The official announcement of the sequel to Keanu Reeves’ 2005 cult classic, Constantine, was made in September 2022. It is reported that the DC character will be set in an Elseworlds Universe, instead of James Gunn’s DC Universe. While Reeves is at the peak of popularity with John Wick 4, his face may not be sufficient to bring in the dollars. Constantine 2 will have to rely on the massive success of other two Elseworlds films — Joker (2019) and The Batman (2022).
Upon its release, Constantine received mixed responses from fans and critics, with some critically panning the movie. Some hardcore comic fans hated the inaccurate portrayal of John Constantine in the film.
The Success Of The Batman Boosts Keanu Reeves’ Confidence in Constantine 2
Despite the mixed reviews, Keanu Reeves’ Constantine was a commercial success, grossing $230.9 million at the box office and achieving a cult status in the following years. A sequel for the movie remained speculative for several years before finally being confirmed in 2022. Since the announcement, there has been no news about the sequel.
Constantine 2 was notably absent from DC’s list of upcoming films announced in January 2023. However, in March 2023, The Matrix actor confirmed in a Reddit AMA about the progress of the sequel, sharing that he had spoken to James Gunn. Interestingly, Gunn had earlier announced the first chapter of DCU, Gods and Monsters, which confirmed that Constantine 2 will not be a DCU film.
The film is likely to be set in an Elseworlds Universe like the other DC comics films The Batman and Joker. Robert Pattinson’s The Batman collected $771 million at the box office, and Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker was a billion-dollar massive hit. The success of these films gives Reeves the confidence to move forward with the sequel, which is set to hit theaters two decades after the original film.
However, it is worth noting that both The Batman and Joker got the hype from the popularity of their characters in previous franchises. The DC Hellblazer, on the other hand, has a major problem with Keanu Reeves’ infamous characterization. The supernatural exorcist is originally British and has blonde hair, which was changed in the movie to a black-haired American guy.
There is also a chance that James Gunn might introduce a more comic-accurate Constantine in his universe, which might pose a challenge to Reeves’ portrayal.
Francis Lawrence Shares The Latest Update On The Keanu Reeves’ Film
Director Francis Lawrence, who debuted in the industry with Constantine, is returning to direct the sequel. In the period between the first and second films, Lawrence famously helmed The Hunger Games franchise. During an interview with Gamespot, the Red Sparrow director shared that the movie production was delayed due to the writers’ strike.
Lawrence also added that he had been meeting with both Keanu Reeves and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman to develop the plot for the sequel. According to the director, the work on the script hasn’t begun yet, and the movie is expected to hit theaters only by 2025. Lawrence told Gamespot:
“Keanu and Akiva Goldsman and I have been in meetings and have been hashing out what we think the story is going to be, and there’s more meetings of those that have to happen–the script has to be written–but really hoping that we get to do Constantine 2, and make a real rated R version of it.”
In the DC Comics, John Constantine is part of a team of supernatural heroes called Justice League Dark. Interestingly, HBO Max had plans to make Justice League Dark as a show with J.J. Abrams serving as the creator. The project was eventually canceled, and Abrams has joined the Constantine sequel as a producer. At this point, there is a lot of expectation for Keanu Reeves’ film.
