Constantine 2 writer Akiva Goldsman provided an update on the sequel starring Keanu Reeves, who returns as the demon-hunting DC character, John Constantine, after 17 years. This is due to Goldsman's Weed Road reuniting with Warner Bros. Discovery as part of a multi-year deal that includes the production of Constantine 2 and I am Legend 2.
The continuation of Constantine is a DC project that Reeves has been fighting for since he originally played the character in 2005, and thanks to his success in the John Wick franchise, it has finally been green-lit. However, amid Warner Bros. Discovery canceling Batgirl and other projects, and DC Studios branching off into its separate division as it carves out a new path for the DC franchise, rumors surfaced that Constantine 2 was canceled. Thankfully, those rumors have been put to rest as the Constantine production moves forward with updates from Goldsman.
Per Deadline, Weed Road Pictures joins Warner Bros Pictures co-chairs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy by ushering in Constantine 2 with producer and writer Goldmans, who confirmed he is writing the film and that Francis Lawrence is directing in collaboration with J.J Abrams' Bad Robots, which is also producing Stephen King's Billy Summers. “We’re doing it with JJ Abrams, and Francis and Keanu and I have been pretty deep in the story-breaking stage,” Goldman said. Crediting Reeves' tenacity in getting Constantine 2 off the ground, Goldsman hinted at what to expect from the sequel. "The character is very much Keanu and the way he and Francis saw the world of good and evil, and the wonderful and authentic noir where there is a world behind the world of good and evil coexist with our world right up close. Beyond that, we are still discovering it as I am writing the script."
The first Constantine film was not meant to continue, but once De Luca and Abdy replaced Toby Emmerich as Warner Bros. Pictures co-chairs in early 2022, one of the first things they did was green light Constantine 2 with Reeves. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, De Luca, and Abdy were also reportedly developing Man of Steel 2 with Henry Cavill, despite Emmerich's previous desire to reboot the character. However, this was before James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-CEOs of the newly-formed DC Studios, convinced Zaslav that a DCU reboot would be more desirable for the franchise. Constantine 2 did not seem to interfere with the future DCU that Gunn and Safran are building, so it was not canceled like other DC projects. When replying to a fan on Instagram, Gunn described DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery as separate divisions now, so what decision-making processes De Luca and Abdy will have going forward regarding DC films, if any, remains to be seen.
Despite the shifting tides at Warner Bros. Discovery, Constantine 2 stays in active development. However, considering the company's shaky history regarding productions that make it on the big screen, time will tell if Constantine 2 makes it to the silver screen. For the time being, it may be safe to assume that Constantine 2 will be part of the DC Elseworlds label, similar to The Batman and Joker sequels, as the upcoming film was not part of Gunn's DC slate announcement.
Constantine 2 is reportedly still in development.
Source: Deadline