Draft:Untitled Constantine sequel

{{Infobox film

| name = {{noitalic|Untitled Constantine sequel}}

| italic_title = no

| image =

| caption =

| director = Francis Lawrence

| screenplay = {{Plainlist|

Akiva Goldsman

}}

| story =

| based_on = {{based on|John Constantine||Alan Moore|Stephen R. Bissette|Rick Veitch|John Totleben}}

| producer = {{Plainlist|

}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

Keanu Reeves

}}

| cinematography =

| editing =

| music =

| production_companies = {{ubl|Warner Bros. Pictures|DC Studios|Bad Robot Productions|Weed Road Pictures}}

| distributor = Warner Bros. Pictures

| released =

| runtime =

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

The untitled Constantine sequel is an upcoming American superhero horror film directed by Francis Lawrence. Serving as a sequel to Constantine (2005), the film is written by Akiva Goldsman and based on DC Comics/Vertigo Comics Hellblazer comic book series. The film stars Keanu Reeves as John Constantine, a cynical exorcist with the ability to perceive and communicate with half-angels and half-demons in their true forms and to travel between Earth and Hell.

Cast

Keanu Reeves as John Constantine

Production

=Development=

In 2011, Constantine (2005) director Francis Lawrence stated, regarding a sequel:

{{blockquote|It's interesting that over the years, Constantine seems like it's become ... like it has this sort of cult following, which has been great. It's been embraced. It would be great to figure out a sequel, and if we did, and we've been trying to figure one out, it would be great to do the really dark, scary version. We got caught in that weird PG-13–R no man's land, and we should do the hard-R scary version, which I would love to do.{{cite web |first=Rick |last=Marshall |url=http://splashpage.mtv.com/2011/05/03/constantine-sequel-francis-lawrence |title='Constantine' Director Hoping To Make 'Hard-R, Scary' Sequel |publisher=SplashPage.MTV.com |date=May 3, 2011 |access-date=2022-09-16 |archive-date=May 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507085848/http://splashpage.mtv.com/2011/05/03/constantine-sequel-francis-lawrence/ |url-status=dead }}}}

It was announced in November 2012 that Guillermo del Toro had signed a deal to write and direct a Justice League Dark film centered around DC Comics' supernatural characters, John Constantine among them.{{cite news |author=Melrose, Kevin |url=http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2012/11/09/del-toro-confirms-hes-discussing-justice-league-dark-style-movie |title=Del Toro Says He's 'Discussing' Justice League Dark-Style Movie |publisher=ComicBookResources.com |date=November 9, 2012 |access-date=2022-09-16 |archive-date=May 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529052136/http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2012/11/09/del-toro-confirms-hes-discussing-justice-league-dark-style-movie/ |url-status=live }}

Keanu Reeves stated in May 2019 that he was open to reprising the role in the future.{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/dc/2019/05/18/keanu-reeves-wants-to-play-constantine-again/|title=Keanu Reeves Has "Always Wanted" to Play Constantine Again|last=Ridgely|first=Charles|publisher=Comicbook.com|date=May 18, 2019|access-date=2022-09-16|archive-date=May 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520101831/https://comicbook.com/dc/2019/05/18/keanu-reeves-wants-to-play-constantine-again/|url-status=live}} He again expressed interest in a sequel in December 2021, saying: "I would love to be John Constantine again".{{Cite magazine|url = https://ew.com/tv/keanu-reeves-talks-constantine-2-stephen-colbert-video/|title = Keanu Reeves on his efforts to get 'Constantine 2' made|magazine = Entertainment Weekly |access-date=2022-09-16|archive-date = December 15, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211215160329/https://ew.com/tv/keanu-reeves-talks-constantine-2-stephen-colbert-video/|url-status = live}} In November 2020, Peter Stormare, who portrayed Lucifer Morningstar in Constantine, announced in a post on Instagram that a sequel was "in the works", though neither representatives for Warner Bros. nor Reeves immediately responded to requests for comment.{{cite web|first=Gael|last=Cooper|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/constantine-star-says-a-sequel-to-the-keanu-reeves-movie-is-in-the-works/|title=Constantine star says a sequel to the Keanu Reeves movie is in the works|website=cnet|date=November 13, 2020|access-date=2022-09-16|archive-date=November 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114080842/https://www.cnet.com/news/constantine-star-says-a-sequel-to-the-keanu-reeves-movie-is-in-the-works/|url-status=live}}

In September 2022, Deadline Hollywood reported that Warner Bros. was developing a Constantine sequel, with Reeves set to return in the lead role. Lawrence was set to return as the film's director, with Akiva Goldsman writing the screenplay. Goldsman would also produce, alongside J. J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella.{{Cite web |first=Mike Jr. |last=Fleming |date=2022-09-16 |title=Warner Bros Sets 'Constantine' Sequel; Keanu Reeves & Francis Lawrence To Reunite, Akiva Goldsman Scripting & Producing With Bad Robot's JJ Abrams & Hannah Minghella |url=https://deadline.com/2022/09/constantine-sequel-keanu-reeves-francis-lawrence-warner-bros-dc-akiva-goldsman-scripting-producing-bad-robot-jj-abrams-hannah-minghella-1235121127/ |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}

In January 2023, rumors began to spread the project had been cancelled following James Gunn's and Peter Safran's reveal of the initial slate for the then-upcoming DC Universe (DCU), but Entertainment Weekly reached out to a spokesperson over at Warner Bros. Discovery to confirm the project was still in development.{{Cite web |date=February 7, 2023 |first=Nick |last=Romano |title='Constantine' sequel with Keanu Reeves still a go amid new DC slate |url=https://ew.com/movies/constantine-2-keanu-reeves-still-a-go-new-dc-slate/ |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=EW.com |language=en}} Reeves later confirmed in March 2023 that he had talks with Gunn regarding the film.{{Cite web |last=Behbakht |first=Andy |date=2023-03-06 |title=Keanu Reeves Confirms He Has Spoken To James Gunn About Constantine 2 |url=https://screenrant.com/keanu-reeves-confirms-constantine-2-talk/ |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}} In July 2023, Goldsman revealed he had talks with both Lawrence and Reeves as well as a story conceived for the film, though he hasn't written the screenplay due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-10 |title=Keanu Reeves' DC Movie Return Gets Promising Update Amid Writers Strike |url=https://screenrant.com/constantine-2-update-keanu-reeves-script/ |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}

In October of that year, Goldsman revealed the film would be R-rated and focus on an older Constantine.{{Cite web |last=Rangel |first=Felipe |date=2023-10-30 |title=Constantine 2 Gets A Very Positive R-Rated Update From DC Sequel Director |url=https://screenrant.com/constantine-2-update-positive-r-rated-director/ |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}} The following month, Lawrance revealed development on the film would officially start following Thanksgiving, and that the film would be his next project following The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023).{{Cite web |last=Dick |first=Jeremy |date=2023-11-25 |title=Constantine 2 Gets Back on Track as Director Reveals Exciting Update |url=https://www.cbr.com/constantine-2-update-after-strike/ |access-date=2023-11-25 |website=CBR |language=en}} In July 2024, Lawrence's next film ended up being The Long Walk (2025), leaving development on Constantine on hold.{{cite web|title=Charlie Plummer & Roman Griffin Davis Among Seven New Additions To Lionsgate's Stephen King Adaptation 'The Long Walk' As Production Begins |url=https://deadline.com/2024/07/the-long-walk-movie-adds-charlie-plummer-roman-griffin-davis-five-others-1236020203/|last=Grobar|first=Matt|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=July 24, 2024|access-date=October 25, 2024}} By September 2024, Goldsman had completed the screenplay and delivered it to Lorenzo di Bonaventura.{{cite web |url=https://www.joblo.com/constantine-2-script/ |title=Constantine 2 script has been delivered to producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura |first=Cody |last=Hamman |website=JoBlo |date=September 13, 2024 |access-date=October 25, 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Tim |date=2024-09-12 |title=Constantine 2 Producer Confirms He Has a Script He's "Too Scared" to Read (Exclusive) |url=https://comicbook.com/horror/news/constantine-2-producer-lorenzo-di-bonaventura-script-too-scared-to-read/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en-US}}

In February 2025, Reeves revealed in an interview that he and Lawrence recently developed a story and presented it to DC Studios, receiving approval to proceed with writing a script, after having attempted to create a follow-up for over a decade. Reeves also confirmed that the sequel would be set in the same world as the 2005 film, with John Constantine facing increased challenges. Lawrence indicated that they are closer than ever to realizing the sequel, having spent years considering ideas from the comics and nurturing the concept.{{Cite web |last=Oganesyan |first=Natalie |date=February 23, 2025 |title='Constantine' Sequel "Pitched" To DC Studios & Ready For A Treatment, Keanu Reeves Says |url=https://deadline.com/2025/02/constantine-sequel-pitched-script-keanu-reeves-dc-studios-1236298804/ |access-date=April 8, 2025 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}