John Constantine has a history in live-action.
Of course, there was the Keanu Reeves movie all the way back in 2005, an outing that was met with mixed reception; it sits at a 46% critic approval on Rotten Tomatoes.
Long after that, actor Matt Ryan was brought aboard as the iconic character for an NBC show—it only lasted one season. But as luck would have it, there was CW's Legends of Tomorrow, which brought not only Constantine back, but the man who played him.
As of late 2021, however, the character is now back on ice. Ryan announced that he was hanging up the trench coat and how his day as the chain-smoking hero was coming to an end.
So, what might be next for good ol' Constantine? Well, last fans had heard, there was an HBO Max series in development, one that would herald in a new actor for the role.
But now, not only does it look like that's no longer happening, but a new report has revealed a proper sequel to the 2005 film is in the works after nearly two decades.
Constantine is Back, Baby
In a new report from Deadline, it's been confirmed that Warner Bros. is developing a sequel to Constantine.
Yes, that very same movie from 2005, starring Keanu Reeves. Not only will they be getting the leading actor back, but director Francis Lawrence will also be returning.
Akiva Goldsman is currently set to write the screenplay and produce via his own Weed Road Pictures. Joining him in a producing capacity will be Bad Robot's J.J. Abram and Hannah Minghella.
Lorzenzo DiBonaventure and Erwin Stoff will serve as executive producers.
According to Variety, the announcement of this sequel comes with some bad news: the Constantine series at HBO Max is dead, as is Madame X.
This is a shocking move on WB's part, and many fans are understandably surprised by the announcement.
@PattyNest exclaimed that they simply "Did NOT see that coming:"
"Keanu Reeves coming back for Constantine 2!? Did NOT see that coming."
"I actually liked that movie," admitted @alwaysbxtchless:
"Woah?? He wasn't the most accurate Constantine but it's Keanu Reeves and I actually liked that movie so I'm not complaining."
@olliedys was even more thrilled than those two combined, shouting to the world how "this is INCREDIBLE news" while also claiming Constantine "is an underrated classic."
One fan, @CaptainGalxy, joked how they would be surprised "if WB announces Ryan Renolds' Green Lantern 2:"
"WB randomly bringing back Keanu Reeves Constantine film (crying emoji). At this point, I won't be surprise[d] if WB announces Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern 2 (skull emoji)."
@HarrisHarrisev9 was particularly excited about the lead actor returning, adding that "the Keanu hype never ends:"
"Holy shit, the Keanu hype never ends! Never thought we'd see a sequel to CONSTANTINE of all things."
"You could have given me 100 guesses" exclaimed @lavalampbamboo, admitting that Constantine 2 would never have been among them:
"You could have given me 100 guesses as to what comic book property that WB would try next and I never would have picked a CONSTANTINE SEQUEL."
@krislfc was a huge fan of the surprise, calling the move "absolutely huge:"
"This is Absolutely huge. Loved that #Constantine movie. #WarnerBros finally doing right by their #DC brand!"
@BlackMajikMan90 noted that despite the rumors of Keanu Reeves' series getting a sequel, she never saw "it actually happening:"
"A Constantine sequel with Keanu Reeves was always a big rumor but never did I see it actually happening. What a massive win for DC."
Is This the End of Justice League Dark
The cancelation of Constantine and Madame X on HBO Max certainly doesn't paint a great picture about the future of J. J. Abrams Justice League Dark ambitions.
Abrams was previously in charge of an "Avengers-style show" for the streaming service, and as great as the idea sounded, it looks like it's not meant to be. Though, it's important to note that it isn't officially canned just yet.
As for Constantine 2 itself, fans of the first are undoubtedly elated. What might be in store? Maybe the DCEU will tackle Trigon in live-action, who has previously appeared in Titans. That said, there's a good chance this sequel is entirely separate from any interconnected world, like the Joker or The Batman series.
Despite some being excited by the news, others are likely very worried by the news.
However, for a studio that's trying to get a 10-year plan in place for their DC Comics films, this announcement doesn't seem like this is a conductive step toward that goal.
It really comes off as quite the opposite—that Warner Bros. truly has no idea what they are doing with their properties, especially with the new change of leadership. Though honestly, fans should have expected nothing less after the Batgirl debacle.
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