Constantine Series HBO Max - What We Know So Far
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John Constantine of DC Comics just can't seem to ever catch a break when it comes to live-action adaptations. He received his own feature film in 2005 with Keanu Reeves in the lead role, which failed to really catch on with audiences at the time. There have been murmurings that the movie's cult status could result in a delayed sequel, but it remains to be seen if it'll ever get off the ground.
Years later, Matt Ryan took on the role of the occult detective in his own TV series on NBC. Despite big plans for the series' future, it was canceled after just 13 episodes. Ryan ended up reprising the role on Legends of Tomorrow and Arrowverse crossover events like Crisis on Infinite Earths, but those appearances are few and far between.
Just like a demon, Constantine is unable to be killed as it's been announced an animated series will be coming to HBO Max in the near future (via Variety). Will this be the iteration of the character that stands the test of time that manages to find an audience while it's still on the air? You'll just have to watch it alongside everyone else when it comes out on the streaming platform.
What's the release date for the HBO Max Constantine series?
It's likely going to be awhile until we see the new Constantine series land on HBO Max as the Variety report indicates the project is in "early development." Guy Bolton is attached to write, but there's no word yet on directors or who's joining the voice cast. No doubt those details will emerge in the coming months.
This new Constantine series is another in a long line of new DC shows coming to the streaming service, which includes Peacemaker, starring John Cena set to debut in early 2022, as well as a show centered on the Gotham police department set to bring an interconnected Dark Knight universe to televisions and movie theaters alike.
Given the newness of the announcement, the earliest we would expect Constantine to come out is 2023. Naturally, delays happen, so it could take even longer for the show to get off the ground, but you'll hear about any updates from Looper first.
Who's in the cast of the HBO Max Constantine series?
Keanu Reeves and Matt Ryan may both have their fans for their respective portrayals of John Constantine, but audiences should be prepared for a completely different version of the character. Variety reports that, "The search is currently on for an actor to lead the series in the role of John Constantine." That makes it sound as though the series isn't going to be connected to any other iteration we've seen, and we can't wait to see who ends up getting cast in the role.
While we don't know who's playing John Constantine, or any other character who could appear in the show for that matter, we do have an idea of what to expect for what kind of detective the lead will end up being. Variety states how the series will focus on a "younger version" of Constantine, so this could be someone who's still learning the ropes of paranormal detective work and focuses just as much on him developing his powers as banishing demons.
It's also reported the show isn't going to be as religious as other adaptations. The 2005 film starring Keanu Reeves explicitly had religious connotations with the inclusion of angels, the power of forgiveness, and even Satan himself making an appearance, as played by Peter Stormare. Instead, it sounds as though the HBO Max series will focus more on the horror elements that were more commonplace in the Hellblazer comics.
What's the plot of the HBO Max Constantine series?
Nothing is known about what the exact plot of the Constantine series on HBO Max will be; however, the report does mention what the larger plans for the show could be in the years to come. Variety goes on to mention how its sources indicate Constantine will lead up to a Justice League Dark show that's been in the works for a while from Bad Robot, J.J. Abrams' production house. As such, it wouldn't be surprising to see Constantine team up with other comic book characters who end up joining the team, such as Zatanna, Deadman, and Detective Chimp.
Deadline reports how Guy Bolton already has a pilot and that a writers' room should be assembled by March, so it's likely those behind the scenes don't even know what's going to happen on this series. Whatever they land on, hopefully it ends up lasting more than a single season.