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Keanu Reeves’ ‘Constantine 2’ Gets ‘Renewed Hope’ After James Gunn’s DC Exit, Says Director: ‘People at DC Were an Impediment to Us’
Confirmed
In Short: Director Francis Lawrence has expressed renewed hope for the long-awaited sequel to 'Constantine,' following the departure of James Gunn and Peter Safran from DC Studios.
Lawrence told Collider that while he was not happy about Gunn and Safran losing their jobs, the change in leadership is making him more optimistic about the film's prospects.
We have to be responsible," Lawrence said. "This is not the kind of movie that I would charge full freight, and Keanu could charge full freight. It's something we have to do because we love and want to take a gamble on it, and do it responsibly.
Lawrence acknowledged that budget and salaries, particularly for Keanu Reeves, are key considerations. "We've been thinking about that same idea for 20 years, that we're not going to do it for $100 million. We have to be scrappy about it," he added.
The original 'Constantine' film, released in 2005, grossed $230.9 million and has since gained a cult following. Lawrence's vision for the sequel includes a continuation of the supernatural lore surrounding John Constantine.
Lawrence stated that he and Reeves would even compromise on their financial compensation to get the film made, if necessary.
The original 'Constantine' film was directed by Francis Lawrence and starred Keanu Reeves as the titular character, with Rachel Weisz, Tilda Swinton, and Peter Stormare in supporting roles.
So, we are now more hopeful as of yesterday’s news that maybe now there will be another opportunity. But again, we’ve been trying to make this for twenty-something years, and there’s always been obstacles in the road to making it, and it’s not me, it’s not Keanu, it’s not Akiva. J.J. [Abrams] is on it, as well. We all want to do it. So, it’s really going to be people at Paramount, Warner, whoever’s running DC now, getting everybody on board to say, like, 'Hey, we can do a sequel of our version of Constantine?
The sequel's development has faced numerous obstacles over the years, with Lawrence and Reeves expressing their commitment to the project despite the challenges.
Background
Constantine is a 2005 American superhero horror film directed by Francis Lawrence in his directorial debut, and written by Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello. It is loosely based on the Hellblazer comic book series.
What's confirmed
- “So, we are now more hopeful as of yesterday’s news that maybe now there will be another opportunity. But again, we’ve been trying to make this for twenty-something years, and there’s always been obstacles in the road to making it, and it’s not me, it’s not Keanu, it’s not Akiva. J.J. [Abrams] is on it, as well. We all want to do it. So, it’s really going to be people at Paramount, Warner, whoever’s running DC now, getting everybody on board to say, like, 'Hey, we can do a sequel of our version of Constantine?'" Lawrence said, without a doubt, that this version of Constantine will be another R-Rated film, no matter what.
What's still developing
- While X-Men, Spider-Man, and Blade were the 1-2-3 punch that kicked things off, it was things like Hellboy in 2004, Constantine and Batman Begins in 2005, and X-2 in 2003 that really cemented that foundation.
- Fans of Keanu Reeves’ Constantine (2005) movie have been on a rollercoaster ride of hope and disappointment and renewed hope for years now, but it finally started looking like real progress was being made on Constantine 2, at least until we got this latest update.
- Director Francis Lawrence ( The Hunger Games sequels and prequels ) leaned deeper into the supernatural lore surrounding John Constantine, while adapting the DC comics material into his own distinct stylised world, which both fit perfectly in step with Reeves’ post- Matrix fame and carved out a new lane for the actor, as a surly, unlikable (but noble) anti-hero.
- There are 2 whole generations that have never seen keanu’s version.
- I’m all for creatives getting to do the things they want to make, but do we really think David Ellison and the other pinheads at Skydance value creativity when they just nuked the first chance of making a sustainable DC cinematic universe that was putting out stuff that folks mostly loved? cuz Constantine is about as popular as Supergirl or Swamp Thing.
- Gunn, for his part, cited a distaste for the “corporate” side of the job, but confirmed that projects already in motion, like Man of Tomorrow, are still a-go.
- While DC Studios' slate is still being worked out behind the scenes, reports have indicated that the studio is looking into developing a sequel to the 2005 Constantine film.
- The results for Constantine were a mixed bag in 2005, as it grossed $230.9 million and still sits at a 46% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes.
- However, it has gained a cult following in the decades since then, thanks to its incredible visuals and Keanu Reeves' standout performance in the titular role (along with Peter Stormare as Lucifer and Tilda Swinton as the archangel Gabriel).
- Lawrence's Constantine 2 update comes a month after the sequel was listed as one of the projects still in development under Skydance, following Warner Bros.
- 2005's Constantine is available through home media release and on streaming, with no release date set for Constantine 2.
- However, while the world waits to see what will become of the main continuity, the Elseworlds banner may still be going forward beyond Matt Reeves' The Batman - Part II.