7 Things We Know About Keanu Reeves' 'Constantine 2' (original) (raw)
Published Sep 15, 2024, 8:50 AM EDT
In addition to being a die-hard fan of filmmaking, television, video gaming, and anything else with a gripping narrative, Aidan Kelley is also a passionate and detail-oriented writer and journalist at Collider.com. In addition to his work as a Senior Resource Writer, Aidan has also contributed to Collider's features and news reporting sections. He has covered major industry events, such as San Diego Comic-Con and the D23 Expo, and has had the privelege of interviewing industry stars like Bruce Campbell, Maggie Q, Chad Stahelski, and more. This sincere love for the art of storytelling began at a young age, with Aidan making video movie reviews for the news program at his local high school. That love only increased over the years, with an ongoing career in independent filmmaking and screenwriting after graduating with a degree in Film and television from DePaul University.
"Be seeing you, John" is getting its original meaning again with the return of supernatural detective John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) in Constantine 2. It's hard to believe it's been nearly twenty years since we've seen we've seen the DC hero (yes, John Constantine is known to team up with Superman and Batman from time to time) on the big screen. While critics weren't too kind to the action-packed horror film when it was first released, Constantine has gone on to amass a dedicated following in recent years, making it another one of Keanu Reeves' hit franchises to go along with The Matrix and John Wick.
Essentially the DC equivalent of Blade, the original R-rated 2005 film follows the life of John Constantine - a loner detective and dedicated demon hunter who has the ability to see the supernatural forces of both Heaven and Hell. In his most difficult case yet, Constantine has to solve the mystery behind the death of Isabel Dodson (Rachel Weisz), only to face the most powerful forces of the supernatural world in the process. The ending of the original Constantine absolutely leaves the door open for a sequel, and after two decades, it finally looks like we're going to see that take shape. To learn more about the long-overdue sequel, as well as its cast, plot details, production status, and more, here is everything we know so far about Constantine 2.
7 Does 'Constantine 2' Have a Release Date?
John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) fights through Hell in 'Constantine'
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Constantine 2 is still in the very early stages of development, so there currently isn't a release window or release date for the long-awaited project. During Collider's "Producers on Producing" at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman confirmed that the writing process for Constantine 2 is still underway and is progressing smoothly. Goldsman also inferred that the film is aiming for an R-rating like its predecessor (even though the original film wasn't initially intended to be PG-13 according to Goldsman):
"Yes. You get to be one of the patron saints of this redux. Fundamentally, what happened was we went through a bunch of different lives at Warner Bros. We have always been trying very hard to reconvene the group from the first movie. Frances and Keanu in particular had very much wanted to revisit the character. As I'm sure those of you who follow this know—and those of you who don't shouldn't—the movie we made, we thought was PG-13, and then it was R because of demons.So, everybody sort of felt like, “Gee, if it was going to be R, we might have dug a little more deeply into some of the stuff we were working with."
6 Where Can You Watch 'Constantine 2'?
Tilda Swinton is Gabriel in 'Constantine'
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
It's still a bit too early to say for certain what medium Constantine 2 will be released in. The most likely answer is a theatrical release, since the first Constantine film also premiered in theaters. However, there's also the chance the sequel could forgo a theatrical release to release directly on streaming, with Max being the most likely place for a streaming release since Constantine is owned by DC and Warner Bros. Discovery.
5 Does 'Constantine 2' Have a Trailer?
Filming has not even begun on Constantine 2 at the time of this writing, so it will be a little while before we see John Constantine wielding his holy shotgun yet again.
4 Who Stars in 'Constantine 2'?
Keanu Reeves is John Constantine in 'Constantine'
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Constantine 2 may still be in the earlier stages, but fans can rest easy that at least one casting development is confirmed: Keanu Reeves is indeed attached to return as John Constantine for the sequel. One of the most beloved actors working in the industry today (both for his actual films and his viral acts of altruism), Reeves' esteemed career includes all-time classics like Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Point Break, and, of course, The Matrix. Since debuting as John Wick, Reeves has become more relevant and popular than ever before. The beloved actor is also set to voice the fan-favorite character of Shadow the Hedgehog in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
No other official casting announcements for Constantine 2 have been made as of yet, but it's safe to assume that at least some other stars from the original film will be returning for the follow-up. One such star who has at the very least had conversations about returning for the second film is veteran character actor Peter Stormare (who had a cameo appearance in John Wick: Chapter 2). Stormare brought Constantine's terrifying vision of Lucifer to life in spectacular fashion, and Stormare himself confirmed in a 2022 interview that conversations about appearing in a sequel have been in play for quite some time.
One star who gave a more apprehensive answer as to whether they'd return for Constantine 2 is Tilda Swinton, who played the Archangel Gabriel in the original. While her answer wasn't a definitive "no", Swinton did reveal that she hadn't heard anything about reprising the part in Constantine 2. Other big names would could potentially return for the upcoming follow-up are Black Widow star Rachel Weisz as Detective Angela Dodson and A Quiet Place : Day One star Djimon Hounsou as Linton "Papa" Midnite.
3 What Is the 'Constantine' Story So Far?
Peter Stormare as Lucifer in 'Constantine'
Image via Warner Bros.
The original film sees John Constantine try to solve the mystery behind the death of Isabel Dodson, who is the twin sister of Detective Angela Dodson. Since a young age, Constantine has been gifted (or rather cursed) to send demons back to Hell when they invade the mortal world. John soon discovers that Isabel's death was just the first stage in merging the human world and the demonic world, all part of a plan of the Archangel Gabriel to purge those unworthy of Heaven. In order to stop Gabriel, John is forced to make a deal with Lucifer, who uses his demonic power to stop Gabriel, clipping the disgraced angel of their wings. Before Lucifer is able to drag John to Hell, Heaven intervenes and tries to save him. An enraged Lucifer vows to claim John Constantine's soul one day, even if it means confronting Heaven once again.
2 Who Is Making 'Constantine'?
Francis Lawrence interview for 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2'
While Keanu Reeves is returning to the world of Constantine in front of the camera, Francis Lawrence will also be coming back to the director's chair. Best known for his work on most of the Hunger Games movies and I Am Legend, Lawrence is also attached to the long-in-development video game adaptation of Bioshock. The screenplay for Constantine 2 is being penned by I Am Legend screenwriter Akiva Goldsman.
1 Will 'Constantine 2' Take Place in the New DCU?
David Corenswet wearing the Superman costume and putting on a red boot in first look image.
Image via James Gunn
Will Keanu Reeves' John Constantine ever meet up with David Corenswet's Superman? Well, anything's possible, but the most likely answer is probably no. DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has stated that, in addition to the shared DC universe that his Superman film will be headlining, DC Studios will still be exploring "Elseworlds" storylines that take place outside that main continuity. In short, Constantine 2 will likely take place in its own separate continuity, similar to Matt Reeves' The Batman and Todd Phillips' Joker.
The original Constantine film is currently available to stream on Prime Video.
Release Date
February 18, 2005
Runtime
121 minutes
Director
Francis Lawrence
Writers
Frank A. Cappello
Producers
Akiva Goldsman, Benjamin Melniker, Erwin Stoff, Lauren Shuler Donner, Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Cast
Angela Dodson / Isabel Dodson
Supernatural exorcist and demonologist John Constantine helps a policewoman prove her sister's death was not a suicide, but something more.