Highlights
- John Wick was declared excommunicado for breaking the rules of The Continental by killing a crime boss on its grounds.
- Being excommunicado means losing all privileges and protection from The Continental, making the individual vulnerable to assassination.
- Other characters, such as Ms. Perkins and Winston, have also faced excommunicado status for their actions, but eventually found ways to have it lifted.
John Wick is one of the biggest action franchises around, but it started out with humble beginnings when it became the sleeper hit of 2014, starring Keanu Reeves, who had been off the box office radar for many years. It saw the return of the action star to his former glory, and spawned three successful sequels, and the recent three-part spin-off prequel series, The Continental.
Along the way to the franchise's mega success, it created a new mythology for movies about assassins. It created a universe that existed around the mysterious hotel safe haven for professional killers, known as The Continental, run by hotel manager, Winston, played by Ian McShane. One of the big aspects to arise in the John Wick universe is the notion of being "excommunicado", which would become synonymous with the franchise, and define it in many ways. This phrase strikes fear into every assassin in the world, as it's the last thing they want to be.
The Continental: John Wick Doesn’t Need Backstory
The latest entry in this beloved action franchise adds a lot of details that no one asked for, weakening the show and its source material.
Why was John Wick declared excommunicado?
John Wick is the ultimate assassin in the movies, with some of the best fights ever put on screen. He's capable of things only others could think up in their wildest dreams. He is the perfect killer in many ways, but like with most characters in action franchises, he does have his human faults which cause him a great deal of trouble in the long run.
In John Wick: Chapter 2, he makes the mistake of killing a man on the company grounds of The Continental, which is totally against the rules. The man he kills is an Italian crime boss called Santino DÁntonio, who has come to The Continental to seek refuge, and protect himself from being killed by John. He is enjoying his meal in the restaurant and taunting John, when the titular assassin decides to break all the rules, and shoots him dead.
John meets Winston at the Bethesda Fountain the next day, and the hotel manager regretfully informs him that as a direct result of Santino's death, John has a bounty on his head and is now declared ''excommunicado" from the Continental, and unable to access the resources and privileges the hotel offers.
Winston decides to give John Wick and his dog a one-hour grace period to run, giving him half a chance of escape, before his status was put into full effect, and assassins from around the world come after him in search of the reward money. These events lead directly into John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum.
What does it mean to be excommunicado?
Excommunicado is the status of a former member of The Continental, when their privileges are revoked when they break the rules. The ''excommunicado'' individual loses all of their access to the services The Continental offers, which includes protection from fellow members. The member who is stripped of Continental privileges can now be killed without any repercussions.
At the beginning of John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum, John Wick spends the hour before his ''excommunicado'' status becomes official, gathering items he needs to escape. As a doctor is treating his wounds, his new status goes into effect meaning John has to finish stitching himself up and wound the doctor to cover up for his help.
John was given preferential treatment by Winston due to their longstanding friendship, but rules are rules, and he had to abide by them, in order to protect himself from facing ''excommunicado'' status.
Was anyone else declared excommunicado?
In the original John Wick film, Ms. Perkins attempted to kill John in order to collect a $2 million bounty on him, but he subdued her, and she awaited punishment for her actions. She escaped a man called Harry who was guarding her, and Winston later declared her "excommunicado". He then had her executed for doing business on the Continental premises.
Winston wasn't immune from punishment himself, and he was also declared "excommunicado" by the High Table in John Wick 4, for his failure to kill John Wick. This resulted in the New York faction of the Continental being destroyed, and Charon being killed. He ended up delivering John for his battle with Vincent Bisset de Gramont, in exchange for the Continental in New York being rebuilt, and his "excommunicado" status being lifted.
John went on to kill Vincent and his obligations to the High Table were satisfied, making him a free man, while Winston still had his demands met and was no longer ''excommunicado." One might suggest that John's ''excommunicado'' status was also lifted, but he appeared to die from his wounds anyway, making his status irrelevant.
Fans can expect more cases of ''excommunicado'' assassins in The Continental television series if it is renewed for a second series. And there is also an upcoming Ballerina spin off, meaning the John Wick franchise is a long way away from being classed as "excommunicado".