel Prada (Vida) as KD; Nhung Kate (The Housemaid) as Yen; and Peter Greene (Training Day), who dons the fedora of Uncle Charlie (based on the tight-lipped body disposal expert).
“The John Wick films have created one of the most immersive, detailed and enjoyable universes we’ve seen on screen in the last decade. We are extremely proud to play a part in continuing to build that universe, offering viewers an insight into the origins of the infamous Continental Hotel and its incredible characters” said Prime Video director of content acquisition Chris Mansolillo.
“We’re delighted to partner with Prime Video, which is always a world-class home for our properties. The Continental promises to be one of the major streaming events of 2023, and it will be a perfect fit for Prime Video’s global audience as the John Wick franchise continues to grow. This deal wouldn’t have been possible without Agapy Kapouranis and Chase Brisbin and their talented counterparts at Prime Video, who crafted a multifaceted agreement that reflects today’s evolving marketplace,” said Lionsgate president of worldwide television distribution Jim Packer.
The John Wick films have grossed nearly $600 million worldwide to date, with each film outperforming its predecessor. John Wick: Chapter Four is scheduled for theatrical release worldwide on 24 March, 2023.
iWorld
T20 World Cup ’26: India–England semi-final sets global streaming record of 619 million views on JioHotstar
India–England semi-final records 65.2 million peak streams
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set a new milestone in global sports streaming, as the India–England semi-final drew record digital audiences on JioHotstar.
The match on 5 March registered 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers, the highest ever recorded for a live event on any streaming platform worldwide. The semi-final also generated 619 million views, making it the most streamed T20 international match in history.
The landmark audience numbers were driven largely by viewers in India, setting a record achieved within a single market, rather than through aggregated viewership across multiple countries.
The high-scoring encounter between India national cricket team and England cricket team produced 499 runs across both innings, fuelling widespread fan engagement across platforms.
According to the International Cricket Council, the digital record surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million concurrent viewers, set in November 2024 by another international streaming platform.
Across television and digital platforms combined, the semi-final reached more than 320 million viewers, while total watch time exceeded 23 billion minutes, making it the most watched T20 international match ever.
“This World Cup demonstrates the immense passion of cricket fans and the progress made in bringing the game closer to audiences worldwide,” said ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“This moment reflects the scale of cricket fandom in India and the technological capability required to serve hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.”
JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar, said the audience surge underscored the future of large-scale digital entertainment.
“One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final. Delivering such an experience at scale requires the very best of technology,” he said.
The 619 million views during the match also eclipsed the 533 million views recorded during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With the final yet to be played, the 2026 tournament has already set multiple benchmarks in audience reach and digital engagement.
India will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
