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In the world of John Wick, everyone’s either dead or dying to be. The billion-dollar film franchise led by Keanu Reeves—aka Baba Yaga, aka devoted dog dad, aka not a guy you’d want to leave around a loose pencil—has spawned a universe of assassin spinoffs, including this summer’s Ballerina starring Ana de Armas. The latest film reaffirms the franchise’s core appeal: In the Wickverse, anyone can be a dapper and deadly assassin, even a ballet dancer—or even you. We decided to test that theory at Area15’s John Wick Experience, which made its debut in March as Lionsgate Films and Egan Productions collaborated to create a luxurious, lived-in re-creation of the films’ iconic Continental Hotel. Before you check in, here are five reasons you’ll want to extend your stay.
The world-building tops most movie sets.
In the Wick world, the Continental isn’t so much a place as a state of mind. It’s an assassin’s sanctuary, a neutral territory where no “business” can be conducted—a sacred rule of The High Table.
Photo by: Lionsgate Entertainment / Courtesy
Egan Productions, the team behind themed mega-attractions like Fright Dome and the Official SAW Escape Room, took every detail into account for John Wick’s most popular place of refuge. The lobby is charged with a palpable, cinematic air—bellhops bustle about transporting luggage, hotel guests exchange gold coins for vintage spirits at the bar. And that immersion follows patrons upstairs to the mailroom, where call operators—“accountants”—work the switchboards and post bounties on hapless hitmen. The accountants’ office is an atom bomb of analog—it’s all rotary phones and sheets of notepad paper; chalkboards and chutzpah from the Continental’s most intriguing staff.
It’s an immersive blast.
On the surface, the John Wick Experience excels as an exhilarating escape room. The plot is simple: While interviewing for a job with the accountants (bring a damn résumé, why don’t you!), you’re marked with a high-level bounty. The enemy is closing in; the manager wants to see you and you need an exit plan.
Canonically, it’s every John Wick film you’ve ever seen, but with an added sprinkle of stage. Similar to the award-winning New York production Sleep No More, this experience brings the immersion to you. Every character you encounter is an actor, pushing the plot forward and riffing off your reactions in real time. The lore comes alive as you shuttle through rooms, solving puzzles and interacting with memorable members of the Continental staff—like The Tailor, who tries selling you a bedazzled, bulletproof bustier.
It’s a great way to familiarize yourself with the films.
The John Wick franchise has produced four films, a spinoff and a prequel TV series, with several more projects in development. We get it—it’s a little intimidating. But that shouldn’t dissuade newcomers from jumping in, and the John Wick Experience is a great place to start. It’s engaging but educational. Hardcore fans will also get a kick out of all the fan service it provides, especially at the gift shop.
You never know who’ll show up.
Ana de Armas, who stars as the trained and graceful killer Eve in Ballerina, stopped by the John Wick Experience earlier this year. Film composer Le Castle Vania also checked into the Continental this summer. Who’ll be next?
The action hits hard.
John Wick’s choreographed fight scenes and frenzied shootouts define the series—and they dominate here. During one segment, the experience allows you to arm yourself and train, placing you at the crux of the action in a satisfying finale worth the ticket price alone. Mad dash sequences force you to move quickly and precisely, while stunning set pieces and realistic audio intensify the action further. At one point, we crouched in a neon-lit alleyway, chest heaving from a chase. The experience delivers John Wick’s world in a way watching a movie never could.
JOHN WICK EXPERIENCE Area15, 725-726-6020, johnwickexperience.com. Wednesday-Monday, hours vary, $64-$114.
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