Constantine 2: Director Reveals Exciting Sequel Update!

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Enthusiasts of the movie “Constantine” can breathe easily since its director, Francis Lawrence, recently shared an optimistic update regarding the sequel. In exactly three years, on February 18, 2025, it will be the 20th anniversary of when “Constantine” graced the big screen in 2005. This film, inspired by the Vertigo comic series “Hellraiser,” features Keanu Reeves portraying John Constantine, a beloved occult magic user from DC Comics. Although it was just a moderate box office success initially, it has developed a dedicated fanbase over the years, and after much anticipation, “Constantine 2” was officially announced in September 2022.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Francis Lawrence shared updates about the upcoming sequel, stating that they are currently brainstorming concepts for it. He confirmed that they are closer than ever to producing a Constantine sequel, as there is an idea that Keanu Reeves, Akiva Goldsman, and he all deeply appreciate. This concept is currently being actively developed. Unlike the original Constantine, which was initially intended for a PG-13 rating but ended up with an R rating, this time they aim to wholeheartedly embrace the film’s mature rating from the get-go. Essentially, they are keen on creating a more terrifying, R-rated sequel of Constantine.

As for why the sequel was delayed for such a lengthy period, it seems that multiple elements were at play. Among these factors were labor disputes and the complexities surrounding who possessed the rights to the character Constantine. Lawrence stated:

It appears that the strikes had some influence, but there were significant challenges leading up to them. These challenges stemmed from frequent leadership changes at Warner Bros. and DC, as well as the DC characters being passed around among different individuals. The main obstacle over the past two decades has been determining who holds the rights to the Vertigo characters, or the “DC Dark” ones. NBC did produce a series based on one of these characters, but we often encountered resistance when trying to develop our own version of Constantine because they claimed they already had it and wanted to focus on theirs. However, just before the strikes, everyone finally agreed to let us proceed with our plans.

Although production on “Constantine 2” is underway, fans might need to be patient before catching the movie in theaters. Lawerence has announced that he’ll shoot “The Hunger Games: Sunrise of the Reaping” first, which is set for release on November 20, 2026. This indicates that fans may have to wait quite some time for “Constantine 2”. As of now, no specific plot details are revealed for the eagerly awaited sequel, and aside from Keanu Reeves, none of the original film’s cast members have been confirmed to reprise their roles.

‘Constantine 2’ Long Journey through Development Hell

It’s an exciting prospect for fans to imagine a follow-up to the story of Constantine. Keanu Reeves has repeatedly asked Warner Bros. to make it happen. The release of Constantine coincided with an unusual time for DC Comics adaptations on screen. Although it was a darker comic book adaptation, it was somewhat overshadowed by Batman Begins, which came out later in the year and was more successful at the box office. Nevertheless, Constantine managed to earn $75 million domestically, which might have seemed like a flop given its reported budget of $100 million. However, its worldwide gross of $230 million along with strong DVD sales demonstrated that there is an audience for Constantine, particularly for Keanu Reeves’ portrayal of the character.

The 2005 film “Constantine” significantly broadened the character’s popularity and solidified his status as one of DC Comics’ most renowned figures. Earlier attempts by Warner Bros. to create a “Constantine” TV series for Max, produced by J.J. Abrams, were part of the DCEU; however, these plans were abandoned in favor of “Constantine 2,” capitalizing on Keanu Reeves’ career comeback. remarkably, despite being announced just one month before James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as heads of DC Studios, the sequel managed to survive, classified as an Elseworlds title. In 2005, a “Constantine” sequel seemed like a pipe dream for fans, but now it is nearly within reach.

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2025-02-19 02:02