Hal Kirkland

John Wick Chapter 4: Continental Experience

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‘Creating a fully immersive theatrical experience for the launch of a legendary franchise like John Wick was a big responsibility. Fortunately, we had the best partners in both Lionsgate and HardRock, who embraced assassins preying on unsuspecting guests at the premiere afterparty, bounties being put on attendees in real-time, and an immersive experience where only the truly worthy survived. I’m confident Mr. Wick would have appreciated how deep we went.’

Hal Kirkland, Director, UNIT9

The background

To celebrate the theatrical release of JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4, Lionsgate wanted to immerse fans in the cool, mysterious, and slightly dangerous world of the JOHN WICK universe. So we brought the infamous Continental Hotel to life in New York and Los Angeles, and transported fans to a high-stakes, gamified experience in the spirit of the film.

The execution

The Continental Experience was a thrilling, immersive adventure that invited guests to track down a deadly assassin. They had to use street smarts and cunning tactics to help JOHN WICK fight for his freedom and discover what kind of assassin they truly were.

The experience included a series of tests: curated tastings with a Sake Tasting Roulette, prophetic Tarot readings, and a hunt for hidden messages in weaponry wielded by JOHN WICK himself. If they made it out, they’d have a permanent ally in JOHN WICK. If they failed, they could still order a delicious consolatory cocktail at the lavish bar.

The Continental Experience was a return to immersive theater roots, where we got to develop a truly immersive narrative experience based on the rich existing world of JOHN WICK. This was our second time bringing the Continental Experience to life for a JOHN WICK premiere, and we worked hard to raise the stakes, creating a dramatic experience that appealed to a wide range of moviegoers.

The results

The Continental Experience was one of the most talked-about film promotions of the year. It sold out in record time, received extensive media coverage, and went viral on TikTok.