Constantine 2 Update Raises Hopes For Movie Even Higher
Francis Lawrence, who also directed the first film, is determined to make the long-overdue sequel R-rated, just like the 2005 film was.
Summary:
- After a setback caused by the Hollywood strikes, Constantine 2 is now closer than ever
- The director is determined to make the movie R-rated and has a pretty good chance of preserving his vision
- The original movie has a unique history that serves as a kind of mirror for Keanu Reeves ' career
After it was officially confirmed in 2022 that a sequel to Constantine, a 2005 film based on the titular DC Comics character John Constantine, would indeed see the light of day, with director Francis Lawrence and star Keanu Reeves returning to their posts, fans were thrilled.
However, the Hollywood strikes that began in 2023 made the future of the project rather uncertain, and almost no new information about it has been revealed since.
Now that the crisis has been at least partially resolved, with the SAG-AFTRA strike still in effect and the WGA strike successfully concluded, the director has provided an update on the film in an interview with GameSpot.
Constantine Sequel Is Closer Than Ever
Though the sequel won't be part of the DCU like 2019's Joker or 2022's The Batman, the fact that the character is still a DC property made the film's development pretty rough, given the current shaky state of DC on the big screen.
But Lawrence is pretty positive about the movie's future, asserting that the creators "have control" and that he, Keanu Reeves, and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman are currently in all sorts of meetings to determine the storyline's focus.
The director also provided an intriguing new detail, pointing out that while the script for Constantine 2 is not yet finished, he is absolutely committed to making it R-rated, which is great news.
If the filmmaker is allowed to carry out his vision, which is quite possible since the aforementioned Joker managed to get the exact same rating, the upcoming film will manage to maintain the dark tone of the first movie, which was also R-rated.
Constantine Perfectly Reflects Keanu Reeves’ Path
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Speaking of the first movie, Constantine has a pretty interesting history that serves as a perfect reflection of how the public perception of Keanu Reeves has changed over the years.
The actor hasn't always been hailed as an absolute superstar, known for both his great roles and for being a charming and humble human being, because even though Reeves has appeared in many iconic films, not all of his performances have been particularly stunning.
Some of them were absolutely brilliant, like in the Bill & Ted movies and 1994's Speed, but many others ranged from mediocre to outright bad, and even his legendary portrayal of Neo in The Matrix trilogy didn't really showcase the actor's full range of acting skills.
So when Constantine was released in 2005, it wasn't received well, with critics leaving underwhelming reviews and fans being only slightly less harsh on the film, criticizing it for deviating significantly from the original comics and being generally mediocre.
Yet, over the years, it has achieved a cult status along with its lead star, and is now fondly remembered by countless dedicated fans who see it as a great addition to Reeves' filmography rather than a mediocre superhero flick.
It is hard to pinpoint exactly what led to such a drastic change, most likely the actor's current elevated status and the overall nostalgic feel, along with the fact that if you ignore the deviations from the original, Constantine is a pretty decent movie.
Anyway, fans are now eagerly awaiting the R-rated sequel and hoping for a comeback from two other great actors from the original, Tilda Swinton, who played the Archangel Gabriel, and Peter Stormare, who portrayed Lucifer himself.
As the film is still in the early stages of development, no release date has been announced.