As a dedicated gamer and long-time fan of the Arrowverse, I can’t help but feel disappointed and frustrated by the way John Constantine‘s story was handled in the series. Matt Ryan brought the bisexual sorcerer to life in a captivating way that resonated with fans and critics alike. His portrayal of Constantine was not only terrific, but he was a joy to watch as an actor in general.
Despite NBC cancelling “Constantine” TV series after only one season in 2015, Matt Ryan’s portrayal of the beloved DC Comics character didn’t come to an end. He made a reappearance towards the close of that year in “Arrow” episode Season 4, titled “Haunted.” Later in late 2017, he started recurring in “Legends of Tomorrow” Season 3 and was promoted to a regular cast member the following season. Ryan continued to play the bisexual sorcerer until the Season 6 finale. However, two years after “Legends of Tomorrow” was cancelled, co-creator Marc Guggenheim explained why the show stopped featuring Constantine, and the reason is quite disappointing.
Guggenheim spoke candidly on “The Showrunner Whisperer” podcast about his disappointment over Laurel Lance’s death in “Arrow” Season 4, which he dislikes the most. Additionally, he discussed instances where DC forbade them from utilizing certain characters, such as John Constantine.
When I stepped down as a showrunner, there was one instance that particularly troubled me – the announcement that we could no longer include Constantine in “Legends.”
As a devoted fan, I’d rephrase it this way: In the sixth season finale of Legends of Tomorrow, it wasn’t the writers who chose to conclude John Constantine’s storyline, but rather DC Comics that communicated he was no longer permitted on the show. Despite resurrecting in the final episode, Constantine found himself damned once more after trading his soul to a malevolent being. As a result, he had to forge a new journey distinct from the Legends. With a heavy heart, Constantine said goodbye to Zara Tarazi, his past love interest, and handed her a key. Unveiled later, this key led to a miniature Hellish abode that mirrored Constantine’s own house.
Perhaps you’re wondering why DC informed the Legends of Tomorrow crew that they couldn’t use John Constantine anymore. During a recent interview, showrunner Marc Guggenheim acknowledged that there had been rumors about the character being “pulled,” and while he didn’t go into detail, he admitted there was likely some truth to these reports. Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that at one point, a Constantine TV series was in development for Max, so you might connect the dots with this information.
In simpler terms, I think your observation was spot-on, considering the planned show didn’t materialize. It’s truly disheartening that we needed to change direction with Matt, an exceptional performer as Constantine and an outstanding actor overall.
It’s fortunate that Matt Ryan continued playing a role on “Legends of Tomorrow” until its conclusion. However, I’m disappointed in how the Arrowverse handled John Constantine’s character arc. Although DC often establishes that only one live-action version of a character can exist at once, exceptions have been made, such as Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller’s portrayals of The Flash, or Tyler Hoechlin and Henry Cavill’s interpretations of Superman. Why wasn’t this flexibility applied to Constantine?
Significantly, as Guggenheim noted, the planned “Max Constantine” series never came to fruition. Announced in 2021 and spearheaded by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot productions within the DC Extended Universe, this project was abandoned by the end of 2022. It’s also plausible that the DCEU version of John Constantine would have featured in “Justice League Dark,” another production of Bad Robot, but that too was canceled in early 2023. Consequently, Matt Ryan’s portrayal of Constantine was removed from “Legends of Tomorrow,” leaving his narrative strand seemingly for naught. The frustration deepens knowing that this chapter in Constantine’s story met its demise due to corporate decisions rather than creative considerations.
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2024-07-26 16:37