Francis Lawrence Confirms: Constantine 2 Is Still in the Works

The first Constantine movie, which starred Keanu Reeves as the dark and spiritual warrior, became an instant cult classic almost two decades ago. This film also marked the beginning of director Francis Lawrence's successful career in Hollywood. Lawrence, now a well-known name in the industry, is set to release his upcoming film Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in November. Despite the passing of time, Lawrence's desire to create a sequel to the original Constantine movie has not diminished, indicating that a second installment is still a possibility.

However, the situation surrounding DC Comics properties on the big screen, including Constantine, is currently unclear due to the involvement of filmmakers James Gunn and Peter Safran in redefining the franchise. While it appeared that Constantine 2 was gaining momentum in recent years, the ever-changing landscape at DC has continued to raise doubts about its future. Additionally, the presence of a distinctly different TV adaptation of the character John Constantine, portrayed by Matt Ryan in his own show and across the Arrowverse, has not been favorable for the prospects of a movie sequel.

We remained hopeful for the sequel, and when we interviewed Lawrence during the press tour for his Hunger Games prequel, we couldn't resist asking about it. Surprisingly, he gave us an optimistic response.

"Due to the writers strike, Constantine 2 was unfortunately delayed," Lawrence shared. "We also faced significant obstacles in reclaiming control over the character, as others had ownership of the Vertigo material. However, we now have control. Keanu, Akiva Goldsman, and I have been holding meetings, brainstorming the story for the potential sequel. More meetings are needed, and a script must be written, but we genuinely hope to bring Constantine 2 to life and create an authentic, R-rated version."

It's not a guarantee, but it seems like we're closer to getting a Constantine sequel now than we have been in a long time, if ever. And that's a reason to be hopeful.

Unlike many other popular comic book characters, Constantine's stories mainly revolve around Catholicism. He deals with things from Christian mythology like demons and angels, all while embodying the persona of an old-fashioned detective in a dark, suspenseful thriller. And with Reeves in the lead role, the first movie in 2005 had a similar feel to The Matrix, but with religious elements. There are multiple layers of uniqueness here—it's not difficult to understand the appeal of this character and these stories in our predominantly religious society.

Reeves was joined by Rachel Weisz, Shia LeBeouf, Djimon Hounsou, Tilda Swinton, Peter Stormare, and Gavin Rossdale in the initial film.

For those who have been eagerly anticipating Constantine 2 for nearly two decades, it appears that the long-awaited conclusion could finally be within reach.