DC Studios has decided that its universe does not contain enough demons, curses and men making terrible decisions in dark rooms. So John Constantine is heading back to the cinema.
The new film follows the success of Clayface which makes sense. That R-rated body-horror movie opened with US$43 million worldwide and proved that DC can explore different genres without asking Superman to fly through every story. TheWrap
Francis Galluppi is attached to write the project about the supernatural investigator, which is now in development. For those who didn’t know, Galluppi is also directing the upcoming Evil Dead Wrath. This suggests that DC wants somebody comfortable with frightening creatures and people discovering that opening the mysterious door was a dreadful idea. And that makes Constantine perfect for that approach.
The character first appeared in The Saga of the Swamp Thing in 1985 and later became the central figure in the Hellblazer comics. Constantine is a magician, con artist and paranormal detective who usually defeats evil through intelligence, manipulation and an impressive willingness to make the situation worse before fixing it. What an admirable quality. Although he is not exactly the kind of hero you invite home, period.
The character was played by Keanu Reeves in the 2005 film Constantine. Although the movie changed several things from the comics, it eventually became a cult favourite. Reeves and director Francis Lawrence have spent years discussing a sequel, with that separate project reportedly still in development.
But DC has not confirmed whether this new film is connected to Reeves’ version. It has not announced a cast, release date or plot either. Something that is very much in line with the operations of DC. So it would be wise to wait before anyone starts preparing for Keanu to put the black coat back on.
Here’s a fun fact. Matt Ryan also played Constantine in the NBC television series before joining Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow. For many comic readers, Ryan’s blond, British version looked and sounded closer to the character they knew. Naturally, this means casting the new film will cause calm and completely reasonable discussions online.
The project suggests that DC Studios has taken an important lesson from Clayface. And they will be better for it. The truth is that not every comic-book character needs a US$200 million budget and a final battle involving a glowing object above a city. Sometimes all you need is a character that works better in smaller, darker stories.
Constantine gives DC access to an entire supernatural world filled with demons, haunted places and morally questionable magic. He could also introduce characters such as Zatanna, Deadman, Swamp Thing and the wider Justice League Dark. But the film should first allow Constantine to stand on his own.
Give him one horrible mystery, a few people he cannot trust and a supernatural enemy that knows exactly what he regrets. DC Studios has yet to provide the official go-ahead for production, so the project remains in early development. And I suppose quite a lot could change before cameras begin rolling.
For now, we only know that John Constantine may be returning. Which probably means something terrible has already escaped from hell.
