SDCC 2024: Constantine Producer Reveals Controversial Biblical Reference Cut From Film

As a massive fan of the original ” Constantine” film, I’m thrilled to hear that we’re finally making progress on a sequel. The memories of watching Keanu Reeves bring John Constantine to life on the big screen are still fresh in my mind, and the thought of seeing more adventures from this complex and intriguing character is incredibly exciting.

Approximately two decades after the initial release of “Constantine,” Warner Bros. is moving forward with a sequel. However, during an interview at San Diego Comic Con, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura reminisced about the original film. The movie was rich in Judeo-Christian symbolism and folklore, but according to di Bonaventura, not all elements made it past Warner Bros.’ approval process during production. Specifically, he shared with ComicBook that one controversial reference was removed from the script.

In an interview with ComicBook, di Bonaventura shared his perspective on Peter Stormare’s portrayal of the devil in their production, describing it as “unrivaled” and “more sinister than usual.” They considered pushing boundaries with controversial ideas such as placing a crown of thorns on Satan. However, they ultimately decided against it, fearing a potential backlash from theatergoers. Instead, the white suit and tar dripping effectively captured the essence of the devilish character.

Based on di Bonaventura’s statement, the script for the Keanu Reeves project is nearing completion. This long-awaited project, which fans and Reeves himself have eagerly anticipated, appeared to gain momentum a few years back. However, like many DC Studio initiatives, it came to a halt following a string of high-profile failures. Recently, Reeves has reportedly conversed with executives James Gunn and Peter Safran, implying that “Constantine 2” remains an active prospect – albeit our first significant piece of news in some time.

For some time now, there have been uncertainties regarding Constantine’s upcoming plans, with whispers of Reeves’ potential return dating back several years. At one juncture, reports indicated that J.J. Abrams was working on a number of projects related to “Justice League Dark,” which included the development of a “Constantine” TV series for HBO Max. This project seemed imminent, leading Warner Bros. to remove Constantine from “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” on The CW. However, despite being so close to fruition, this venture ultimately disintegrated before James Gunn joined DC.

In February 2023, writer Akiva Goldsman revealed that they were still developing the plot for the sequel at that time.

Matt Ryan, who played Constantine on TV for years, shared with ComicBook in 2021 that he no longer has to focus as much on John now that he has a new role on “Legends of Tomorrow.” He expressed relief and creativity in this new character, admitting it was a change but an exciting one. As a fan, he’s eagerly anticipating John’s future developments, whether on TV or in films, and is thrilled to be able to look forward to it instead of constantly checking up on him.

There is no release date yet for Constantine 2.

2024-07-26 17:09

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